Geeky Yet Waterproof

On Thursday, my geek life was made anew. In other words, my black MacBook arrived.

With a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor and a 250GB hard drive, I cannot justly describe the difference in speed, power, and sleekness from my old PowerBook G4, so all I will say is this: HOLY AWESOME, BATMAN!

My trusty Powerbook, which has served me well, was diagnosed (by yours truly) with cancer of the hard drive. The data is safe (thanks to Time Machine), but the drive will eventually have to be amputated. Fortunately, being a computer, it’s slightly easier to cure than were it human.

This infirmity can be looked upon in a positive light, however. For one thing, the hard drive can be replaced with a larger one (80GB is much too small these days). But most of all…

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*MAKE A WISH*
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*JUST KIDDING, I REALLY DO DESPISE THOSE EMAILS*
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I ordered a MacBook today. Yes, not only did I empty my bank account, I blew a 20 foot hole into the ground. But for a 2.4GHz Core 2 Duo processor, 2GB memory, a 250GB hard drive, and an Apple logo in the sleek black polycarbonate shell, it’s worth it.

As a result of my biology experiment which was commenced several weeks ago, I had a face-to-face encounter with some aliens microbes:

Last Wednesday all our long hours of training payed off, as we took a van up to Federal Way for Senior Sectionals. The pool was actually being used in long course, because since it’s an Olympic year, people are trying to get their Olympic Trials cuts.
I had qualified in the just 200 fly only three days before, but at Sr. Sectionals everyone is given a bonus race in which they don’t need to have a qualifying time. So of course I chose the 100 fly for my extra race.

We kicked off our stay in Federal Way by going to the grocery store to get enough food to last us until Sunday. It was interesting to see what we all bought… from lasagna, to butter, to marshmallows.

Kyle and Hannah having too much fun at Safeway

For four days we lodged at the Extended Stay America hotel. Now let me warn you, lest you be tempted to stay at the same hotel: Extended Stay America has no maids. This makes for a terrible situation under the counter:

Nuclear waste

In addition, three rooms caught fire during the four days we were there — all of them in the hands of swimmers. Two were due to toast mishaps, one was on account of a bacon accident.

The trouble-causer

Perhaps it was the inhabitants’ fault for attempting to use the kitchenware. We went over to Sammi’s, Crystal’s, and Tori’s room one night for chicken spaghetti, and I ended up cooking the chicken — in the microwave.

Tori’s Kitchen

In any case, there is no explanation for the fact that in each kitchen, there were TWO plates, 2 forks, and II spoons — despite the THREE people that we had in each room.

But worst of all: there was no hot tub. That was the most offensive part of this hotel. However, it doesn’t mean we didn’t get our share of water for the weekend…

Even as we got in for warmups on Wednesday it was apparent that this meet was a heck of a lot faster than any other meet I had ever been to. Anywhere else, they make you slide slowly into the pool, even if it’s completely empty. Kids now days get hurt easily. We can’t risk any safety issues.
But not here. You could dive in, you could cannonball, you could run and jump. We’re big kids now. But the water was so cold, you definitely wouldn’t be sliding in slowly.

The Warmups

I swam my 200 fly on Thursday. I was told to just go out there and have fun, since we hadn’t trained long course meters in eight months. Even though this was the biggest meet I had ever been to, it was the most relaxing 200 fly I had ever done. I ended up dropping five seconds from my long course time, with a 2:19.96. I got a long course Sr. Sectional time, which is harder than in short course. I also came in 41st out of 51, which is a lot better than I was expecting.

On Friday I, along with almost everybody else on our team, time trialed the 50 free. I got 27.33, which was a second faster than my best time from last season.

Saturday was the 100 fly for me. I won my heat in lane 1 (even if it was only the second heat…), and I dropped two seconds, with a 1:01.60. I came within seven hundredths of the Sr. Sectional time, and I would have time trialed it after prelims that day… but trying to sign up for a time trial 30 minutes after the deadline, as we learned, doesn’t always work.

