All Those Famous People

As a child, everyone’s dream is to go to the Olympics and win a gold medal, or to become famous and known for excelling at a particular task. Unfortunately, as we look at those goals realistically, the chances are very slim, most likely non-existent. When I was younger, I aspired to become a professional swimmer, but later realized the possibilities and after having my hopes and dreams crushed, decided to plan a more practical future. In today’s blog post, I will be talking about the few that actually did it, the Olympians.

Michael Phelps

Even if you don’t know anything about swimming, you probably have heard about this guy before. Known for his eight gold medals in the 2008 Beijing Games, Phelps now holds the record for the most first place finishes in the Olympics. Phelps is the G.O.A.T, or the greatest of all time, not the animal. His diet might suggest that he is though, which is over twelve thousand calories. Due to his rigorous training schedule, he can pretty much eat whatever he wants. After a very short retirement, Phelps is back in the pool, and I guess we will just have to watch what happens leading up to Rio. 

Video From: Youtube

                                                        

Katie Ledecky

At a young age of 15, Katie Ledecky won her first international meet in the eight-hundred freestyle at the London Olympics. No biggie. Today, Ledecky holds three world records and is about to graduate high school. What’s next on her agenda? Katie has verbally committed to swim in college, Stanford specifically. One of the kids on my team, Jinwon, has a crazy fast sister named Schuyler. Schuyler swam the breaststroke leg on a national age group four hundred medley relay with Katie Ledecky. Schuyler and Katie both train together at Nation’s Capital.

Missy Franklin

This gal is a speed demon, which is where she received her nickname as “Missy the Missile”. Not to mention that Missy Franklin is also one of my biggest role models. She is so humble, positive, and just overall a great person. Despite her intense practices, Missy still finds time to give back to the community. The Missile is currently swimming for the California Bears, but most likely will turn pro after this year’s NCAAs. 

Rebecca Soni

I have met Rebecca, along with her teammate Ariana Kukors at my pool not once, but twice! For a little background information, Rebecca is the fastest two hundred breaststroker around. After retirement, she started a business with Ariana called Atlas Ventures. They focus on “crashing practices” to share their stories and also host several training camps. When Rebecca came to the pool, she emphasized nutrition, which y’all know I am not very good at. 

Ryan Lochte

It might seem hard to believe, but there is more to Ryan Lochte than just his body (mainly his abs). Lochte is one of those swimmers who can swim pretty much anything, which is why his best event is the two hundred and four hundred individual medley. He can also squeeze in a two hundred backstroke here and there. In his career, Lochte has won several events, attended the Olympics, and currently is training for upcoming meets.

His body leaves me speechless.
Photo Courtesy of: EOnline

Thank you for reading! Lots of Olympians are my role models, but I didn’t cover every famous swimmer there is around. Therefore, be sure to comment below on your favorite swimmer. Check back soon please!

XOXO

Siena

The Answer to Accessories

You can take any outfit to the next level by using accessories. Whether it is a simple ring or an elaborate purse, there can sometimes be too little or too much going on with a look, so it often becomes hard to find a balance. In this blog post, I will be giving you some of my favorite accessories, so let’s get started!

Rings, Bracelets and Earrings

As some people might say, it is all about the bling! Jewelry is the perfect way to add a bit of sparkle to your style. The BP line from Nordstrom offers some of my favorite pieces, especially these basic midi rings and this crystal wrap bracelet. As far as earrings are concerned, I blame chlorine for not being able to pierce my ears, as supposedly they can get infected really easily. :( Maybe someday I will become a rule-breaker rebel. 

Belts

Besides holding up your pants, a belt has many other uses. If you want to spiff up a plain dress, you can easily add a belt as an accent. H&M carries some of my favorite belts that are perfect for any occasion. Plus, they are all super affordable too!

Headbands and Bows

You can spice up any hairstyle with a headband or a bow. Recently, it has been cold, but there is no snow. I am currently adoring head wraps because they are stylish and keep my ears warm. Looking back at my childhood, I always wore a side bow. Therefore, I am a big believer in that there is no such thing as having too many bows! Remember, if you can’t find a bow, a piece of ribbon will always do.

Watches

Watches are handy dandy if you want to know how many minutes are left in your least favorite class. Being from a Swiss-German background, I am a swatch lover. Swatch offers innovative and trendy watches that are suitable for all sorts of needs and personalities. Be sure to check out their Swatch and Art collection.

