With Our Powers Combined...

As the time ticked away from our Ft. Myers Training Trip and we recovered from our Gulf Swim, we renewed a coveted match-up with the University of North Dakota.  Their men's and women's team landed in Ft. Myers on Friday evening and began their training at FGCU on Saturday just after our 6AM practice.  And while we were putting a bow on this glorious training cycle, we sacrificed ourselves for one more practice and competition on Sunday evening to have the chance to race a super team.

Yes, those are our Howard Bison sprinkled among the North Dakota women and men.

Steve Parsons, the head coach of North Dakota, proposed the idea of having the two teams train together for roughly 80 minutes before competing against one another in a 6-event relay format long enough to watch the sun set.  Steve and I took turns giving a variety of sets to the integrated group of teams and after 3500 meters of solid work in the water, the team took to their corners of the pool to regroup for the New Years Day Fight to the Death Relay Meet.

The meet was a lot of fun and the chance to swim fast for a short distance against a great opponent is always welcomed.  For the six events, the swimmers had the chance to create their own lineups, knowing we had room for two relays inside each event.  Many of our Bison "volunteered" to swim all six of the events, a moderately noteworthy feat considering each of the events demanded a 50-meter swim.  The most strenuous portion of each event may have been for the 2nd and 4th swimmers in the relays having to trek back to the other end of pool in the correct lane in time for his/her next race.

This action shot spots Ashley Douglas (middle) taking the lead in the 200 butterfly relay in front of two North Dakota ladies.

The meet lasted until 6:15PM and, after congratulating North Dakota on a terrific meet, a quick warm down and swift change of clothes, our bus pulled away from the FGCU facility at 6:32PM for the final time on this training adventure.  It probably doesn't feel like a quick week, especially when your muscles are screaming for a break from the consistent pounding it was taking.  Ending the adventure in this fashion - swimming hard, working with other individuals through sets, communicating with teammates - was all too appropriate. 

We will definitely miss this facility and the people we met in Ft. Myers.  It's been a marvelous trip spent with superior individuals willing to represent Howard University with great determination and class.  Hopefully we each have memories of this voyage that will resonate with us for many years to come.