We all went to watch Finals each day, even though Tori was the only one that made it every time. Now let me mention: Finals was fast. The Olympian Megan Jendrick was there, and we watched her win the 200 breaststroke; she came within two seconds of the world record. And the winner of the 100 fly got a 54 for long course meters, which is four seconds off the world record. He was a 28 year-old Japanese guy who looked slightly like superman. (Anecdote: Kekoa and I got him to translate my Japanese shirt.)

Kohei Kawamoto, winner of the 100 fly

But there were even crazier people present. The 4th place finisher of the women’s 100 fly was 45 years old, possessing gray hair, glasses, and four kids. Likewise, the 4th place finisher of the men’s 200 fly was a 46 year-old who looks like he’s 70. Some people may age on the outside, but I guess their muscles don’t.

We all had a great time going to this meet. Traveling as a team is one part of the fun, and dealing with adversities (*ahem*, the hotel) is another. I also got to meet up with some people I met at Convention back in September whom I hadn’t seen for a long time; it was interesting to see how they swam, since I already knew how they handle four-hour meetings, 3am parties, and Disneyland.
These last four weeks have been crazy, mentally and physically, with me trying to get my Sr. Sectional time before the deadline. Although all the championship meets have been a lot of fun, and I’m sure I’ve gotten stronger, I’m glad to finally have a break.

Kekoa, April, Eamon: The Three Stooges from Convention 2007

Megan Jendrick

Our Guns N’ Roses cover band

Bearcats at Finals

I know what it looks like, but it’s NOT a one-hand touch!

This weekend was the short course State Championships for club swimming, in Mt. Hood. I was scheduled to swim the 50/100/200/500 free and the 100/200 fly, but that’s not exactly what I swam. I’ve been training almost all fly for the last three months in hopes of getting a Sr. Sectional time in the 100 or 200, so the freestyle was second-priority.

On Friday was the 100 fly and the 500 free. I dropped about .4 in my 100 fly, and made it into Finals with a 54.83. So to save myself from certain death in the afternoon, I scratched the 500 free. The 100 fly Sr. Sectional time was 54.09 — I needed to drop about 0.7 second.
Finals came, I swam, and I ended up with 54.43. So impossibly close. But I wasn’t about to leave that time sitting around for another year, so I decided to time trial the 100 fly the next day.

Saturday: the 50 free and the 100 fly time trial. I dropped some time in the 50 free, with a 23.67. It helped to dispel some tension, but I was still in the red zone of nervousness for the time trial.
An hour later, I swam my third 100 fly, and it took me 55.09 seconds to touch the wall — half a second slower than the previous day. Let this be a lesson that if one is to race seven 100 fly’s in four weeks, a best time won’t come from a time trial at the end.

On Sunday I woke up feeling confident for the 200 fly, despite the previous day’s disappointment. I had dreamed that night that I went a 2:02 in prelims, which somehow made me feel good even though I knew it wasn’t true.
But first I had to swim the 100 free. I got 51.52, which was a best time for me. A good omen. I also made it into Finals, but I scratched in order to focus on the fly.
When I stepped up to the blocks for the 200 fly, I felt strangely calm. I swam my race, and it felt easy and relaxed. I looked up at the clock, blinked, and looked again. 2:02? The fastest I had ever gone was 2:07! But it was for real. The Sr. Sectional time was 2:01, and I was sure I’d get it in Finals.
After prelims we went back to the hotel room and I tried to sleep, but I ended up lying awake for two hours. How would I sleep when the Moment of Truth was at hand?
A few hours later I found myself on the blocks at Finals. *Beep!* The race began, and it felt the same as that morning — easy, and relaxed. I was able to push a little harder on the last lap, because of the excitement of Finals. The Sr. Sectional time was so close! I touched the fateful wall in 4th place, and looked at the clock…

“Ford………………2:00.75″

The rest of that day was all celebration (at least for me). It’s funny my first Age Group Sectional time was in the 200 fly, and now my first Senior Sectional time was also in the 200 fly. And I got the cut six hours before the very last signup deadline. I don’t think I had ever been so relieved to have all that pressure off my back.

Normally we get Monday off after any meet, but this time I was told to come to practice… because we’re leaving for Sr. Sectionals Wednesday morning!
And I’m pumped to finally be able to wear a name cap, which Kate threw at me after my race.