My Current Swatch
Photo Courtesy of: Sasy

Wallets and Handbags

Wallets and handbags are the place to store your moolah or any of your other trinkets. There are the designer wallets like Michael Kors, Kate Spade, Chanel, Louis Vuitton, but for those of you who do not want to use your entire paycheck, I recommend purchasing a knock off. TJ Maxx carries brand name products, but at a much, much, much lower price.

Hats and Scarves

My dress code at school used to be really strict, but now it has been amended so we can wear hats! My next wish list item is a beanie from Zumiez. Also, one of the latest crazes here in PC is infinity scarves, but honesty I never wear scarves because I find them annoying and itchy.

Thank you guys so much for reading this post! Please comment below on your favorite accessory, and I would appreciate any feedback or ideas that you have for future posts. Finally, I just added a gadget where you can follow me via email, so check that thingie out! 

XOXO

Siena

Developing a “Habit” at Senior State

Over our winter break, which wasn’t really a winter break at all since there was no snow *insert crying emoji here*, my team and I travelled to St. George for the 2015 Utah Senior Championships. This meet is a prelims and finals meet, and since it takes place at a lower altitude, your times are often faster due to the difference in atmospheric pressure. This year, not only did I swim well, but I also indulged in amazing junk food.

The car ride down was over four hours, but I made sure to keep myself busy by snacking on Mott’s Medley fruit snacks. Out of all the pouches that I devoured, only two contained my favorite carrot ones, which was very depressing. On Thursday night, I swam the mile for the first time this season and ended up dropping fifty three seconds. During all eighteen minutes and seven seconds of swimming back and forth, I was only thinking about a four letter word, food. For dinner, I went to this burger joint called The Habit, and ordered a double charburger with no tomato and a side of french fries. This meal totaled just a small 1080 calories. Little did I know that I would eat at The Habit four times within the next forty eight hours, which is quite a feat if you ask me.

Then came Friday morning, where I swam the 200 freestyle and 400 individual medley. After prelims, can you guess where I went to lunch? The Habit. Except, this time I ordered a chicken caesar salad with french fries. Nearby The Habit, there is a smoothie bar called The Orange Peel. They make dairy free smoothies and bubble tea. I always order the Orange Cream Dream (OCD), which is super funny because it toats matches my personality.

Can you tell that I really like these smoothies?

After finals on Friday night, I went to dinner at a new place, just kidding, The Habit. I was in need of major carbs, so I got a chicken sandwich with french fries. If you haven’t caught on, I kinda like french fries. Following a much needed beauty rest, I competed in the 500 freestyle, 100 freestyle, and 200 back at morning and night. The early session was followed by a meal at The Habit, a chicken caesar salad with french fries, but my mom and sister were tired of going to the same restaurant over and over again, so we went to Olive Garden Saturday night. Really?

The meet was finally over, it felt like it took weeks. There was an athlete party after Saturday finals that included a DJ and foam cannon, but I didn’t go. My friend Blaire went, but she was disappointed because the foam cannon wasn’t up to her standards. It is difficult to go back to school after a break, but it is not hard to go back to swimming. I am always eager to dive into a pool, even if it has an insanely high amount of chlorine like my team’s recently, and learn how to improve. 

That is all that I have for y’all today! Be sure to check back for more posts and comment below on your favorite places to eat at meets. Remember, I will give a follow for a follow! Thank you for reading!

XOXO

Siena

Swimming Through High School State

Last weekend, I had my very first high school state meet! Going into the competition, I really didn’t know what to expect. My coach had told me prior to the meet that it was different environment, especially since it was not prelims and finals. All high school state meets are held at Brigham Young University (BYU), and even after renovation, the pool is still hideous. But that is okay, because all you need is a lane, right? One thing is for sure, I had never felt more pressure during a race in my entire life. 

Early in the morning, we went to our pool to warmup before going down to BYU, where we would warmup yet again. Just, at BYU, it was a lot more crowded. On the first day, my only event was the 200 Freestyle. Even after I finished swimming, which wasn’t as fast as I would have liked, my hands were still trembling. I was disappointed with my results, but I realized that I needed to put that event in my past, and focus on my next three races. After two hours inside a sweaty natatorium, it was time for the most important meal, dinner. As y’all know from my previous posts, I am a food junkie, so I went to JCW’s and ordered a six (yes, you heard it right, six) piece chicken tender meal with fries and an Oreo shake. Later, I collapsed on my bed for a much needed good night sleep.

