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Behind the Blocks: NCAAs or bust tracks the training and development of former All Met swimmers working towards the goal of making the NCAA Division I championship meet in March during the 2013-2014 season. Each week the swimmers will post a personal blog about training with their respective school’s swim program and the daily challenges of life as a student-athlete at the D1 level. Check back every Tuesday for new blog posts, and join us throughout the season for a behind-the-scenes look at some of the country’s elite collegiate swimmers and swim programs.
Eva Greene is a junior at the University of California-Berkeley. She started her swimming career with the Tuckahoe Tigers in the NVSL and continued with McLean High School where she was MVP from 2008-2011. She was named PVS Swimmer of the Year in 2009 as a member of Machine Aquatics. Read all of Eva’s blog posts here.
For my very first blog post back in October, I spoke about the idea of “success” and how it looks and feels different at various points throughout a college season.
This past weekend we had two home dual meets, one against Arizona State and the other against the University of Arizona, and the pressure to be successful was very prevalent. We had record-setting crowds supporting us, our parents in the stands, the Pac-12 Network cameras shooting at every angle, and two very strong teams here to race. Add on to that the slight anxiety that we had not raced since December and the nerves got a good buzz going.
These nerves served us well and the Bears had two incredible dual meets. We were successful not by the numbers on the scoreboard, but by our attitudes and readiness to shake off that race rust and get down to business. We enjoyed ourselves and were proud of how we showed up as a team.
Fri., Jan 24: Arizona State at California results | recap
Sat., Jan. 25: Arizona at California results | recap
It’s hitting me right now just how fast this year has gone by, because those spring times I alluded to back in the fall are now here. I’m in the middle of the spring season. When did that happen? Where did all those dreaded October morning spin sessions, distance sets, and ceaseless training hours go? The mornings I didn’t think I could make it? It really is hitting me right about now, just as I’m a mere four weeks out of our conference championship meet, that the work I’ve put in is sealed.
Time to panic dance.
I don’t mean literally dance. Well, actually, I kind of do. You see, in the spring our team takes a hip-hip dance class and learns a pretty complex (for us water creatures) dance routine.
Twice a week we stomp around the gym channeling our inner Beyoncé and forget about the glaring reality that we can’t actually dance that well. But we all think we can, which is all that matters. The result? An absolutely awesome dance that we are so proud of we end up busting it out at in the dorms, apartments, bus stops, the pool deck (at the swim meet on TV, hi mom!), you name it. No matter how utterly ridiculous we may look, it doesn’t matter, because we work hard to learn the dance, so we’re going to show it off and have the best time doing it.
How on earth does this relate at all to swimming and having a successful end of the season? In my opinion, this part of the year is all about embracing the dance.
For months we’ve put in the hours and the yards. We pushed ourselves every day and held one another to a standard that at times was a little intimidating, but we wouldn’t have it any other way. Sure, we maybe had a few bad days, but what we’ve done is done, and there’s no going back and doing it over. No matter our level of confidence, or sometimes lack thereof, all we can do now is hone in on the time we have left and trust that our training can back that up. If something doesn’t go exactly right, fix it as you go. The music doesn’t stop, so neither do you. There isn’t time to worry about what you could or should have done, all you have time to think about is the next step in the dance.
Right now our training is focused on race details such as starts, turns and finishes, and less on conditioning. We’re breaking down into very specialized groups and allowing individuals to tend to their specific needs. Some days I get to sleep in a bit longer than others, giving me a little more rest, which is very important leading into the upcoming meets.
We head down to Southern California this weekend to swim against USC and UCLA for two more exciting duals. But until then, we’ll just be here dancing. Thanks and GO BEARS!
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