more swimming

As mentioned earlier, this past weekend was FGC Junior Olympics. Last year at this time both of Lily's coaches predicted her walking away with medals this year. This was a fine example of what a difference a year makes, no more jitters, no more pressure, she was all: been there, done that.

At some ridiculous ugly dark hour on Friday morning Lily and I headed North. I dropped Rosie off with a friend at 6am  and she went to school as usual. Lily was in 2 events on Friday, 100m breast and 500m free. The 100 breast went OK, she knocked off a little time and was happy but the 500m free was awesome She whacked off a huge chunk of time and came in first. When I tell you she wasn't even short of breath when she got out of the pool I am not exaggerating. (which actually means she could have pushed a little harder but she is still feeling her way round this event and I am not judging, those were her words).

Saturday it was the same story, up in the middle of the night and off to the competition. This time Rosie came too. Heaven forbid my sidekick was away from her Mama for 2 days in a row! The aquatic centre where the comp' took place has been one of our favorites. 2 years ago when we started going there it was really impressive but now, 2 short years later it is showing huge signs of wear and tear and has gone from being a favourite to one we don't like at all. Nothing is more revolting than really smelly toilets especially when you have to actually change in there. There appears to be a problem with feral cats also. Yucky, yucky yucky.

The technical problems abounded this time around also. Three heat sheets later and things were still confusing. At first one of our girls was not slated to participate, then Lily was listed twice in the same event and heat, "R" was listed to swim in lane 10 in an 8 lane event. On and on went the mistakes and those were just the ones that affected our team. Not a big deal but this centre used to be flawless. Things just kept going off track, come back tonight for the finals of the 500, no no, stay here while we rethink this, yes come back, no lets do it now. Thankfully at this level the kids aren't fazed by this nonsense.

Saturday Lily added a few 100ths of a second in 2 events but shaved off in another. She really wants to swim in a relay team but her age group for competition is 11-12 where as at practice she swims with the elite group . The kids in her age group just don't have what it takes to do so until June when she enters the 13 and up group she will just have to wait.

Yesterday proved to be another good day for her and she swam the 200m butterfly. This is tough and not many like to swim it.  She swam it like a champ and took off 6 seconds. That peeps, is kick arse awesome. She also qualified for finals as first alternate so we got to go home and drive back again. Such is the life of a swim mum, I suppose. Sadly no one scratched so she didn't swim. She has one more big event before she ages in to the next group. Her coaches think she would have done a whole lot better had she been to practice the week leading up to this competition but her role in the school play had to take precedence much to everyones chagrin. It is really something going to an event like this as the swimmers are the best of the best for this age and their times are quite insane yet they all look like little kids.

I have no great photos of the weekends events since, drum roll please, I decided to take my camera in to get it worked on. I imagined it would take a few days and not 3effingweeks. Yes, 3 weeks is the time I was given so I have not had a camera for any of the recent events that have consumed all my girlies time.Thank heaven for old purse cameras and iPhones.

#motherisatwit.

This was from Sunday during the finals. No one was around just the finalists. Such a different scene

My proud and talented girl

the heat where she really really proved herself. Her coach is now calling the 200m and above her races.

The gang, All of these kids are awesome. 

❤️

I hope I am not jinxing anything by saying this but I believe things will slow down now for a couple of weeks. I really hope they do as I am working on some projects that I cannot wait to share and I must do my taxes. blech