Still Tired but Got a Mental Break

Last week was a tough week of training. Ed is continuing to put a lot of pressure on us. We are still a little over two months away from World Championship Trials which means now is when we need to get our final weeks of intense work in before we start to taper. I'm very tired in the weight-room and the water. My focus has been on trying to maintain my intensity in workout and continue to make sure all my little technique aspects are perfect. This can be a difficult time of the season because as athletes we are looking forward to resting and preparing for the big meet. At the same time, the coach's job is to keep the intensity of practice up and make sure we are continuing to put in the work. The difficulty arises because in general the athlete's definition of work at this point of the season is not the same as the coach's definition of work. The truth of the matter is that I implicitly trust Eddie and know he has my best interest in mind. He has always guided me to the places I want to go. We absolutely communicate but it is more the Eddie Reese show than the Garrett Weber-Gale show.

My mom was in town this past week. It was great to spend some time with her. There is something special and unique about having a family member around. The atmosphere is very relaxing and fun. She really helped me organize my life (I have basically no organizational skills). We had some nice dinners and she helped me take my mind off of the intensity of my swimming for a while. I'm so lucky to have such wonderful parents who have always supported me in whatever I decide to do!