Toyama Masters Short Course Swim Meet 2007
Before meeting the team behind the Kurobe City Hospital at 6:45AM, I ate rice and nattou, packed a few snacks and checked my bag again to make sure I had my goggles and cap. At the hospital we paid up, 2900Y to swim two events plus a relay and lunch. And then I climbed in a car and zoned out for 40 minutes as we drove to the pool. I got the required, "Where are you from in America?", "Where's that?", "My daughter went to American once." conversation and then everyone stopped talking. I was absolutely fine with that because I hate talking to people before 8AM.
As soon as we got to the pool, claimed our prime real estate in the bleachers right above the 25meter bulk head, I changed into 3 suits and got in for a warm up. Even with three pools, and 7-8 lanes for swimming, it is hard to do more than a 50 without having to stop and wait for someone to get out of the way. But I managed to get in a 950m warm-up.
900m
2x start + 25m
About 30minutes after opening ceremony and the start of the meet I headed back down for another 200 warm-up. Luckily or not, my races were almost back to back. So I didn't have to wait around a lot in-between. First up...the 100 breast! There was only two heats of women. I was in the second or younger heat. And yet again, I was seated next to a super fast woman from Uozu, the next town over. But I just realized who she is. She is at the pool on Monday nights privately coaching two sisters before the Masters team starts. I've chatted with her a few times, not realizing that she is my archenemy in breaststroke! Ha ha ha, well, it doesn't really matter cause she kicked my ass again!! I think she finished a full 6 seconds before me. And she holds the record in my age group and hers. I didn't swim a great race. My turns kinda sucked, I'm not sure I did a full underwater pull. And my last 50 I got super tight and slowed way down. Also after watching the video twice at the dinner party...I was told my pull is all off and I don't tuck my head enough (or at all). But even with those flaws I managed to get first in my age group. Although I'm not sure if there was anyone else swimming! :)
A teammate blow drying his hair in the stands.
Again, I jumped in the cool down/warm-up pool, swam another 2-300m and got out for the next event. The 100m IM is more of a fun event....or it's supposed to be! I have signed up for it the last few meets because it's something different I haven't done before. This time around, my goggles slipped. It wasn't horrible, but they started filling up with water during my fly, luckily it was only 25m. During back they were able to drain a little and I was able to turn my head enough to squeeze them back on with my arm during its rotation. Of course my back was the slowest and I was really far behind. But during the breast I was able to pick up speed and catch up to the woman next to me and we turned at the wall at the exact same time (video clip). This got us both going for the last 25, my competitive edge kicked in and my only goal was to out touch her. I did! But watching the video makes it look like I was just enjoying a lazy swim through the pool. My arms are barely moving. I really need to work on arm turnover. So, I survived the goggles and came in first in my age group again. I'm guessing the girl I out touched was also my age group, so maybe I really did get first in that one!
Lunch Time!! Well, I hate to eat too much, but I had almost two hours before the next race. So I scarfed a few white bread sandwhiches from a convienence store. So healthy, I know! But that's what they had for our lunch. Either that or a rice ball or a Japanese bento. And I just can't do Japanese food in that situation. The last thing I want to taste in my mouth is fish or soy sauce as I'm diving into the water! San Tache has arrived just at the end of my breast event, but caught the IM. We hung out in the bleachers and watched the meet for awhile until I went back down for a final warm-up.
My last Masters event in Japan with the Kurobe Masters Swim Club was a 200 Medley Relay. I swam 50 breast. I wasn't really paying attention to how far ahead our fly swimmer was of the pack, but I was the first one in the water, and I was the first breast swimmer to touch. We finished first in the only heat! But we didn't break the record which was set last year by a team with San Tache on it! Bummer!!
The 200 Medley Relay Team: Yoshiko (fly), Me (breast), Ueyama (back), Takamatsu (free)
So, all in all, I placed first in all my events! That's a lifetime personal best for me! I've never gotten first in anything! But, since I've started practicing with the Masters team my times have gotten worse!! I was much slower this year than I was last year! That's a bad sign.
At the dinner we had a mini-awards ceremony. Everyone was super excited that I got first in all my events (as was I) and the Club President asked if I got an PR's. I honestly didn't know. But looking back on my times...they are some of my worst!! Depressing! But I guess given the practices it's not super surprising. I might be better off to swim in my own lane on Monday nights and do a real workout. But I have less than 2 months left. I might as well keep swimming with them. And hope that the next team I join in the next country I live in pushes me more!
Hairdryer man and I pose with my 1st Place Awards.
Reiko-chan is so super cute!!
A photo of a photo that Reiko took at the dinner!
Overall Results:
Total: ~2000m, all freakin' day!
100m Breast 1:35.75
100m IM 1:31.21
200m IM relay 2:19.66 (I think my split was a 43 or 46?)
