Bucknell University Athletics
Bucknell Men's Swimming and Diving Blog - Louis Behnen & Jack Robinson
5/6/2014 4:11:00 PM | Men's Swimming and Diving
For many of us, it was a weekend of firsts; first time in Arizona, first time participating at a Grand Prix meet, or even the first time eating at an In-N-Out Burger. However, what was comfortably familiar was racing. The six of us trained at a high level of intensity during the spring that made the term "offseason" seem obsolete, so that we'd be prepared for a meet of this caliber.
It was clear from the beginning that the Grand Prix was a star-studded event, especially with the highly anticipated return of swimming legend Michael Phelps. While we were all impressed by the talent, the elite athletes gave us the motivation to one day swim at a level where one could not only participate at a Grand Prix, but also compete and excel alongside those swimmers.
Of course everyone has obstacles, and the six of us were no exception. Swimming outside is common ground in Arizona, but not for swimmers who train in Central Pennsylvania. The sun would zap your energy and blind you during backstroke. On the last day we encountered cold, rain and wind that moved the backstroke flags and led to a difficult current in the pool. Nevertheless, we all swam to the best of out abilities and performed very well for the first long-course meet of the summer season. The three of us on the men's side all qualified for multiple finals night swims.
All things considered, the meet can be seen as a learning experience for those that went. It tested our ability to adapt to different circumstances and compete at a high level. While we did not necessarily "rest" or "taper" for the meet, we were nonetheless called on to perform at our bests due to the vast amount of competition. Our experiences at the Mesa Grand Prix meet will certainly motivate and propel us into not only the long course season this summer, but also our short course season next fall and winter.
- Louis Behnen and Jack Robinson, recapping the Arena Grand Prix at Mesa
Players Mentioned