Warmup at BYU

Even earlier in the morning, we started warmup again for the second day. I felt less stressed, mainly because it gets easier after you have raced once. My events were the 500 Freestyle, 200 Freestyle Relay, and 400 Freestyle Relay. In the 500 Freestyle, I got a best time, and my team went one-two-three-four on the podium. In the 200 and 400 Freestyle Relays, everyone on my “squad” had amazing splits and we broke the 3A state records.

My Relay at Podium
Photo Courtesy of: The Salt Lake Tribune 

My 400 Freestyle Relay Squad

The girls team ended up scoring the most points in Utah high school swimming history, and both the PCHS girls and boys teams were state champions. A celebratory jump into the dive tank with all five of our coaches marked the end of this meet. On the bus ride back up to PC, we stopped at the Brick Oven for linner - a mix of both lunch and dinner - where I stuffed myself with any crumb that was within reach.

Now that high school swimming is over (yea!), I am ready to get back to club practice and those good old distance sets. For the next season, I hope to perform better by learning to keep calm before diving into the chlorine. If you would like to find out more information on this competition, the Salt Lake Tribune, Park Record, and Deseret News wrote articles, or results can be found here. 

I would like to give a shoutout to all 19 of my page-views from France and 15 page-views from India. If you guys want to be notified when I publish another post, be sure to become one of my loyal followers :). Later this week, I will be talking ‘bout senior state, so please stay tuned!

XOXO

Siena

Region Reflection and Taper Time

Hey guys! Sorry, it has been a while since I last posted, but I’ve been extremely busy with high school swimming. I don’t think that I have mentioned anything about high school swimming in my previous posts, mainly because I don’t like it, but we recently attended Region X Championships. The meet has a really fancy name, but only three teams attended since we live in a wee little region. 

To get everyone all psyched up, we had a team hair and tie dying party along with a dinner. I got a strip of my hair dyed red, even though it barely showed up and immediately came off in the pool the next day, which was pointless. Our team colors are black, red, and white, but somehow the black tie dye ended up looking more like blue. I had never tie dyed before, and lets just say that I do not see a professional tie dying career in my future. My shirt was pretty much all red, with a small dot of “black” here and there. At school the next day, our team looked like we went to war because our hands were red and our shirts were not the prettiest.

Finally, it was time to swim! My coach, Mike, had set some goals for the meet, and they were quite lofty if I might say so myself. He wanted us to win every single solitary event. That is sure a good way to create a stress and nerve free environment, *cough cough* not. Everyone ended up swimming really well, and we went one-two-three in a couple events. The only race that we lost was the Men’s 100 Butterfly. After twenty two events, I think that is kinda a major accomplishment, but Mike, being his usual self, still wasn’t one-hundred percent satisfied. I guess the lesson learned is that there is always room for improvement.

Accepting my medal from this jolly fella

Now comes the sometimes glorious yet frustrating time of year, taper. During taper, your yardage is supposed to be dropped for your body to recover and rest to prepare for optimal performance. For most swimmers, taper is seen as a excuse for everything. Often one jokes about not having to walk up the stairs or getting up from the couch to get food because of the fear that it will ruin their taper. This is why I got in little bit, okay maybe a lot, of trouble when I confessed to my coach about hitting the slopes. My question is, how can one hour of riding chairlifts and skiing through slush (Shoutout to Mother Nature) do any harm to the body?

At Park City, we do taper differently. There is this set called pace. Throughout pace, you have a goal time that you are expected to meet for each distance depending on your personal best in that race. Mike often jokes that if you can talk in between rounds or haven’t thrown up, that you are not going fast enough. Pace is one of the hardest workouts, but it is also the most rewarding. By sprinting with perfect technique, we are mimicking both race quality and race speed.

That is all that I have for y’all today! Be sure to comment below on how your high school season went and how you taper. Thank you for reading and check back soon for a post on 3A state! 

XOXO

Siena

Gear Galore

At swim practice, I use loads of equipment to improve technique, build strength, and add variety. In today’s post, I will be giving you my insight and comments on swimming stuff!

Kick Board

The definition is pretty self explanatory - you hold onto this block of foam, and as my friend Elise would say it, just flail your legs. Over time, kick boards have become my worst enemy. My biggest pet peeve is when someone steals your kick board during a set and claims that it is their’s when they didn’t even pick one up in the first place! Also, my pool has “good” kick boards and “bad” kick boards. Everybody rushes to get the “good” kick boards, and if you are too late then you have to get one of the “bad” kick boards, which have chunks torn out of them.

