Doesn't Get Much Closer Than That...

Well, I told you it was going to be a close call qualifying for Hyvee...

I am officially 1st alternate by 5 points- the smallest margin possible.  You might look at the website and wonder how I missed out since there are 30 spots (and I was 28th).  Actually, there were only 25 slots earned from the series competitors; 5 were given away.  Two racers from the original 25 dropped out, so #26 and 27 got in.  I'm a little irritated that there will be racers who didn't compete in the series this year but will have a spot at Hyvee next weekend.  I guess that's the politics of pro racing.  Gotta have the big names.  But what about those of us trying to make a name for ourselves?  All hope is not lost- I am racing at Hyvee if someone drops out.  Only downfall is it will be an extreme last minute decision, and that is not a good way to compete at a major championship race.  Do I rest?  Will I get contacted?  Do I just show up and hope for the best?  Do I stick to my plan and assume I'm not racing for another couple weeks?  Who knows...

Deja Vu....?? 



Go Bucks!!

 #1. Sophomore year swimming at OSU I made the NCAA cut but assumed I didn't qualify to compete at the race (since they only take a certain number of racers in each event each year).  I went into "off season" mode and made plans for spring break.  My coach calls a week later to let me know I qualified and to get in the pool ASAP.  No kidding.  Needless to say, I did not have a stellar race.  But I still competed.

#2. Junior year (I think...might have been Senior year) I had a slightly different scenario.  I made my NCAA cut again, but this time I kept training just in case.  After the slots were given out I ended up 1st alternate by .01 seconds.  Yes, that is one-hundredth of a second.  I went to NCAA's with hopes that someone would drop out.  Rules state that a competitor must scratch from an event prior to the first heat or face some sort of "penalty".  I stood by the officials before the first heat....no one scratched.  I watched the heats go by...and one empty lane shows up in the last heat.  The top seeded person didn't show (or alert the officials that she wouldn't be competing).  I didn't get to race.  She didn't get penalized.  Grrr.

So, it seems I've been prepared for this scenario already.  Doesn't taste any better, but what can I do?  Train.  That's all I can do.  Got a few more this season, so let's make them good ones, right?


So close, but so far away


miss