Sunrise to Sunset

You haven't officially arrived on your Florida training trip until you've swum when the sun was still napping.

It looks like we've arrived.

The morning chill certainly could have been much worse.  It felt like it was in the low 50s when the bus pulled from the Homewood Suites at 5:30AM EST and into the FGCU Aquatic Center.  We were first on the scene and, as you'll see in the video, were slightly more spry than our friends from St. Thomas.  The water temperature was a good 30 degrees warmer than on deck, which is always a nice incentive for swimmers to get in the pool quickly and remain in there.

Today was the first real test of attrition for the Bison. Many team members have not experienced close to 5 hours of training in a single day since last year's Florida trip.  The morning workout was a good one and the unfamiliarity of swimming for a longer time without a wall caught a few team members off-guard, especially when it came time to kicking in streamline on our backs.  Nevertheless, the first hour gave the team the chance to get their legs loosened with the second hour providing opportunities to push their thresholds for the first time in Ft. Myers.

Two noticeable, excellent morning performers where senior E'lan Brewer and sophomore Emeka Brooks.  Brewer took complete control of her lane during the set of 4x300s and 5x200s.  It is great to see the veteran make the most of her final training trip to the Sunshine State.  Brooks challenged himself during his round of 4x200s and 7x100s, opting to swim fly during the first 50 rather than settle for freestyle for the entirety of the set.

The gorgeous scene at 7:10AM as the Bison battle through the water.

The afternoon started sluggish on a number of fronts and fatigue was settling into many members of the team once the 3PM hour commenced.  You could attribute this to the gray clouds that draped the area or the newness of being 18 hours from DC wearing off.  We eventually broke into two groups that included IM on the right side of the pool and freestyle on the left side.  Both sides had an aggressive run of 2700 yards before a demanding run of 4x150s for the IM group and 6x125s for the freestyle group.

The fun of the afternoon was not over, though, as dryland's intensity demanded quite a lot of physical discipline from the Bison.  Each team member completed two different circuits.
Circuit I - Done 5x in groups of 3
* 50-yard dash
* 5 medicine ball burpees
* 5x3 jump ropes
* 5 dips
* 5 Ab Wheels
* 5 Pull-Ups
* 50-yard dash

Circuit II - Done 2x in groups of 3
* 40-yard dash
* 10x3 jump ropes
* 10 iso pushups on Iron Gym
* 20 med ball twists
* 40-yard dash

Freshman Benta Horton-Gee starred in this segment for the women's team, showing particular athleticism in the aerobic areas of the circuits.  Sophomore Trent Popovich was physically imposing and consistent with all seven rounds of the circuit.  Both athletes carried their efforts from the pool into the dryland routine.

Battered, sweaty and looking straight into some storm clouds, we trudged onto the bus after a long day of physical demands.  The aches and pains of some quality efforts will be felt when we climb into bed this evening.  It's a good feeling, though, knowing you've set the groundwork for what lies in front of us. 

Florida provides an invitation to make a name for yourself.  You can command respect with an unmistakable work ethic or shrivel to the pressures of inconvenience and pain.  Which side you choose is ultimately your decision and will define your character whether you would like it or not.

Stay tuned for more adventures.  Thank you, again, for your support and encouragement.