As soon as we got to the pool, claimed our prime real estate in the bleachers right above the 25meter bulk head, I changed into 3 suits and got in for a warm up. Even with three pools, and 7-8 lanes for swimming, it is hard to do more than a 50 without having to stop and wait for someone to get out of the way. But I managed to get in a 950m warm-up.
900m
2x start + 25m
About 30minutes after opening ceremony and the start of the meet I headed back down for another 200 warm-up. Luckily or not, my races were almost back to back. So I didn't have to wait around a lot in-between. First up...the 100 breast! There was only two heats of women. I was in the second or younger heat. And yet again, I was seated next to a super fast woman from Uozu, the next town over. But I just realized who she is. She is at the pool on Monday nights privately coaching two sisters before the Masters team starts. I've chatted with her a few times, not realizing that she is my archenemy in breaststroke! Ha ha ha, well, it doesn't really matter cause she kicked my ass again!! I think she finished a full 6 seconds before me. And she holds the record in my age group and hers. I didn't swim a great race. My turns kinda sucked, I'm not sure I did a full underwater pull. And my last 50 I got super tight and slowed way down. Also after watching the video twice at the dinner party...I was told my pull is all off and I don't tuck my head enough (or at all). But even with those flaws I managed to get first in my age group. Although I'm not sure if there was anyone else swimming! :)
A teammate blow drying his hair in the stands.Again, I jumped in the cool down/warm-up pool, swam another 2-300m and got out for the next event. The 100m IM is more of a fun event....or it's supposed to be! I have signed up for it the last few meets because it's something different I haven't done before. This time around, my goggles slipped. It wasn't horrible, but they started filling up with water during my fly, luckily it was only 25m. During back they were able to drain a little and I was able to turn my head enough to squeeze them back on with my arm during its rotation. Of course my back was the slowest and I was really far behind. But during the breast I was able to pick up speed and catch up to the woman next to me and we turned at the wall at the exact same time (video clip). This got us both going for the last 25, my competitive edge kicked in and my only goal was to out touch her. I did! But watching the video makes it look like I was just enjoying a lazy swim through the pool. My arms are barely moving. I really need to work on arm turnover. So, I survived the goggles and came in first in my age group again. I'm guessing the girl I out touched was also my age group, so maybe I really did get first in that one!
Lunch Time!! Well, I hate to eat too much, but I had almost two hours before the next race. So I scarfed a few white bread sandwhiches from a convienence store. So healthy, I know! But that's what they had for our lunch. Either that or a rice ball or a Japanese bento. And I just can't do Japanese food in that situation. The last thing I want to taste in my mouth is fish or soy sauce as I'm diving into the water! San Tache has arrived just at the end of my breast event, but caught the IM. We hung out in the bleachers and watched the meet for awhile until I went back down for a final warm-up.
My last Masters event in Japan with the Kurobe Masters Swim Club was a 200 Medley Relay. I swam 50 breast. I wasn't really paying attention to how far ahead our fly swimmer was of the pack, but I was the first one in the water, and I was the first breast swimmer to touch. We finished first in the only heat! But we didn't break the record which was set last year by a team with San Tache on it! Bummer!!
The 200 Medley Relay Team: Yoshiko (fly), Me (breast), Ueyama (back), Takamatsu (free)So, all in all, I placed first in all my events! That's a lifetime personal best for me! I've never gotten first in anything! But, since I've started practicing with the Masters team my times have gotten worse!! I was much slower this year than I was last year! That's a bad sign.
At the dinner we had a mini-awards ceremony. Everyone was super excited that I got first in all my events (as was I) and the Club President asked if I got an PR's. I honestly didn't know. But looking back on my times...they are some of my worst!! Depressing! But I guess given the practices it's not super surprising. I might be better off to swim in my own lane on Monday nights and do a real workout. But I have less than 2 months left. I might as well keep swimming with them. And hope that the next team I join in the next country I live in pushes me more!
Hairdryer man and I pose with my 1st Place Awards. 
Reiko-chan is so super cute!!
A photo of a photo that Reiko took at the dinner!Overall Results:
Total: ~2000m, all freakin' day!
100m Breast 1:35.75
100m IM 1:31.21
200m IM relay 2:19.66 (I think my split was a 43 or 46?)
(I'll try to post a few pics and maybe some video soon)
3 comments:
Good for you Sista K! It's nice to win once in a while and at least you're out and doing something, even if you think you're not doing enough of it.
> I've chatted with her a few times,
> not realizing that she is my
> archenemy in breaststroke!
Haha! She is your Lex Luther!
> I managed to get first in my age group
Nice!
> A teammate blow drying his hair in the stands.
Okay, men should not be blowing their hair in the stands.
> I was able to turn my head enough
> to squeeze them back on with my
> arm during its rotation.
Now that's talent!
> I survived the goggles and came
> in first in my age group again.
Damn, you're good! Congrats on a great meet.
yay for sista k!!!
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