Anything Is Possible: 2024 Ancient Mariners Albatross Open Masters Meet
It's been almost one week since I opened up my 2024 swim meet season at the Montgomery Ancient Mariners Albatross Open so I'm posting my race recap now. This was my first race in the Gals 40-44 age group. I was looking forward to having some actual competition with some of my friends who are in Gals 40-44 already. The gals who were signed up were swimming 50s and 100s so not much competition. I don't do many swim meets because triathlon takes a lot of focus; especially this season being Season Twenty Decade Two so it's a swim HARD thing but more a social event. Below is my race recap for what was another successful Albatross.
The back of the Albatross Open meet shirt. Love the brackets. (The 200 Fly won)
My first event was the 200 Individual Medley, so 50 of each stroke going Fly Back Breast Free
3:41.83 I'm super happy with this time as it was all out the whole way. Splits are below for each strokeFly - 49.51
Back - 57.41
Breast - 1:00.93
Free - 53.98
(It's not usual for my butterfly to be faster than me freestyle)
The 200 Individual Medley was dedicated to my twin sister Julie who is a lifelong swimmer herself. This is the one event we swim at meets together as our sisterly competition. I love that we have shared swimming since we found the sport at 9 years old.
My next event was the 200 Butterfly which is my signature event. It's a must swim meet event and my I Can Do Hard Things event. It's a very frowned upon event but I love it. I've swam this event 16 times now; my most swam event at masters meets making my debut back in 2015 at this very meet. I wanted to be under 4:00 because I've never gone over the time and I didn't want to feel defeated if I had so it wasn't all out but it was a hard effort. Swam it in
3:49.90 I was super happy with. Dropped 6 or 7 f*bombs in the first 25 meters but then I had to just focus on keeping count because it's 8 lengths of the pool. Splits are below for each 50.
52.71 (my first 50 is always too hard and one day I'll learn to control it)
58.61
1:00.04 (not happy about seeing a split over a minute but it's a lot of butterfly so I have to pretend I'm okay with it )
58.54
My next event was the 200 Butterfly which is my signature event. It's a must swim meet event and my I Can Do Hard Things event. It's a very frowned upon event but I love it. I've swam this event 16 times now; my most swam event at masters meets making my debut back in 2015 at this very meet. I wanted to be under 4:00 because I've never gone over the time and I didn't want to feel defeated if I had so it wasn't all out but it was a hard effort. Swam it in
3:49.90 I was super happy with. Dropped 6 or 7 f*bombs in the first 25 meters but then I had to just focus on keeping count because it's 8 lengths of the pool. Splits are below for each 50.
52.71 (my first 50 is always too hard and one day I'll learn to control it)
58.61
1:00.04 (not happy about seeing a split over a minute but it's a lot of butterfly so I have to pretend I'm okay with it )
58.54
The 200 Fly was dedicated to one of my GOTR Girls that I coached at BHES; Jada, who is a competitive swimmer herself on Rockville Montgomery Swim Club. She's a very talented swimmer and has so much love and passion for the sport. I hope she is able to keep finding joy with the sport and would love to see her swim this event when she's ready.
My last individual event was the 100 Breaststroke which I hadn't swam in a while but Breaststroke was my first love as a competitive swimmer in 1993 when I started swimming at the age of 9. The swim meet was going so fast that I almost missed my event but I made it to the starting blocks just in time. Goal was under 2 minutes because I've never gone over it.
1:59.44 I'm super happy that I kept that steak alive. I wasn't well trained for this event because of the all too important focus on Butterfly so I was happy.
57.54
1:01.90
My last individual event was the 100 Breaststroke which I hadn't swam in a while but Breaststroke was my first love as a competitive swimmer in 1993 when I started swimming at the age of 9. The swim meet was going so fast that I almost missed my event but I made it to the starting blocks just in time. Goal was under 2 minutes because I've never gone over it.
1:59.44 I'm super happy that I kept that steak alive. I wasn't well trained for this event because of the all too important focus on Butterfly so I was happy.
57.54
1:01.90
The 100 Breaststroke was dedicated to my dear and late friend Margot Pettijohn; who was also a Montgomery Ancient Mariner until her battle with lung cancer that took her life in late December 2018. Margot was 72 years young when she died but was a very dedicated and accomplished swimmer. We swam this event a few times together at meets and I cherish every swim we shared.
I swam on two relays with my Ancient Mariner teammates. The first being the Mixed 200 Medley Relay in which I was the 2nd leg swimming a 50 Breaststroke. It was a mid meet relay. 57.00 I'm good with this split as I had swam the 200 Butterfly not even 15 minutes before this so. My final relay was at the end of the meet; the Mixed 200 Free Relay. I was the third leg and swam a 50 Free. 45.84 I've never been a sprinter in all 32 years I've swam so I'm quite happy with this. I kicked the entire way which is something I don't do often but my masters coach is challenging me to do this so I always get to swim a 50 Free in a relay.
BOTH relays are dedicated to all the individuals I swim with at MLK Indoor Pool on Wednesdays. It's basically my favorite day of the week of work because these awesome individuals I support have to be patient to go swim. They have taught me how important patience is in all areas of life by supporting them in having a meaningful day in the community. They also taught me how to relax and be chill in the pool (one that doesn't involve swimming butterfly so there's that for ya)
I swam on two relays with my Ancient Mariner teammates. The first being the Mixed 200 Medley Relay in which I was the 2nd leg swimming a 50 Breaststroke. It was a mid meet relay. 57.00 I'm good with this split as I had swam the 200 Butterfly not even 15 minutes before this so. My final relay was at the end of the meet; the Mixed 200 Free Relay. I was the third leg and swam a 50 Free. 45.84 I've never been a sprinter in all 32 years I've swam so I'm quite happy with this. I kicked the entire way which is something I don't do often but my masters coach is challenging me to do this so I always get to swim a 50 Free in a relay.
BOTH relays are dedicated to all the individuals I swim with at MLK Indoor Pool on Wednesdays. It's basically my favorite day of the week of work because these awesome individuals I support have to be patient to go swim. They have taught me how important patience is in all areas of life by supporting them in having a meaningful day in the community. They also taught me how to relax and be chill in the pool (one that doesn't involve swimming butterfly so there's that for ya)
Overall a fun but exhausting day last Saturday. I'm glad I had a good debut in the Gals 40-44 age group; even without much competition that I was excited about but didn't get. Time to turn the focus to triathlon season and really cycling. My next swimming related event isn't until August 18th when I complete my first ever Open Water Swim race.
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