Besides that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you like the play?

The training trip in Florida is something every swimmer dreams about, whether it's preseason, mid-season, or at naptime during the trip.
Some dream to remember, some dream to forget...
In that way, it is a little like the Hotel California. All in all, it's such a lovely place (any time of year) but really - it feels like you can never leave. Many of us spend practices, days, the whole week, attempting to check out, but we are stuck. And often checking out is just as painful as putting your head down, taking the steely knives, and trying to kill the beast. I'm proud to say, this is the first year that I haven't "checked out" or just written off any practices, unless you count the stretch cord set - which, you probably do. But all the same, I held my own. After all - I was a prisoner there, of my own device.

Enough with the intense connection between The Eagles and the Training Trip. I spent the mornings before our first practice down at the pool restaurant overlooking Deerfield Beach. This picture is the beginning of the sunrise on the last day we were there.
Coral Springs Aquatic Center - this is the pool we trained at! We've trained here for the past 3 years actually, so it's almost a little sad to say goodbye. (If you're looking for me in this picture, I am in the second lane over, heading away from the photographer, probably trying not to drown or to get Hotel California out of my head. Whichever was easiest to concentrate on.
Every year, the swim team has a party. This year's theme was the "Dark Knight" - because of the movie and Calvin is the Knights - so this is Cara in her batman costume and me in my black (dark night?) pajamas.
The senior girls - I asked our assistant coach to think of a pose that says, "We are done and never have to do this again!" - This is what we came up with. 22+ hours of training within 6 days, getting over 10,000 yards every day - it's a rite of passage that all swim teams go through. And we never have to do one again.

"we may lose and we may win -
but we will never be here again.
so open up, I'm climbing in -
so take it easy."