Today, in the Highland V. Lancaster Highschool swim meet, we took last.  This means nothing because we expected to lose.  What does matter, is my personal best times that I swam.  My first race, the 200 Relay Medley (4 people on one squad, each person swims 50 yards of a selected stroke.)  It was the first race, and I was nowhere to be found.  I honestly did not know I was in this relay.  As I watched TJ Take his position to start the race as our backstroker I noticed Garry looking around in a calmed panic state.  (How is this possible?  You would have had to see it for yourself)  TJ jumped in the water, stretched his arms, and grabbed the bar on the block.  *BOOOP!*  The whistle blew, and the swimmers all tensed.  "Take your marks!"  The judge called.  TJ's back arched, his head down, his lungs hardly contracting for the long underwater ahead of him.  *BOOOOOOOP*  They were off, TJ with a good lead in lane 5 in 3rd place, quickly gaining on Steven, our number one backstroker.  Coming into the first turn, TJ flipped on his belly and prepared the flip with an extra push from his arm.  He comes spinning back!  A terrible turn, followed by a not so graceful fall to 4th place.  "NICK!!! NICK!!! YOURE UP!!!"  Garry is screaming my name,  I ran as fast as i could in a pool facility, ripped off my jeans, slapped my goggles on and with TJ's amazing speed, dove into the pool for My leg of the relay.  The 50 butterfly.  11 Meters underwater, and I breached, arms spread around me, with one thing in mind.  I need to try and Help my squad! We cant take last!  My arms broke water and my legs thundered as they struck the pool,  My arms at my side, another thundering kick to throw me out of the water for a breath of much needed air.  "CMON NICK!!! CMON!!!"  I hear Garry calling.  I touched the wall, and followed with 5 kicks underwater before breaching gasping for air.  I couldnt give up, I couldn't let my team down.  I pushed and pushed!  3 strokes, 4 strokes, I looked left and saw another Flyer moving in reverse.  It was me, taking 3rd by a hair.  I touched the wall for Garry to take head as our Breast stroker.  Sad;y, I had lost third at the last turn by a swimmer to my left.  We were back in fourth, Garry was fighting!  He broke water, his face determined, back muscles shining as he dove in for his frog kick.  "Get that guy!"  We yelled, "GET him!!!"; Garry obeyed, and his strokes came slower, in a more graceful manner!  He took third, he was hauling across the pool!  He hit his turn, Dana was yelling, hearts were pounding, he was smiling.  Smiling.  BOOM! 16 strokes he touched the wall for Franco to dive in and hold third in his 50 freestyle.  Garry was out of breath, and yet he managed to take hold of the block to let out a yell at franco to move!  Franco, being a soccer swimmer, has some of the most powerful kicks on the team.  He hauled all right, hauled to the wall, hauled half way back, and his strokes began to faulter.  Until he looked left, and saw he was falling behind.  I have never seen him swim harder, he pulled, he fought the water, and rode the wake of the 3rd place in front of him, gliding us into 4th place.

My next race was the 200 Individual Medley.  All four strokes, divided into 2 laps of each.  Fly, Back, Breast, and Free.  The judge called us up to the block.  This was my first time racing this particular event.  5 minutes before, I had asked a fellow team swimmer how I should come about this event.  "Don't die, you'll be fine!  Wait... Youre racing the IM? HAHA I won't get last!".  I love people who doubt me.  It pushes me, more than it probably should.  Back to the blocks, I did my ritual back slap that I picked up from Michael Phelps.  I looked at the water, one thought in my mind.  Under 3.  Under 3.  Under 3. *BOOP*  The whistle blew, and before I could react, Mike and every other swimmer were underwater, as i was just breaking water.  I kicked, 13 meters out to conserve energy for one of the msot fun races I have ever competed in.  Fun doesnt mean it wasn't hard, believe me my heart has never raced as hard, or as fast as it did at that moment.  I broke water, and looked left.  Mike was still under, about 4 strokes ahead.  It didn't matter.  I wanted to beat my previous time of  3: 22.  My arms wrapped in front of my body.  1, 2!  I kicked twice, and my arms followed.  I touched the wall, dead last.  It didn't matter.  Under 3.  Under 3!  I drove for home! or what should be first base.  I finished my fifty, heart relaxed, breathing every stroke.  And prepared for the second leg of the race.  The backstroke, which I lack skill in.  I push off the wall on my back, underwater, 4 sloppy dolphin kicks, I panicked.  I needed air!  I broke water, and began the strokes.  I watched the flags above me fade into what seemed a million miles of sunset.  Under 3.  My arms pulled. and my hips popped.  Kick kick kick!  Debbie Unruh called out to me.  Debbie has been one of my biggest fans, simply because she wanted to be to do well in swim, not for the team, not for her.  But for myself.  I can't thank her enough.  I listened, and I Kicked like I was Phelps.  My arms hit the lane line, and in my head, i screamed "CONCENTRATE!"  I veered back to the middle, saw the second set of flags, and began to count my strokes.  1, 2 , 3 , 4, 5 TURN!.  Onto my belly I went, and into the wall i pushed my feet for the last 25 yards of the backstroke.  17 strokes and 4 hits of the lane line later, i touched the wall for my breast stroke.  Under 3.  I pulled and breached.  Looked riht and my coach was pinting at the wall with two hands.  "Two hands Nick! No DQ!"  Our silent communication pushed me to the limits.  I pushed off the wall with two hands for the last 75 yards.  I began the climb underwater. As I breached I heard Dana, Coach Louis, and Debbie.  "GO!" Under the water I went, and above the water I came. "GO!" I went.  I broke water, "GO!" Down into he water I went, the wall was close!  Even underwater, with a cap on my head, I heard Debbie Scream, "C'mon NICK!  Go go go!!! Don't Stop!"  I pushed off the wall onto my belly for my stongest stroke.  The freestyle.  I began strong.  One pull and a breath, left arm then my right, then my left and breath!  I see coach screaming at me to keep going.  I pulled and I pushed, the water went under me like the keys into a starter.  I pulled and saw the wall, as I broke water for my flipturn, I saw Garry, I saw TJ, I saw the sky.  Under 3!  I drove for home!  Underwater I went. KICK KICK KICK!  I thrusted forward drove in with a powerful ONE TWO!  I touched the wall broke water, turned to see what place i cam in.  Not last.  It didnt matter.  "Whats my split?" I asked to anyone who heard.
2:48.  Under 3.

