On the Burning of Fishes

January 10, 2009: Training Trip Day 5

A few notes before the meat of this entry:

- Our nice beach dinner last night hit a slight snag: Mark Fino didn't realize that the park that we were planning on grilling at (about 15 minutes walking distance from the hotel) closed at sundown. Those of us lucky enough to walk to the park were met by cars right at the end of the walk, picked up, and driven back to the hotel. To Mark Fino and the seniors' credit, we did eventually get to have a nice dinner on the beach. It was just a little later then we were hoping for.

- Before each practice we either do static stretches (consisting of just standing in a static position and stretching) or active stretching, which involves "funny walk" and "butt slaps". "Funny Walk" is a long-stepping walk with waving, outstretched arms that attempts to be an efficient way to stretch but ends up looking like something out of a Monty Python sketch. "Butt slaps" involve placing your hands over their glutes and walking in a way that lets your feet hit against your hands. Both of these look so ridiculous, especially when performed as a group, that those of us obsessed with the BBC/Discovery Channel series Planet Earth have begun comparing them to animal mating rituals, which helps take our minds off our work.

Speaking of work,

Yesterday I was anticipating a nice relaxing afternoon and evening and then for us to get slammed with something difficult today.

I hate it when I'm right.

This morning we arrived to the pool (after Mark Fino and our injured swimmers got there even earlier to run around Founder's Park) and were told to get in early. Getting in the pool early is never a good sign.

So we did our warmup, then an easy warmup set, and then Mark Fino told us that we would be doing Fishburn today.

Well poop.

Fishburn, to those of you who are unaware of it, is a 3500-total meter set that involves a decreasing of repetition with an increase in yardage and speed. We start with 5 100's on an easy time, then do 4 200's on a faster time, then 3 300's, 2 400's, and 1 500's. No rest between, of course, that would be too easy.

The trick is that each portion's time increases at a set rate. For example, on my interval, the 100s were on 1:45, an easy time, and the 200s increased by 1:10 to be on 2:55, a time while still easy, is much less manageable. The problem is that an increase of 1:10 per 100 is difficult because 1:10 is an extremely fast time to swim a 100 in during practice.

Combined with the lack of rest between portions of the set and the constant need to increase or maintain speed, it's obvious to tell why even Mark Fino admits that you're not supposed to make Fishburn.

So what's the point of a set that you're not supposed to make?

The traditional answer, of course, is that by continuing to persevere even in the face of insurmountable odds, that you can prove your own mettle and come out of the set stronger (well, not physically). By pushing yourself to make intervals that you have little chance of making, you're training your mind and body to push itself even when you're tired. This is, of course, little solace to you when you're swimming the set itself.

To me, Fishburn is itself a microcosm for the training trip practice experience. It's rough, it hurts, it basically sucks, and it feels like it will never end. But then you end, and you feel, while not not great, at least pretty alright about the whole thing. You realize what that work was for, and you realize why it was necessary.

And hey, only six more practices to go.

Total Meters Went: 36,420 (+meet)

P.S. After practice, we swam some relays against Boston College, in order to help them fulfill their training trip meet requirement. Boston College, being a larger school then Oberlin, had a larger team that handily beat us in the relays (with a few exceptions and some great racing!). The fact that we had just, you know, done Fishburn, deterred our bodies but not our spirits, because now we can say "We swim Fishburn for warmup!"

Just for fun, our practice today:

600 Choice
4 x 200 Drill/Swim by 50
3 x 300 Pull with Paddles @ 4:30
{5 x 100 Free @ 1:45/others}
{4 x 200 Free @ 2:55/others}
{3 x 300 Free @ 4:05/others}
{2 x 400 Free @ 5:15/others}
{1 x 500 Free @ 6:25/others}
10 x 50 Odds Kick/Even Drill
Relays w/ Boston College