We drove into town somewhere around 2:30 p.m. and found our motel, the Holiday Inn. We checked in and rested a bit. When Penny looked out the window and saw Ross's and another store she likes across the interstate, we had to go. She had to go. I had to take her.
After that, we went downtown. There is a parade of athletes at the opening ceremonies. I was thinking I might get in that. But when we got to City Hall where all the festivities centered, I looked in vain for any semblance of a parade of athletes. I finally looked up the street and saw a bunch of American flags and kids in soccer uniforms. I walked up there and that was where everyone was lining up for the parade. Since it was nothing but kids, I opted out. I did see Bad Kate up there and her daughter Reese. Also, I bumped into a couple of my other colleagues from school. We chatted briefly, then I returned to Penny.
The parade of athletes kids happened, the star spangled banner was sung, the pledge of allegience said, a prayer made, the Olympic torch lit, and fireworks shot. After all of that, we went back to our room and slept.
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| Penny and me waiting on the fireworks. |
Swimmers' warmup started at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning with the meet set to begin at 11:00. I don't know why so late, but that meant we had plenty of time for breakfast. We walked to Waffle House which was beside the motel. I have never had such good service. The eggs were good too.
This was our second trip to the pool at Meridain Community College. I like that place. It overlooks the baseball field which joins the track which surrounds the football field. There is a gym attached also. I guess if you are an athlete at Meridian CC, learning your way around will take some time. Did I mention that the basketball gym is next door?
I warmed up with 1,000 meters of easy swimming and some back stroking. We got heat sheets and then the party started. For me, the first event was the 100 free. I won gold, but I felt funny doing it. The result sheet they gave us after the meet said I swam the first 50 in 42 and the second one in 49. Huh? That is a seven second slowdown in a short race. I felt like I was panicking in almost all of my events. I did not feel nervous on deck, but in the water, it seemed that my heart rate was way too high, and I was in oxygen debt. Pacing? Unfelt nerves? Conditioning? I don't know.
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| My handler looking over the heat sheet before my first race. |
My second race was the 100 back stroke. I was pitted against Gary Wright. Gary is a butterflyer and IMer. He does the Senior Olympics, and there I think he won all his races there this year. I have seen him swim but I had no clue how my back stroke stacked up against his. As I stood on deck waiting our race, he walked over and began to chat me up. He was trying to size me up. "I can tell your freestyle is faster than mine," he told me. All I could say in return was, "The backstroke is my best bad stroke." Turns out mine is way more bad than his. He soundly defeated me, but not to worry: I was awarded a silver medal for my second place finish.
Race number three for me was the 200 meter free. They had me in the pool with Tedd Gilbert and Jeff Andrews. These guys, former college swimmers, are in another league. But while they are in another league, thankfully they are also in another age group. Next year, however, Jeff ages up into mine group. So I won my group with a 3:22. That made two golds and one silver.
I swam the 50 back stroke for my fourth race and won my group again. The final individual event was the 400 free. I was in the pool with some former college swimmers, but luckily, again they were different ages. There was also a woman swimming with us and I was nervous about that. I did not want to lose to her even though that would have no consequence for the awards. This time, for the first time, I felt decent when I swam, no panic, no shortage of breath. Of course I was out of breath when I finished. If had not been, I would not have swum it right. But I felt strong and in control and ahead of the woman all the way. And my last 50 was my second fastest 50 of the whole race. That's the way it's supposed to be.
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| My medal haul at the State Games. |
After the meet proper, we did the relays. The best way I can describe the swim relays at the State Games is we draw it up in the dirt and go swim. Jack Mallette divides everyone into groups. First mixed, then male and female teams. We do the medley and then the free style relays. It's fast, furious, and fun. I was in a team with two females and one little kid. He looked about eight. He was somebody's son who was there and they let his swim the relays. When we got together, one of the ladies said to me, "You're the captain." So I asked the kid what he could swim. "Anything," he answered, "Great," I responded, "You swim breast." I had seen one of the women warming up with a butterfly. "You swim butterfly," I said to her. I had also seen the other woman swim back, so I assigned her backstroke. That left me safe with the freestyle leg. Last year I had to swim butterfly, and it was brutal on me.
We swam two mixed relays then divided up again into teams by sex. Since there was an odd number of male swimmers, some of the better guys had to swim two legs. That was OK. It was real. It was fun. And it was real fun.
This year by the grace of God, I did not have to swim butterfly. Thank you, Jesus. And everyone who swims relays gets medals, so it's all good. At the end, they gave us result sheets and our medals for the relays. It was a blast. If you are a Masters swimmer reading this, put this meet on your calendar for next year. Don't be afraid. You will probably do a lot better than you expect. And the relays: nothing but chaos and fun. You don't want to miss that.
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