April Update And World Champ Trials
Hi Everyone!
Cheers to spring and the long-awaited warmer weather! I hope it is sunny wherever you are. Michigan is slowly progressing into warmer temps but can't quite decide if it wants to be warm or cold at the moment.
The last time I wrote, I was about to swim at NCAAs in Atlanta, GA. Now it has been a few weeks since I competed there and I can definitely say it was a good one. Although I did not achieve my goal of defending my 200 butterfly title, nor return in the A final for the 100 butterfly, I was still able to get second in the 200 fly (actually tie for second...) and go a personal best time in both the 200 & 100 fly. So, it all worked out okay in the end. Personally, some of my favorite moments from the meet were on relays. I competed in all 5 relays at the meet and, as a team, we consistently placed very well.
Overall, it was such fun getting to be with some of my Michigan teammates as we competed at the highest level collegiately. I am proud of all of them and their successes.
Here are some photos from the meet:
As much as I would like to have taken a little break from swimming after NCAAs, my summer meet schedule would not allow it.
Almost as soon as I got back from Atlanta, I began training for the TYR Pro Swim in San Antonio, TX which was April 1-2. Mostly, I just wanted to get out of Michigan and go to one of my favorite pools in the country which was in San Antonio. Texas was sunny and warm which helped me overcome my disappointment in my races that I swam there. The time between NCAAs and this meet was very short so my expectations were not huge. It was a train-through meet to get me ready for the big one...World Championship Trials in Greensboro, NC (yay!).
World Champ Trials will be held at the Greensboro Aquatic Center (my home pool) April 26th-30th. At this meet, they will be picking the Worlds team which will compete at World Championships in Budapest, Hungary in mid-June. I am certainly competing for the chance to be picked, but it will be tough competition. Details on how you can watch me swim are below. I will be swimming the 50, 100 & 200 butterfly.
Tuesday (4/26)- 200 fly. Prelims at 9am EST, Finals at 6pm EST. Prelims will be live-streamed on the usaswimming.org website, and Finals will be on the Olympic Channel.
Wednesday (4/27)- 50 fly. Same schedule.
Thursday (4/28)- 100 fly. Same schedule.
Thanks for cheering!
Speedy Shenanigans:
I've picked up some fun parts recently for my WRX, some of which include Fortune Auto 500 Coilovers, Gram Lights 57CR wheels and some front and rear end-links to add to my upgraded rear sway bar. In simple terms- I'm making the car lower, improving the handling and giving it nicer shoes. Can't wait to put it all together in the next month or so!
Recipe Roulette:
This recipe is one that never, ever fails me and has become quite the staple for me as well as my parents. It's a great alternative to heavier pasta dishes like chicken alfredo, or a great option for people who don't like tomato sauce (aka me).
Pesto Chicken Pasta:
1 box of choice pasta (I use Banza chickpea pasta)
Pesto Sauce
Fresh Spinach
Grilled/Cooked Chicken breasts
Feta cheese (optional)
Prepare the pasta, lightly satuee the spinach and cook the chicken. Mix the ingredients together with the desired amount of pesto. Sprinkle with feta.
To make it creamier: add some low fat mayo (I use Primal Kitchen Mayo) to the pesto.
