The Sunshine State of Mind

It’s been a while since checking in and for that, I apologize. This will be my fourth attempt at entering an update. Florida has been terrific on many fronts. Since the first practice on Monday the 29th, the weather has cooperated with plentiful sunshine and heat. We’ve been able to follow through our schedule without any problems, which has set the bar fairly high for the future.

Trips like these are special, especially for someone who is domesticated. Here have been some of the daily highlights:

Tuesday - Beautiful weather leads to lots of jogging. For the first time, I used something called sunscreen. It's SPF 30 and called Pirates of the Caribbean Continuous Sun Care. Since it's Jack Sparrow's official sunblock, I've decided it's the only kind I will wear for the rest of my life.

Wednesday - Great game of night football. The guys allowed me to play quarterback, which I relished. I also WENT INTO THE OCEAN and explored underwater, something I had not done since swimming through a storm while training at William and Mary - I was in much less danger this time around.

Thursday - Happy New Year...but you would not be able to tell because every day seems the same when you are swimming and sleeping and eating and repeating. Nevertheless, I WENT INTO THE OCEAN AGAIN and swam probably too far into sea. One of the team members that will remain anonymous came along for the adventurous swim - apparently we drew a crowd from the life guarding staff.

Friday - Very special day because I got to see Patty. Her roommate in Los Angeles was getting married in Fort Myers (which is 2.5 hours away) and we spent lunch through dinner either driving on Alligator Alley or enjoying the Gulf Coast. We return to our hotel in Deerfield Beach around 11PM.

Saturday - More jogging and football and volleyball and digging of holes. My boss, John, informs us that digging holes in beaches causes more deaths in the world than sharks. We immediately fill the hole.

Sunday - Our best football game of the trip - lots of offense and the recruitment of a french lad. We went to an Italian restaurant and I ate more than I had in the previous three days combined (not necessarily one of my better ideas.)

Monday - Very warm day spent inside resting the legs and getting work done.

These highlights are the minute compared to the training that's taking place in Deerfield Beach. I could speak at great length about the training, and it's made relive my teaching days grading my group with every practice and noting the positives and "non-positives" of that particular two-hour practice.

You may notice a new photo greeting you at the top of the blog. These are the distance swimmers of Davidson College, a.k.a my primary responsibility. I do get to coach every Wildcat throughout the course of the season, but these ten see me the most. Each of them has been nothing short of outstanding since arriving in Florida. Their frame of mind has allowed them to be so productive, to challenge one another, and to maximize their fitness and racing prowess.

This is what Florida is meant to be...an oasis from the Davidson rigors, the Great White North, the responsibility that comes with staying out of trouble during winter break. Tuesday, January 6th marks that final day of practice and while I wish we didn't have to leave, it's time to put our practice to good use. The experience has been tremendous and if you need a more detailed account, don't hesitate to ask!