My last race, worth mentioning.  My 500 freestyle.  Number one rival?  Dom.  Me and Dom had been saying we could beat eachother.  Her beat me Last time with a time of 7:30.  I follwed with 8: something.  My previous 500 before that?  11:31.  I approached the block after wishing Dom luck.  He didn't need it. "On the blocks!" the judge demanded.  Up I went, and to another world I entered.  Time slowed down.  I was back at our Home pool, talking to coach.  "Nick, 3rd place in your first year swimming, as a varsity swimmer nonetheless is not realistic.  4th is doable.  I don't mean to be mean, but thats the truth."  I. Love. Doubters.  More importantly, I wanted to drop time.  I had not goal.  I just wanted to drop time.  I slapped my back, i fixed my goggle strap.  I did not look around.  I knew Dana would count my laps efficiently, I knew Dom was as psyched as I was, and I knew coach doubted me.  I knew who was behind me, I knew who was watching, I knew who I was racing for, I know what I was racing for.  Nothing mattered not, but to do it.  *Boop.*  It was quiet.  I reacted, relaxed.  Last in the water as I would later be told.  I was in lane 5.  Lane 4 and Lane 6 were Higland swimmers.  It didn't matter.  I rode lane 6's wake tot he wall before he broke away.  It didnt matter, I felt good.  I turned.  My arms in perfect motion.  Breathing every two as I had seen Michael do.  "Glide under water" Louis's words echoed.  I became myself.  Nothing mattered but my time.  Dom didnt matter.  Only me.  Kick, Turn.  Dana was holding "3" under the water with 4 fingers.  The three stood for my lap number.  The number of fingers, my position.  She was thrusting the number up and down.  "Go faster".  yes.  Thats all I could say.  I kicked. And  I pulled harder.  And slowed.  I turned, coming back to Dana.  Number 7, 4 fingers.  Time flew past me, and I hadnt noticed.  I was the water within the water.  But I could feel the iceberg pulling me down.  Strain in my body.  "Im tired" it cried.  "Too bad" I seemed to say.  I turned to move into the tenth lap.  "KICK NICK KICK!!!"  Debbie, the only person on this side of the pool cheering for me.  My only non doubter here.  I turned.  Dana lap 11 3 fingers! Thrusting up and down.  No freakin way.  I flipped.  And turne my head to breath.  There was mom.  Not jumping up and down.  But smiling.  And Jer was gone.  "Whats going on?  He knows I'm racing..."  I turned.  Dana; lap 13 3 fingers.  Oh crap... Am I really doing this?  Heck yeah I am.  I don't know if the sign was thrusting.  But i do know I felt that this was entirely wrong.  I felt slow.  Nothing felt right.  The iceberg had grown and seemed to drag me behind.  Time flew.  My muscles ached.  I didnt see mom.  I saw my coach jumping over things following me shaking his hand.  I loked up.  Dana's hand was closed.  I looked side to side.  No one was around me.  It didnt matter.  All that mattered was time.  Of course.  Beating Dom would be nice.  The number on the card was gone.  It was red tape.  Oh crap!  I need to sprint!  I heard Dana and Garry, and some akward scream above me as i dove head first to push off the wall.  My breathing motion cancelled to maximize speed and lessen drag.  I pushed forward, faster that I ever had before.  But slower than I had ever felt before.  I touched the wall. Looked around me.  No dom.  I checked again.  No Dom.

No Dom? Impossible.
My time? 7:21  more than a minute under my previous. 
I told you.  I. Love. Doubters.

It was later revealed that Dom had swam an extra 50.  It didn;t matter.  He went sub 7.  I lowered my time.  We both won.  I came in third due to a faulty lap counter.  But I came in first, due too hard work.  Lots of ice.  And a great coach. 
Sorry you missed it.  But I hope this description was suitable.

-Nick