Paddles

You would think that since I don’t kick when I swim, I would be a good puller. Well, guess what?You are wrong. Maybe it is because my paddles are twice the size of my hands, or because my hands enters the water in the completely wrong direction. I bought agility paddles to correct this habit, but they fell off every twenty-five yards!

Different Sizes of Paddles
Photo Courtesy: TYR

Fins

I used to like fins, until my coach decided to cut off a piece of them hoping that it would make it harder and increase my kick tempo. Not only do my fins look like little stubs, but they never seem to conform to my feet. I have to wear socks for them just to stay on, and blisters still seem to magically appear on my toes.

Snorkel

Snorkels are not for seeing coral, fish, turtles, or starfish. Instead, they allow you to pay close attention to what your hands are doing underwater. Until you get used to your snorkel, I recommend that you invest in a nose plug, as they are super handy dandy. If you don’t want mold to grow inside the mouthpiece, you should probably put it through the dishwasher every now and then. 

Pull Buoy

A pull buoy is one of my favorites because it helps engage your core. While holding a pull buoy snug between your legs, it often becomes challenging to get a quality push off the wall with powerful dolphin kicks. I have not used a pull buoy in practice recently, and I am not sure why, but hopefully I can put it to good use soon!

Pink Pull Buoy
Photo Courtesy: DJ Sports

Mesh Bag

I am pretty sure that I would look like a complete dork if I had to gather all my gear everyday without a place to store it. I rely heavily on my mesh bag for multiple reasons. It is waterproof and my go-to location to find anything and everything. 

Miscellaneous

Some of the basics that you need no matter what are caps, googles, and your water bottle. From personal experience, I can tell you that if you ever are dumb enough to forget your water bottle, you are pretty much doomed. :(

That is all that I have for you guys today. Thank you so much for reading and check out Swim Outlet for deals and steals on any equipment that your might need. See you later!

XOXO

Siena

Nutrition No-No's

As a distance swimmer, or really any athlete, it is important that you fuel your body to maximize performance. In todays world, there is lots of research on what to put in your body to get the results out. While this information has been presented to me in many ways (through magazines, coaches, parents, lectures…), it seems to pass right by as my nutrition habits are nowhere, and I mean nowhere, near what they are supposed to be. In this post, I will be giving you a glimpse into my swim meet eating schedule.

For lunch after prelims and before finals, you can find me at the closest In-N-Out Burger ordering a Double-Double Animal Style with no tomato and extra burger spread with french fries. I usually try to pass on the shake, as I figure it might be a little much, but sometimes that extra creamy and thick vanilla ice cream is too hard to resist. I consume exactly 1675 calories of fatty deliciousness every time we go through the drive-thru. Now, my lunch menu is quite different from the simple and complex carbohydrate, protein rich, fresh fruit, crisp vegetable, vitamin and mineral packed, healthy diet. I am pretty sure that I am the only person in the world who would even think of engulfing such a meal before finals.

Double-Double Animal Style Burger
Photo Courtesy: Serious Seats

For the time between races, you are supposed - key word: supposed - to snack on foods that are quickly absorbed, easy to break down, and can reach muscles speedily. Some of these food items include crackers, fruit, energy bars, cheese, peanut butter, or eggs. Instead, I prefer Curious George fruit snacks, Cheez-Its, Chewy chocolate dipped chocolate chip granola bars, Pringles or Lays, and basically anything that is artificial. The only snack I have that is actually recommended is Go-Go Squeez, but only in Apple-Apple or Apple-Cinnamon flavor, I just love the pouch!

Now, you might think that I am a total failure, but there is hope. Hydration is my forte. I go through so many waters and Vitamin Waters, so not only am I quenching my thirst, but water makes the body feel refreshed and energized. As my coach says, you can never have to many fluids.In any sport, recovery is crucial in order to consistently be at the top of your game. My go-to recovery drink is chocolate milk because it tastes great and helps rebuild muscles. 

Before meets, you should start your day off right with a substantial breakfast. Now, at six in the morning in the car, the last thing I want to do is eat. But, I do eat a packet of Quakers blueberry and cream oatmeal. Why settle for anything less than a sugary bite filled with all kinds of dyes and fake fruit?

As you can tell, I might not be the best role model as far as healthy eating is concerned. Now that it is the New Year, and I don’t really have a New Year’s resolution, maybe I should try to start 2015 out right with a better nutrition plan. But, you know, today was all about the junk food from chocolate to cheesy Doritos.

I hope you guys enjoyed this post and learned what not to do before a meet! Be sure to check back for another post coming soon and leave any comments below. See you next time!

XOXO

Siena