Nutrition

Swimmers in general are usually able to eat whatever they desire due to the amount of exercise done every day and the amount of calories being consumed while we are swimming. Most of the time I feel quite powerful in the pool since I can eat a lot, all of the time. However, I do have those days where I feel awfully sluggish and a lot slower in the water than I usually do. I was reading in a nutritional magazine for swimmers how to not "hit the wall" as they call it. That feeling when your legs are burning and your arms aren't moving quite fast enough in the pool could be due to a number of things ,not just because you're not coming to practice enough as a coach might say, or from lack of sleep. It could simply be from not eating the right foods or not eating enough. Nutritionists say that it is from using up all of the glycogen storage in our bodies. We simply run out of gas. 

Before Practice: At least a few hours before eat a high-carb meals and snacks. I like to eat quesadillas with chicken, a PB & J, or spaghetti and meatballs. 

During Practice: Drink a lot of fluid and eat high-carb snacks. (sports drinks, power bars, power bar or gatorade gel snacks). With a well nourished body, practices can be longer and harder; giving better results.

After Practice: Replenish the store of glycogen (carbs) in your body with high-carb food and drinks. 

At a Meet: 15 minutes before a race have one bite of an energy bar with a lot of protein and during a little bit of Powerade for the extra protein and electrolytes before the race.

I personally believe that this is why I get fatigued rather fast in practice. I need to nourish my body better in order for it to keep up with the rigorous exercise I'm doing. I think this will definitely help me from "hitting the wall" at practice and at a meet. 

The "Cool" New Look

For all you trendy swimmers out there, make sure that this year you are with the new fad.

 Jolyn bathing suit tops, tech suits, and Nike’s. At sectionals a few weeks back I was a little out of place. 

I walked into Belmont Shores swim complex to the fresh smell of chlorine (not) and the buzz of people talking 

and splashing about. Finally, I looked around and realized that I was missing something.

Every girl I passed by had Nike running shoes on, the new cool and vibrant colored ones (Nike 5.0). There I was, all bundled up in my Ugg boots. Clearly I didn’t get the memo. I met my team, warmed up, and went to the bathroom to get my skin-tight, toddler sized tech suit on.

I walked out of the bathroom and again had the same feeling of awkwardness. All of the girls had their tech suits half rolled down and had a Jolyn two-piece top on. They walked around in their Nike’s, the tech suit, and the bathing suit top. I suddenly realized that I needed to get with the new “cool swimmer” program.

Don’t worry! If you are behind too I gotcha covered! Here are some websites that will help you get-cool quick! 

 http://www.jolynclothing.com

http://www.nike.com/us

http://www.swimoutlet.com

London Medals

This first week of Christmas vacation has been anything from what I thought it would be like. I planned to be in the pool every day, twice a day, (except on Christmas Day and New Years Day). However, I have not been in the water once. It is killing me! I have had a fever and a bad cold all of break so far! I feel as if my swimming ability is completely lost, even though it has only been a week.

With all of my extra time, I have yet again dug deeper into what now seems to be my favorite magazine, Splash. So, even though I’m not in the water, I am still learning about what I wish I could be doing. I came across the “Medal Standings” of the athletes and between the countries at the 2012 Olympics in London. The USA team (31 medals) doubled and even tripled the amount of medals earned from Japan (11), China (10), Australia (10), and France (7) in swimming alone.

 

Two of these top medalists for swimming were Missy Franklin and, of course, Michael Phelps. Missy Franklin earned four gold medals and one bronze medal in London, which was her first Olympics! She did not let the nerves get to her at all! Michael Phelps, who didn’t plan to return this past summer, ended up winning four gold medals and two silver medals. Over the past two Olympics, he has earned a total of 22 medals!

Out of all 104 medals earned in London from all of the sports, swimming earned almost 30%! 

CeraVe Products

Swimmers out there, do you ever get itchy? Is your skin scaly and reptile like? Do you ever get that chlorine itch even after you have showered and you cant moisturize because the pull buoy will slip or your tech suit will get slimy? If not then stop reading because you must not be a TRUE swimmer. But if you do get these uncomfortable sensations, then I have the solution. 

In this month's issue of Splash magazine I came across an ad for CeraVe® skin products. After the last weekend in the highly chlorinated Las Vegas pool, my skin is itchy and dry. Regular lotion certainly doesn't do the trick. So, I decided to try this brand that is perfectly designed for swimmers. Their slogan is, "CeraVe®-- puts back in what the water takes out..." 

Lately, I have been using this product religiously. It is absolutely wonderful! The dry patches on my face that appear flaky have been nonexistent. Also, the moisturizing lotion has sunscreen in it with 30 SPF to protect from the sun and from getting dry itchy patches on your face. I haven't used the cleanser on my face but I have used it on my back to relieve the itchy dryness I can’t reach on my own with lotion outside of the shower. 

Viva Las Vegas

Vegas. I had to go. I was freaking out because I had to miss an entire TWO days of school. AAAAH I could not possibly miss TWO days. To do what exactly? Swim. I love to swim but I was nervous, excited, and stressed all at the same time to go to this meet. I knew it was going to be fun because I mean, it was going to be a travel meet. In a hotel. In Vegas. It was also my most important meet of this year until the high school season begins. 

We drove out there as my mom sped on the highway passing the cars yelling, "Eat my bubbles!" We finally arrived at the La Quinta in Red Rock, Las Vegas, four hours later. As we checked in I explored all of the amenities of the hotel: pool, laundry, our kitchen, the comfort quality of the bed, and the bathroom. It was definitely to my liking. Next, we drove a mile down to the pool complex. 

I had to race for three days so I knew I was going to need a lot of rest and a lot of fuel (FOOD). Over the weekend I gave my all in every race and seemed to do rather well since I dropped time in every event. I swam every morning and then again for finals and relays at night. In between the two swimming chunks of my day I did homework. Nope, I didn't do homework. 

The meet really took a toll on my body and I really needed more sleep than I have ever needed before at a meet. During the daytime in between swims, I slept. I knew I had to do my AP bio and study for morphemes but I just couldn't bear to keep my heavy eyelids open for more than five minutes. 

When I finally arrived home from my very successful yet fatiguing weekend. I had loads and loads of work to do. Luckily, I have absolutely fantastic teachers that gave me some time to catch up. I would have to say though; the meet was definitely worth the hours of make up work.

Sarah Yao, Katelyn Farrow, Jordan Stead, and I all did the 400-medley relay. We got first place! It was the best part of the weekend and made my time making up work all worth it in the end. 

Never Ever Give Up Foundation

On Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter I have recently joined the fan page of a strong and very powerful organization in the swim world. Its name is NEGU: Never Ever Give Up. This organization was started in memory of a little swimmer named Jessie. She struggled to hang on to her life with her friends and family for nearly a year with two brain tumors. She was a very positive, inspirational girl that truly never ever gave up. Throughout her fight she believed in a higher power who later helped her to be put out of suffering and live a new life watching over her friends and family up above. In her honor, this organization has grown and donated toys, money, and spread joy to children with cancer.

Just two days ago the NEGU foundation posted a picture on instagram of the memorial for Jesse Rees on January 5^th, 2012. They let balloons fly in remembrance of her and her fight against cancer, along with all of the other children fighting for their lives today.

At many meets, swim shops, and online I have seen this logo time after time. I had no idea that this was more than any another swim brand like Speedo. It is a cause that everyone can help.  I would encourage everyone, (even if you aren’t a swimmer) to add the organization's fan page on Facebook or become a follower on Instagram because this is a cause that is worth following and spreading the word about!

@n_e_g_u on Instagram

http://www.negu.org