Summer Swim Team

I have swum for the Donaldson Run Thunderbolts (my neighborhood swim team) every summer since I was 5 years old.  This team is a second family to me and I love being a part of it.  Last night we had division three relay carnival.  This is the first year of me not swimming competitively year round, so it was even a surprise to me when I qualified to be on the 15-18 girls relay team for my pool.  My team is doing amazing this year, so far we are 3-0; so this relay carnival was so exciting for us.  The whole team caravans over from our pool to the pool of the team hosting the meet and everyone is decked out in homemade t-shirts or Donaldson Run gear.

I would say probably every year since I have participated in the divisional relay carnival (which is pretty much every year since I was 7) it has thunder stormed/rained.  Therefore, everyone has to sit out in their cars and wait for the thunder to stop.  So yesterday as soon as our car pulled up to the pool guess what happened?  It started to thunder!!! It may be a tradition but this tradition is getting pretty old to everyone in the NVSL (Northern Virginia Swimming League).  Although, waiting in or outside of coaches cars for 2 hours can be fun at times, especially when it involves dance parties in the rain which makes for interesting team bonding.

After the meet was delayed for two hours the meet ran smoothly! It was so much fun,  I have never seen my team so pumped up for their races or more full of spirit when cheering for their team mates.  My 200m Medley and 200m Free relay both did well, but unfortunately not good enough to qualify for All Stars Relays.  By the end of the night my hands were swollen from clapping and my voice was gone from cheering!  In the end the meet came down to a very exciting victory for my team!!! We won the division three relay carnival by two points!!! We haven't won our division championship since I was 6 years old so this was a very exciting and emotional experience for the whole team!

Division 3 Relay Champs! 

#1 selfie for #1 team

DRRA girls celebrating the win! 

My relay plus one of my coaches

(from left) Stasi, me, Jordan Kruger (coach), Amanda Tarkenton, Ellie Bellios (coach/swimmer) 

Relay getting ready for our race

Spelling out DRRA 

If anyone has ever had to put on a Fast skin swim suit before then they will know how difficult and painful it is.  The suit is tiny and skin tight, having to put one on in a pool bathroom is even more difficult.  They are sorta like spanx, although they push any fat you might have out the side of your suit.  I have always had muscular thighs from swimming and also by having a curvy body these swim suits are a hard fit for my body (left).  

We took the W! 

Anyone else love summer swim team? 

Post about swim coaching coming up soon!

XOXO 

Olivia