Scapegoat

Last night's workout was especially hard. And it was my night to get picked on by the Coach. Constantly yelling at me in between swims, and such.
This morning, we had our usual weight circuit. However, the weight trainer was ornery that morning, and if he catches anyone doing anything wrong, or not putting enough effort, we start that station over.
It was my turn to get picked on in weights today. "Everybody stop! Edge! You're not doing it right! This is how you're supposed to do it!" (And I'm mentally noting, 'Dang it! That's how everyone else was doing it...I didn't know!') And many girls send piercing glares in my direction. Later..."Everybody stop! Edge!...." He's always watching me. I see lots of girls slacking at other stations, being lazy...

And all I want to say to everyone glaring at me....

"baaaaaah!"

Leapin Coaches!

Warning: I'm diverging "confidential" information. A captain told us all not to say anything about tonight's practice. But I thought it was a good experience and lesson learned.

Tonight's practice was...interesting and exciting. That's pretty much all I can say to sum it up.
We had to do the 20x25 underwater dolphin kick again. This time we just kept starting over, we didn't get kicked out this time! Many of the people who struggled last time did much better this time.
However, (here comes the exciting part) the coach loves to play mind games. If he noticed anyone who was struggling, he'd wait for them to get to the wall, then hold them down for a few extra seconds underwater. I'd look up, and he'd be at the opposite end of the pool, and he dunked all these people! I was very intimidated, and worried that I might find my head being dunked underwater when I need air...However, that intimidation was in vain. He never came to my lane. :)
While waiting at a wall, the next thing I know...I see the coach leaping, in midair, and land in the pool. He pulls off his jacket and looks determined.
He came to my lane too late, but when I was looking, he'd get in people's way, stop them, cause them to work even harder, forced them to focus and keep going...

My dad told me not to worry too much about this coach. He seems like he knows what he's doing, and apparently no one has died from his workouts. Well...I'm sort of worried now. A swimmer on our team, who struggled last time, ended up in the hospital. Coach never touched him, and the swimmer is fine (honestly, I think he's a mental case).

But our team did the whole set today! (We did about 40 total...)

Lesson learned: If you're not performing up to standard, the coach himself will jump in and make sure that you do.

Mind Games

The entire swim team got kicked out of practice today.
Yes, my coach loves playing mind games with us. And if we're not focused, we'll get kicked out.
Unfortunately, when I look at all this in retrospect, I can't help but smile.
I know I'm supposed to be serious, and I am, when I'm at the pool. But just reflecting back on how the whole team stresses out and gets irritable with each other....after getting kicked out, the girls get really shrill in the locker room, wanting their opinion to be heard. I'm just a little deaf freshman, so I hear nothing, really.
All I see is red faces and serious expressions.

Ba ha!

English

My first "big" essay in English is due on Monday.
I found the story I wanted to write on, got it all organized, and made a fantastic claim.
Here's the problem: I've already written a smaller essay on this story. And for some strange reason, my Professor remembered my essay and some of the arguments I presented in it. And he felt inclined to bring it up during the lecture.
So.
He remembers my essay, I've already written on this story.
Maybe I will have to challenge myself, and look for something new in a new story.

I don't like to recycle when people are watching.

"Stress Stage"

Well, the Coach likes to do everything in stages of three weeks. Last week was the third week, so our first stage was over for swimming.
This second stage we're now in he likes to call the "stress stage." "Apart from practically drowning you in the pool, I will work you really hard in dryland."
Dryland ain't too bad. You are given a number, and there's about seven groups. You're randomly grouped together. The very first stage is with the Coach. It's a simple preschool game of "simon says." Only it's hard, since you do pushups, jumping, etc., and if you do anything out of line or wrong, you go back to the end of the line, to try again. Everyone in your group has to be perfect. If you pass that stage, you head over to Ron, who works mostly on legs, running, jumping, etc. After that stage, you work on core. Push-ups, bridges, mountain climbers galore! It is definitely the hardest stage of them all. If you successfully pass that stage, you work on abs. That's pretty hard too, but nothing is hard like push-ups or bridges. If you pass that, you are rewarded by starting all over again.
I've always ended up in the group that actually does well and goes the furthest. Some groups never pass the simon says stage. But both times, my group has to go through it three times! Sometimes I wish we weren't so great, because those other stages are MUCH HARDER than silly simon says.

