My Weekend Of So So Swimming And Why That Is A Victory In My Book. My Quick Take On It.
Monday, December 09, 2024
Doh! So I forgot to pack a chair for
The swim meet so guess I’m stopping at Walmart on the way to pool. Which I thought I’d have time but got to the free hotel breakfast only to find out it starts 30 minutes later on the weekend. Doh! I still need to stop for the chair so a shorter warm up will be my fault. Luckily Walmart is sort of on the way. Well it’s not but it will be.
Aisle M14 - Portable Chair - DONE
Swim Day! Brrr…outdoor pool and it’s 44F pic.twitter.com/fz1r3jDcpy
— Joel McKenna (@the17thman) December 7, 2024
Got to pool at 8:05 only to realize check-in and warm up starts at 8:30am. But since it’s so cold I’m not jumping in to 9am! Just hoping my shoulder holds up today.
100 Fly - Heat 2 / Lane 4 approx start time 10:10 am
100 Back - Heat 3 / Lane 2 approx start time 11:22 am
200 Back - Heat 3 / Lane 3 approx start time 1:18 pm
If I’m not asked to do relays I’ll leave and go back to the hotel. Then will hit the Celebration of Athletes thingy. Nothing better to do.
Yuck. The 100 Butterly. So wasn’t ready for that. I went to easy and just couldn’t get into a groove. Tried to pick up the pace but just couldn’t get moving. Slowest time ever! On the flip side I was the only person in my age group so got a Gold Medal.
100 Back…
The start that was held forever. Swimmers take your mark…and hold…hold some more…swimmers take your mark….
Even the official at my block mentioned it was a long hold. But it probably was my best back start in some time. Not my fastest time overall but better time than the last few years. 1:10…something.
Up next 200 Backstroke then just a 50 for a relay. At least in the sun it’s nice and toasty at 64F.
It’s over. Day One. After I went to my hotel to quickly shower and check out the Florida Senior Games Saturday Spectacular. Mind you I got there for the last hour so I’m guessing the crowds had thinned out. Outside was a band and some food trucks. Since I had eaten at the taco truck yesterday I skipped food and went inside. A few tables, a fundraiser giving a cup and umbrella away and that was it. Basketball and Volleyball was happening but didn’t stay to watch. I needed food.
My Times:
100 Fly 1:08.81 Officially my slowest time ever. Since I started swimming two years ago time I compete in this event I get slower. Back in 2009 I did a 59.01.
100 Back 1:10.85 Faster then the last two times I’ve swum this event. Mind you prior I did a 1:09.04 back in 2016. But a 59.78 in 2009.
Still waiting for 200 Back results. The events after are up including the Relay I did but no back yet
Oh and someone stole my old Target joggers. I think I’ve had them for like 8 years but yet someone took them at the meet. May have been accidental but jeez.
200 Back 2:33.02 Faster then my last time with 2:35.08. But back n 2009 I did a 2:09.04
Three Individual events yesterday. pic.twitter.com/GuUAOS6WE5
— Joel McKenna (@the17thman) December 8, 2024
Recap Day One:
3 Events / 3 Finishers / 3 Gold Medals
The medals are a given as I was the only one in my age group. I did the relay so I guess 4 events. If I recall from last year they do medals for relays something we don’t do at our Senior Games.
SUNDAY:
Today is the 200 Fly, 50 Fly and 500 Free. If asked I’ll do a Relay. The relays are right after the 500. I did sandbag my time as I think I entered my SCM time for the 200 Fly.
As always I never do too much of a warm up and today I did some fly but definitely felt my shoulder pain. If I don’t sweep my left arm I’ll be fine. Just very wide hand entry will be the plan. Just gotta finish and not get DQ’ed.
200 Fly The first 100 felt okay but athat last 50. Yikes. 2:42.92 with splits of 1:14 and 1:22. I was slightly faster last April with a 2:42.51. My fastest was in 2007 with a 2:12. I can’t complain as I don’t swim enough fly in practice and nothing more than a set of 50’s.
50 Fly 29.98 which was faster than my last three swims which all hovered in the 30.something. In 2016 I did a 29.58 and in 2008 a 27.65. Can’t complain.
NO NUMBERS / COUNTERS! They couldn’t find the lap counters. Had to creative. I did count for a 94 year old swimmer. Inspiring.
No Counters for the 500. Had to be creative counting. I had the pleasure of counting for a 94 year old swimmer. pic.twitter.com/PwjngxNmAV
— Joel McKenna (@the17thman) December 8, 2024
500 Free 6:29.88 my 2nd slowest time ever but. Not by much. Did a 6:29.14 and a 6:39.48 earlier this year but a 5:14.22 in 2009.
7 for 7 pic.twitter.com/LgVcZbRZPB
— Joel McKenna (@the17thman) December 8, 2024
OVEREALL:
I can't complain. You only get out of something what you put in. Swimming once or twice a week isn't going to get me any faster. Plus I'm getting older but when I think back about my times in the past especially the 2009 times I remember that I was so hungover at these meets that I was almost drunk swimming. The takeaway on that is that I'm happy I'm not like that anymore and to think how much faster I could have been back then. I just gotta keep working hard mentally and physically and take each race as they come.
I can't complain. You only get out of something what you put in. Swimming once or twice a week isn't going to get me any faster. Plus I'm getting older but when I think back about my times in the past especially the 2009 times I remember that I was so hungover at these meets that I was almost drunk swimming. The takeaway on that is that I'm happy I'm not like that anymore and to think how much faster I could have been back then. I just gotta keep working hard mentally and physically and take each race as they come.