2012 USMS Summer Nationals Day 2 Recap

I'm on FIRE! Four for Four!  I added two more lifetime best times to my meet accomplishments today.  I couldn't be happier!

The day began with a morning of relaxing.  I got an impressive free breakfast at my hotel and I did something I've almost never done before: I laid around for a few hours.  I literally just stayed in my room and laid low all morning.  I got a little work done but for the most part, it was just a bunch of zero energy usage time.  It was very foreign to me.  I headed to the pool about 50 minutes before my first swim.  I warmed up quickly and changed into my race suit.

First up was my 100m Freestyle.  A few short months ago I was a 53.64 in the event.  Even when I achieved that time I knew I was much better than that.  In the months that followed I dropped to a 53.23 only to time trial the event last week at Olympic Trials and touch in a surprising 52.05.  It was a great swim and it really gave me some mental strength to get through the rest of the week after a poor performance in my 100 backstroke.  After two great swims yesterday, I knew I had hit my taper perfectly.  This was going to be a good swim.  I prepared behind the blocks and shook my competitors hands before the race.  I really enjoy how friendly everybody is at Masters meets, its really refreshing versus USA meets.  At that moment a teammate from Michigan passed by and asked "what is the trials cut in the 100 free?" I responded: "I think it's a 51.49".  He responded "Then that's what I want to see", I answered him with a smile.  As we got up on the blocks, I felt excited to dive in.  I had a surprising amount of confidence.  I knew I was going to tear it up.  I knew this was going to be a lifetime best time, I just didn't know by how much.  After a 52.05 I really wanted to see a "51" on the board.  When the gun went off I exploded off the blocks, perfect start.  I did a few dolpin kicks and surfaced without issue.  I took a few strokes and looked left and right, I couldn't see a single other swimmer.  I was long and strong all the way to the first wall.  My turn was a bit long and therefore slow but I got a good push and some strong kicks.  I breathed on my first stroke again, I hated myself for taking that breath but I didn't let it bring me down.  I powered through the 75m mark.  I noticed I was circle swimming but I didn't even bother correcting my lane position, I was too busy hauling.  As the 85m mark passed below me I felt the muscle burn set in.  I began to slow down but I kept my stroke together and reached for that wall with desperation.  I turned around to see myself on the JUMBOTRON, the smile creeped on my face.  I was watching myself smile at the scoreboard.  It was a great moment.  I heard people cheering and clapping, they definitely weren't all clapping for me, but I pretended for a moment that they were.  The scoreboard looked amazing.  DOAK, KEVIN  MICH ---- 51.59.  Later I would find out my time was the 2nd fastest in American History behind Olympian Rowdy Gaines (51.50).  It was one of the greatest swims of my life.  I was out in a blazing (for me) time of 24.50 and home strong.  This was a great swim for me.  This made 3 for 3 lifetime best times for the meet.  Later when I was warming down a talented swimmer came up to me and said "Before your race I told myself that I'll just use Kevin's swim as my goal time.  After I saw you go 51.5 I just said... I'll just do my best".  It was a funny comment and made me smile.

Next up was the 50m Backstroke.  Arguably my signature event.  I knew that if I did everthing right it would yield a lifetime best time.  I was pretty sure that the world record of 26.06 was out of reach but I didn't count it out.  I was aiming at the American Record of 26.59.  That time represented 0.05 seconds faster than my best time of 26.64 but I knew I could do it.  I had a few nice conversations behind the blocks with fellow swimmers before getting ready to race.  When it was time I was ready to go.  We jumped in the water and waited for the gun.  I didn't have the best start because I jerked a little after the "take your marks" and before the gun. I was delayed getting off the wall but I don't think it hurt my time too much.  I had a good backstroke start but probably came up too soon.  I imagine I got 13 meters off the start.  I surfaced and settled right into my stroke.  It felt good and I didn't hit the laneline once.  I was disapointed when I started to fade at 40 meters.  I struggled quite a bit the last 5 meters as usual.  Even with a pathetic finish I touched in an National Record time of 26.42 dropping 0.22 seconds off my lifetime best.  Again I looked up at the JUBMOTRON and saw my ugly mug smiling on the big screen.  That made 4 for 4 lifetime best times.

The next hour of my life was filled with smiles.  I just felt like I couldn't be stopped.  Everytime I had hit the water it was the fastest I had ever swum the event.  I've enjoyed telling the stories a few times now.  It's been a great two days.  Tomorrow I have the 100m Backstroke and the 50m Butterfly.  Based on how I've been feeling, I don't have a whole lot of confidence in the 100m backstroke.  I would love to see a 57 second swim, I hope it's in the cards.  I'm very excited for the 50m Butterfly though.  I'm aiming at the world record of 24.15.  I think it's within reach with a great swim.  The National Record is 24.73.  Since I took out my 100m Butterfly at trials in a 24.67 I think I have a chance at one or both records.  Looking forward to it!