Anyhow, on to the swimming. Today was our first really "stressful" set. In normal swim practices, you are given a set, you finish the set...wait around for coach to tell you another set to do.
Today, the workout was much different. No rest at all in between intervals, so you have to really listen when you're on the wall.
If you don't leave on time, or if you don't perform as well as they'd like, or if your technique is getting sloppy, you're kicked out from the rest of practice. You're not allowed to linger, get off the deck, and don't come back.
The first few people to get kicked out didn't swim fast enough for the 200 all out.

Later in the workout, we had to use snorkles. I've never used snorkles before. I swallowed so much water, and I started panicking, because I wasn't getting any air. I struggled through that, lasted a couple more sets, but I just could not breathe and was waterlogged.
So when we were told to do 4x25 on :30 all underwater dolphin kick, I died on the first one and got kicked out.
Sorry, but a body has to breathe!

Afterwards, in the locker room (I was one of the last girls to go in), the girls were all stressed and mad that they didn't get very far. "We should go and do dryland to punish ourselves!"
"We should do extra after practice tomorrow"
"STOP SMILING! WE'RE SUPPOSED TO BE MAD AT OURSELVES!"
"Well, who's going to do dryland with me? We have to show Coach that we want to work hard."
"No, that's stupid!"
Angry glares and stares...

I didn't do the extra dryland. I don't believe that's the point of this stress stage. I know I did my best, I went far as I could, hard as I could. And I will give my best each and every day. Just because I didn't get far as I wanted today doesn't mean I'm going to punish myself. I see it as a foundation. I got this far today. Maybe I'll get a little further next time. I'll keep working at it, and learning, and growing. I gave it my best shot, and that's pretty much the most you can do.

Tomorrow I'm going to walk in there with no regrets, no anger, and work my heart out again. And since I'm supposedly doing this for fun, I am going to smile. Whether you like it or not. Not enough people smile around the pool these days.

Blindly (and deafly) swimming.

This morning's workout was interesting. We did a moderately hard set, we had to count our strokes per length. Then the coach gave us all masking tape. We had to tape over our goggles, so we couldn't see a thing. We were told that we're going to do a 25 sprint, from a start, finish with a turn. We counted our strokes, and we're experienced enough that we should be able to make the turn perfectly. We line up behind the blocks, and he tells everyone to put on their goggles. So I try to remember that I'm the third person in line.
I hear two separate splashes of water, so I know that I must be up now. I get up on the block, (remember I'm blind and deaf). The next thing I know is I hear a splash, and the coach yelling "GO!!!" I throw myself into the water, and totally ran into the lane-line. Oh, and I missed the wall. Flipped about 5 yards out. But apparently, that was the story with everyone.

Second attempt: I actually swam straight, but still missed the wall exactly 5 yards out.

Third (and last) attempt: I throw caution to the wind, decide to go all ALL out. I won't count my strokes like coach told me to, and just flip when I feel like it's the right time. What's the worst that can happen? A bloody nose? A lane-line burn? Face-plant into the wall? Heels hit the wall? Not too bad....
I swam my hardest, and I felt like it was time to turn. I did, and lo, and behold! My feet hit the wall! I blast off, and I hear cheering from the other girls who finished before me. I looked up, and noticed Coach looking at me, nodding his head in approval, then turning to talk to the assistant coach.

Uh...but I didn't count my strokes...is that bad?


