Home from USMS Nationals in Atlanta, Georgia: Such an Amazing Time!
I'm home from Nationals!!! Oh, it was such an amazing time. I haven't written for so long that I hardly know where to begin, so I think I will just start breaking it down into topics and babble as to all I can currently remember. I am sure I will forget much and have to interject here-and-there again this week, so bear with me if you don't mind.
The Place
Oh wow! Atlanta surprised me and delighted me. I don't know what I expected, but Atlanta is a HUGE city!! Our hotel was smack dab in the middle of tons of skyscrapers, busy streets, lots of traffic, great restaurants, mass transit, and very kind and hospitable people. Loved it!
The Pool
Holy cupcakes! What a place! The meet was held at the pool complex where the 1996 Olympics were swam, on the Georgia Tech campus... and WOW, it was an incredible feeling to walk into that natatorium. Exciting, beautiful, state-of-the-art, fast pool, great starting blocks, grand stands ... just really awesome and a total honor to get to swim there.
Our relay - Lane 3. Ahelee is in the water. I'm behind the blocks.
The People
The people I spent time with and met at Nationals were truly the BEST part of the whole trip. Not only did Steve and I have a complete blast with my amazing teammates: Rob, Ahelee, Becky, Julie, David, Diane and Nancy...but I got to see many people I already knew from Southern California swimming, meet lots of swimmers who I had only previously known online, and met a TON of new friends from all over the country. It really is the comradery, kindness, support and enthusiasm that makes USMS such a stellar organization.
While it is certainly competitive and everyone is serious about swimming fast, there is a different kind of energy than I had been used to in the swimming environment when I was younger. People honestly care about each other, cheer one another on, want to get to know you, and have huge amounts of respect for their fellow swimmers.
The US Masters Swimming organization does an amazing job of rallying everyone together and making the on-deck atmosphere as inspiring as that which takes place in the water. It's something I will never forget and that I feel really lucky to be a part of. Honestly, I just can't wait to do it again!!
With Leslie and Ahelee - two INCREDIBLE swimmers and women
With Kip Fulbeck - artist, author, professor, super nice guy and FAST swimmer
With my friend and teammate, Rob - blogger extraordinaire, awesome swimmer, & all-around great guy
CVMM Women's Relay
My Swims
I'm super stoked about my swimming results. I had personal goals that I had set for myself in each event going into the meet and I reached them (or came very close) in everything I competed in, so I really am happy with the way things all turned out.
Me, ready to get on blocks for race
It made me feel like all the time and work really DID pay off. I felt strong and rested. I had a blast competing and swimming in heats with such fast swimmers. I learned a LOT and now have a better focus for meets to come. It was all I could have hoped for.
To get technical about it all...my times were:
- 200 Freestyle: 2:06.45 - 8th Place - Best Time
- 50 Butterfly: 29.72 - 15th Place - Best Time
- 100 Freestyle: 57.91 - 10th Place - Best Time
- 100 Individual Medley: 1:06.91 - 10th Place - Best Time
- 50 Freestyle: 26.80 - 11th Place - just 1/10th of a second off my best time from 2 weeks ago
I was also a part of 4 relays with CVMM (Conejo Valley Multisport Masters) and swam:
- 200 Freestyle Mixed (men/women) Relay
- 200 Medley Mixed (men/women) Relay (swam the Butterfly leg)
- 200 Freestyle Women's Relay - 6th Place
- 200 Medley Women's Relay (swam Butterfly leg) - 8th Place
The relays were fantastic and my teammates are amazing people. We had such a blast together, both at the meet and before/after...traveling together, eating together, getting to form really wonderful friendships. I adore them all!!
After our 200 Medley Mixed Relay on Saturday, the guys filming for USMS pulled us aside after our race and interviewed us. Portions of that made it into the Saturday wrap-up video. You can see me, Ahelee, Rob and David around 1:44 or so. Fun, fun!!
