Have you ever had a weekend so bad you couldn't wait for Monday?

What is that cliché? Oh, here it is: "welcome to my world!" If I could have swam everything would have been okay. Hence, I will swim tonight at SMC so all will be gold once again.

Lot's to talk about today, namely all the world records set at Masters Nationals. Here is just a couple that surprised me. From Lane 9 News: [Link]

How about these three?

50 fly: Women's 45-49: Susan Walsh, 45, 29.84 (Angela Zingler, 30.30, 7/6/2001)
Women's 55-59: Laura Val, 56, 31.83 (Laura Val, 32.10, 4/22/2006)

200 free: Men's 50-54: Dan Stephenson, 50, 2:00.34 (Jim McConica, 2:02.50, 8/20/2000)

Mike Freshly, the guy who coined the best swimming quote ever: "Show me a swimmer who is 70 and he will look like 50; Show me a runner who is 70 and he will like like 90!" lost his world record in 200LCM breast to Richard Todd, 65-years-old, who swam a 3:03.47 lowering the record by slightly more than 4-seconds. Freshly has an amazing breaststroke. His biggest asset is his underwater work so this world record by Richard Todd is truly impressive.

USMS Results: [Link]

Mike Freshley swim quotes

Mike Freshley is a 65-year-old age grouper and he can do a 50 fly in 27 seconds? I can't. Here are some quotes of his:

"Before 50, swimming is optional," he says. "After 50, it's mandatory."

"Show me a 70-year-old swimmer and he looks like 50, he maintains, but a 70-year-old runner, he looks like 90."

Southwest Masters SCY Swim Meet at Pierce College

Well, though I didn't meet expectations it was still a really fun meet and I got a first and second place ribbon.

World record holder, Mike Freshly, gave me some pointers on my fly. He can go a 27 for a 50 fly and I can't. He's also the guy quoted in TIME magazine who said: "Show me a swimmer who is 70 and he looks like 50, show me a runner who is 70 and he looks like 90." He's awesome. Oh, and he calls Bonnie Adair, Bon Bon!

Doug K. from SCAQ stormed both the 100 and 200 backstroke, and I met a swimmer named Dr. Mark Silverberg from Santa Barbara doing his first meet and I gave him some pointers on the breaststroke turn and fly. The guy was totally exuberant and smiled about 95% of the time. He won all his heats as an unattached swimmer and had a blast. Even when he jumped into the water twice thinking the whistle to take to the blocks was the starting bell. Hilarious and charming at the same time.

I also raced an Olympian from 1960 in my heat who beat me by a body length. I thought he was in his late 50's early 60's but he was in the 70-74 age group.

As for my times: 26.71 for the 50 Free and a 1:00:33 for the 100 free. I have three more SCY meets left to break a minute so I better do my homework.