We're in Scottsdale for a swim meet. Frank has to drop A LOT of time in order to qualify for state's this year, mainly because he jumped age groups. When he was fourteen, he had a much easier go of it. Fifteen is near impossible. He has to drop a full six seconds in 100 FREE to qualify in that event. Even in 100 FLY, his best stroke and best event, he has to drop seven. Tough. Really tough.
As far as pools go, the one the meet is being held at is amazing. It's only six months old, and has enough lanes that the girls swim in the east end and the boys swim in the west. The scoreboard, where events, heats and times are posted, looks nicer than what you'd see at a brand new high school football field.
We love being in Scottsdale. This is the first time I've been here, other than to just drive through it. We had a room reserved in Phoenix, but decided we wanted this to be more of mini-vacation than two days of swim meet. We moved to the Saguaro in Scottsdale the first day, and couldn't be happier we did. All kinds of cool things happened because we did. Not the least of which was getting to go see Mat Kearney for free on Friday night.
I started this blog yesterday morning. Since, Frank took one second off his 100 free; eleven seconds of his 200 back, and almost three seconds off his 100 fly. Today he swims a 200 fly, a 50 free and a 500 free. This is the first time he's swimming the 200 fly and the 500. It's all about getting a decent time, but then with swimming, that's what it's always about.
We've had a good time; it would be unusual not to. Frank and I are in sync, for the most part. We laughed a lot yesterday, fell asleep by the pool in the afternoon, ate incredible sushi for dinner, and crashed early. Even so, 6:30 came too early today. The alarm went off at six, a half an hour later, I woke with a start, told Frank what time it was, and we both proceeded to roll out of bed. We managed to get to the pool by seven, although neither of us are really awake yet. Frank will probably be jolted so when he jumps in the pool for warm-ups in fifteen minutes. Me? I'm actively looking for lounge chairs, that they forget to setup on the deck of the pool.
We're going home tonight, where there is a winter weather advisory starting this afternoon and going through tomorrow. As long as we can get to our car at DIA, and home, I'll be okay with whatever the weather brings. It will be difficult to leave eighty-degree temps and a luxurious pool, however.
Frank and I talked a lot about swimming last night. It isn't his whole life, as it is for many on his swim team. He thinks sometimes that other parents judge him for it not being so. I asked him what it would take for him to get to the next level of swimming. His answer was something akin to "give up the rest of my life." Not going to happen. He won't get any prompting from me. I think his life has an appropriate level of balance just the way it is.
We'll see what the day brings, and how he does. It doesn't matter, as long as he feels good about his times.
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