Steve
I don't really know how to tell Steve how much I appreciate his support and love. He took the red-eye flight out on Thursday night after working all day on Thursday and then getting the kiddos ready for their Grandma Duchess and her best friend, denise, to come and stay with them for the weekend. He arrived just in time to get to the pool deck and see me swim my first event on Friday, the 200 Freestyle. From that point on, he was there for me in every way possible. Lending an ear and a shoulder, providing support, love, food, and more. He is my rock and I'm so lucky to have him by my side. This whole swimming adventure wouldn't even be possible without his support and I am so grateful for all he does to help me attempt to reach my goals.
Steve listening to me babble. Photo by Becky
The Future
After experiencing Nationals, I am so stoked to continue on. I got to the pool at 5:00 am this morning and got in a good 4,000 yards. It felt great to be in the water again after traveling all day yesterday and I'm so excited after swimming like I wanted to, that I feel ready to gear up for some new goals for the Long Course season.
LC is not lengthy in comparison to the Short Course season we just finished, but there are still some great meets to sneak in and then the LC Nationals are in Puerto Rico. It's been six months since I started lap swimming at 24 Hour Fitness last December and I feel like I have just barely scratched the surface and peeked open the door as to what lies ahead. It's been an incredible time in my life. Taught me so much. Brought me so much.
I am open and ready to see what happens next. "Swimmers, take your marks..."
With my teammate Diane and her sweet partner Karen
With my teammates Julie and Becky - they both rock!
Met lots of new friends
With Cokie and Ahelee - 2 coaches/swimmers who have taught me more than they'll ever know 
USMS Nationals ruled!
Tuesday, May 25, 2010 at 10:47AM
Reader Comments (13)
Great wrap up, I had a ton of fun and I'm really glad you and Steve made it out there! I'm not sure where I'll see you next, but I hope it's soon!
So super proud of you Jinxi!
Can't wait to roll on to all the bigger and better things coming.
I had a great time Jinxi. I agree that the friendships made this weekend will continue to grow as time goes on. Definitely some super people involved in the USMS organization.
I could not be more proud of you. I love to watch you set goals and then knock them down as you go. The future is bright and I am so happy to be tagging along with you on the ride. Yay for things to come.
Lots of LOVE to you.
Jinxi is an amazing athlete who is just showing the "tip of the iceberg". You will see great things from her as her swimming progresses. Not only a great swimmer, but a great person too!
Yay! Your pictures and video are so excellent :)! You look so great, Jinxi! Thank you so much for sharing Atlanta with us :)! I am so proud of your scores-you just ROCK! xoxo
OH MY GOSH YOU DID AMAZING!!!!!!! I was going to say i can't believe how far you have come in such a short time...but i can believe it you are such a strong amazing woman who takes the positive and runs (or swims in this case) with it in whatever you do. i was thinkin about you and routin for ya all weekend. i knew you were gonna do awesome, personal besting yourself is incredible. steve is such a great guy being your biggest fan and supporter, who could ask for more. i'm so happy you did great and had such a wonderful time. love all the pictures!!! glad you made it home safe n sound n happy!!!! keep swimming!!! love you xoxo <3
Jinxi - it was so much fun to hang with you and Steve and get to know you both better. I share all your positive thoughts about the meet and the fabulous company in Atlanta. We even had the best bartender and meet announcer ever! A fantastic trip all the way around.
OH JINXI! How Fantastic!!! and OMG I wish I would have known you were on the east coast - I would have totally made the 4 hour trip to ATL to have the opportunity to meet you in person! Im stoked about all those 'best times' up there - Way to ROCK IT YO! XOXOXO
Renee
Wow....brings me back to our RAA days!!!
Oh wow! You did awsome! But I knew you would. : ). Stay tuned for the next exciting adventure of Jinxi!
What a great article. You captured the essence of the swim meet.
It was truly awsome hanging out with you and Steve. You are both such
wonderful people. And way to go on your swims! You are an inspiration!
If only more than 96 people would hear about this..
It was great to meet you ... Tony was delighted we were able to meet in the midst of 2000 swimmers! I have a picture of us together, but alas i can't figure out how to send to you. Best wishes for a happy, fun summer! Karen