Unfortunately, I hadn't noticed this feature beforehand.  The end of the season is an odd time to start reflecting on what has happened.  It's the day before PNS Champs now.  I will be swimming the 200 IM, 50 free, 100 breast, 200 back, 200 breast, 100 fly, and 100 back. 

The 08 summer long course season has gone very well, marked with new senior sectional cuts, endless best times, and near perfect preparation.  Preparation for this weekend, this test of time, this culmination of training.

Tell any athlete that they're being overdramatic when it comes to their sport, and you may very well have to be prepared to duck from a surge of spit from their disbelieving mirth.  There is no such thing as theatrics when it comes to something one has devoted so much time to.

Looking back at the season, I'm shivering in anticipation for tomorrow (and the next day and the next day and the next).  Sure, my 200 IM is something my coach just threw me in to, despite my lack of proficiency, but I'm still going to kill myself over the four laps (push my strength on the fly, don't recover on the back, tempo instead, use my above average quads on the breast, and race the free).  And yeah, I'm not exactly superlative at the 50 free, but I will certainly be using it for a mental challenge.

Seven prelims, hopefully seven finals, plus two relays over the course of four days, and my best races aren't til the last day: sounds like a nightmare.  Truth be told, I'm excited.  Excited to keep up my intensity for four days straight and excited to use the skills I have so meticulously developed over the past few months. 

Will it result in a nationals cut?  Does it matter?  The result is nothing without the work, and conversely the work seems like nothing without the result.  I'm so used to the work without the result, but that is about to change.