The rest of the time, we did lots of drills dealing with starts and jumping, all the stuff I always struggle with... The drills of the diving board were probably amusing to watch.

Rats!

What on earth have I gotten myself into?

We had a short team meeting today, discussing the expectations of us during the recruiting trip.
Then we had to go run. When you're finished running, you immediately go into jumping jacks, until everyone is finished running and also doing jumping jacks.
According to coach, we didn't do jumping jacks properly, and we weren't serious enough at practice. After lecturing us on how we have to raise the bar, that details really count especially when you're tired, he told us to do jumping jacks again. I thought that I'd be okay, but I didn't know he'd have us doing hard dryland for a half-hour, including push-ups on his command. Which means you're up for about 20 seconds, down for about 10-20 seconds. Someone dropped a knee, so we had to start all over again. Then again. Then we did jumping jacks, then down on the ground AGAIN. By this time, everyone's shaking and whimpering and some people were even sobbing. When we finally finished those push-ups, I swear I wanted to die. Despite all the turds left from aerating, the grass was so warm, so soft, and it felt good just to collapse, to give up...
But a tall Russian swimmer yanked me by the arm and pulled me up. "You can do it, you're doing great! Keep going!" And I continue with the jumping jacks. He kind of surprised me. He's very aloof, does his own thing, and never talks to anyone. He practically saved me today, and I will always be grateful for that.

When I wanted to give up, the quiet one kept me going.

Rabbits!

One day I was riding my bike around campus, and lo, and behold! I saw something dart past my eye. I looked directly at it, and to my surprise, it was a cute small brown furry rabbit. Not knowing any better, I thought it was a lost pet, probably slow and tame like the one I once had.
So I try to catch it. Many passer-by gave me strange looks, shook their heads with a smile, and walked on.
The rabbit was impossible to catch.
So I gave up, assuming that it was probably going to have a sad, pathetic death. Like my rabbit.

The next day (today), I notice a rabbit hanging out by the elevator by the Legacy Bridge. It looked up and chomped on its grass.
Then I saw another one.

I asked around the swim team about rabbits. Many didn't know what I was talking about and thought I was pulling their leg. But a select few (very few) knew what I was talking about. And we got excited to recount our adventures among the rabbits.

Keep yer eyes peeled. There's lots to enjoy in life, if you move slowly and enjoy the scenery.

I'm alive, don't worry!

Well, I just noticed that I haven't posted in a little while.
Let me bring you up to speed.
Well, there isn't much to tell...
Weights went much better this morning.
Workout was hard.
I have a chemistry exam this wednesday.
My bruises aren't gone yet.
My guilt-pleasure right now is zoning out watching star trek deep space nine.
I actually got 7 1/2 hours of sleep last night.
I have stayed upright all day today, a grand accomplishment.
I spaced out in only two classes today, but not for the entire class, don't worry.
It's only Monday, and I'm very tired.
I have to write up a thing for the coach saying what three things that I think make a ute.
I'm not sure what I think makes a Ute...paint, tomahawk, and a feather?
I was just kidding. I have some ideas that would brown-nose to the coach like:
Mind controls the body. (Your body thinks its tired, but according to the powerful mind, you can make your body do whatever you want it to...)
Being the best person you can possibly be. (Doesn't necessarily apply to just athletics...)
Having the drive to accomplish your unrealized dreams.

What else is new? Uh...I ate a home-grown peach after practice today! But I couldn't really taste it due to stupid cottonmouth. (Cotton mouth is a term used by swimmers meaning that the chlorine has practically fried your whole mouth so it's numb and tingly and feels all swollen.)

First weight training session

What can I say about my first weight training session besides "ugh"?
Well...
It was very hard. Not very much weight involved, more of just body weight, medicine balls, and cardio workouts. My least favorite station was pushing a 45 pound weight on the ground around two cones that were far apart. You had to do three laps. The worst part? Everyone else at their station have to do what they're doing until you are done.
So, it's my turn to scoot that dratted weight on the floor, I finally finish one lap. "Everyone stop!" The weight trainer corrects someone. (If someone is doing something incorrect, we all have to stop and start over.) So, I had to do three more laps. It was hard.
But I didn't get ornery at the person who made us stop. I never know what's going on, especially in a circuit, because everyone's doing something different. I made the team have to start over twice. Luckily, once, the there was no one having to push the weight...
My favorite station was definitely the weird bike-fan. It cools you off as you work. And the treadmills were swell too.
One station I was struggling big time, and I happened to look up, and there was the Coach, staring me down, making me feel incompetent and weak, like I should be doing better. I was doing my best! Grrr...
After completing about 30 different exercises, we all gathered together to do bridges and core stuff. It was extremely hard. About half-way through the circuit, my sight was getting dark, as the darkness was creeping from the outside of my vision gradually closing inwards. I hate it when that happens. I don't think it's a good thing.

Then we hopped in the pool to swim. That wasn't too bad, since we were working mostly on floating. Sounds easy, but he wants straight alignment, and to focus on core. We also did multiple 25's where we run in, dive, do four hard strokes, then flip. We're working on lots of flip turns.

Looking back, I don't think I made much sense to the people who don't swim... all well. Just know that it was hard, and that it was training for training...

Accident-prone...AGAIN.

That, my friend isn't simple redness. That's a bruise. And the camera can't seem to capture it at its best...

Yes, today is one of my clumsier days. (I don't think I go through a single day without doing something clumsy...)
I woke up bright and early this morning, 5:24 to be exact. I got ready and started heading down to the pool.
There was a group of swimmers ahead, taking up the whole sidewalk. I didn't want to disturb them, being the pushover I am, and decided to go around on the grass.
Unfortunately, the grass was wet and soggy, so when I attempted to get back on the sidewalk, the wheel got caught in that little space between the grass and concrete. And I wiped out in front of a few swimmers.
I didn't care about the embarrassment. I was mad because I fell to my right. My left hand with the gash from running had healed quickly. But my right hand had a bruise, so it healed more slowly. It was just yesterday when I realized that I felt pain no more in my palm. But because I fell to the right this morning, my hand hit the concrete again. In the same spot. It's swollen.

Because of this incident, it makes me want to take physics. Then I could figure out how much force/weight/power? is behind that hand getting crushed into the concrete. I figure that I weigh so many pounds to start with, then the pull of gravity accelerates that, etc. etc. etc.

Anyhow. How was your day?

Silly Chemistry Question

I thought this question was just plain silly. It's from the "challenge problems" in the Chapter 2 section. So, here goes:

111. Use the concepts in this chapter to obtain an estimate for the number of atoms in the universe. Make the following assumptions: (a) Assume that all of the atoms in the universe are hydrogen atoms in stars. (This is not a ridiculous assumption because over three-fourths of the atoms in the universe are in fact hydrogen. Gas and dust between the stars represent only about 15% of the visible matter of our galaxy, and planets compose a far tinier fraction.) (b) Assume that the sun is a typical star composed of pure hydrogen with a density of 1.4 g/cm^3 and a radius of 7 x 10^8 m. (c) Assume that each of the roughly 100 billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy contains the same number of atoms as our sun. (d) Assume that each of the 10 billion galaxies in the visible universe contains the same number of atoms as our Milky Way galaxy.

SO the reason why I find this amusing is the fact that we have to do a lot of assuming. Lots of which are incorrect. So, was I really finding the estimated amount of atoms in our universe, or in a pretend perfect universe where all the numbers work out just right?

AND...if there really are researchers and such really trying to find out the real answer to this question for our universe, I'm sorry for them. I don't see how knowing the amount of atoms that make up the universe help us at the present moment.

ALSO...I'll give you the answer to the above problem on... whenever I'm on next to blog. I'll put it in a comment under this post.