Pacific Masters Short Course Masters Race Report

What a GREAT weekend! We were very blessed with great weather (mid 70s) and great fun. I am so very happy to have a great team to train with, race with, and play with - I LOVE THEM! GO TVM! :)

So, here's the low-down....

Friday-
1650 Free - I am fortunate enough to train with Karin LaBerge on TVM. Karin is a 1980 Olympian, yet you will remember that is the year we did not compete. Karin was also a Pro-Triathlete with several Kona competitions. Needless to say, she is FABULOUS athlete and I LOVE (and respect) her. We entered the same time for the 1650 on purpose so we could be in the same heat and pace each other. Well, I know she has more natural talent in the distance races, so made sure she knew she could leave me at any point in the race. We were seated right next to each other, and it was great! Now, I do SWIM the 1650 each year, but only as a warm-up. So, this was the first time I "raced" the 1650 since college. WOW, I forgot how hard (and tiring) it was to RACE the 1650 (and felt it the rest of the weekend). I went a 18:48 - only 48 seconds off my lifetime best (in college). Team record.

800 Free Relay - Was the immediately following the 1650. Our relay was me, Vicki, Denise, and Karin. I led off with a 2:02.6 and was very happy with that after the 1650.

400 IM - I did not swim :( The 400 IM did not start until 3:30pm and I had to coach at 3:45pm, so I had to leave. This would take me out of contender-ship for high point, but oh well.

My Mom - she swam the 200 Free. Took it out too fast, I think just because of lack of experience. She wanted to break 2:40 and went a 2:42, not bad. Team record.

Saturday-
500 Free - both me and my mom swam this event. I agreed to count for her (of course) and then warmup after counting. Cool story that before her heat, I cheer "GO MOM!" from the counting side of the pool and then look over to see my old teammate from UCD counting in the lane next to me. She says, "Thats your mom? I'm counting for MY MOM!" This is why I LOVE Masters, we were both so proud of our moms and TEAMMATES! My mom dropped 10 seconds, went 7:04, got 4th place, and a team record! My 500 was ok. I did not get a good enough warmup and within the first 200 I REALLY felt that 1650 in my legs, I was tired! Still a descent masters time for me, 5:25.

Mixed 200 Medley - Can I just say I love mixed relays!? I just thinks its so cool to be able to swim with the men! :) Our relay was stacked - me, Christy (also a former UCD swimmer), Adam, and Brian. Christy led off back with 30.6, Brian took the breast at 28.3, Adam dominated the fly with a 22.5, and I had an impressive free with 24.8! My best 50 relay split ever is a 24.2, so I'm thrilled with a 24.8. We got 4th place.

50 Fly - I opted out of the 100 fly this year. I'm not a great fly sprinter, so I decided that I could get 4th place in the 100 fly or 4th place in the 50 fly. I opted for the "easier" event. I was happy with going 27.9, with a lot of underwater dolphin kicking.

Mixed 400 Free Relay - On the same "stacked" relay with Christy, Adam, and Brian. This was SO FUN! Brian led off with a 48.2, I went next with a 54.0 (best relay split EVER is a 53.8), Christy went next with a 55.0 (a best time for her), and at this point we were in a SLIGHT second place. Adam went in and was able to catch the team ahead of us and swim a 46.3 and we win 1st place by .3!! What is even better is we found out that we broke the Pacific Record AND the National Record! We went a 3:23.6! I'm so proud of us - GO TVM!

My Mom - swam the 100 IM with a best time of 1:27.1 and a new team record! She was on the 200 free relay and split a 32. And she swam the 400 free relay and split 1:13.

Sunday-
100 Free - I'm so tired by the time Sunday comes around. Three days of racing, and racing HARD, is...HARD! Its a lot on your body, and it's survival mode. :) The 100 free was good, I went a 54.9! I think just being in the 54 is a great accomplishment nowadays. .5 off the team record.

200 Fly - I'm TIRED! My legs are TIRED, the 200 fly is HARD! Whine whine whine. Then I watch the first heat of 80+ yr olds doing the 200 fly! There was even a 93 yr old who came to the block in a WHEELCHAIR and raced. If they can do it - I can do it! (the old ladies is another reason I LOVE masters). Karin LaBerge was doing this too, and seated right next to me. I wasn't hoping for too much at this point, except to be within 5 seconds of a high school girl on the club team I coach(which would mean going a 2:15). Last year at Nationals in Clovis, I went a 2:12; but on fresh legs. Today I went a 2:16 and am satisfied with that time, especially when I had to start breathing every stroke lap 2 (thats always a sign of a tough race) ;) Team record.

Womens 200 Free Relay - This relay consisted of me, Christy (UCD swimmer), Karin (Olympian), and Denise (hot, buff mom of 2). Christy led off with a lifetime best time of 25.9, Denise went next with a 26.3, Karin came in with a 25.6, and I anchored with a 24.7. We came in first by .4 and I was very happy to be within .5 of a Stanford swimmer!! :)

Womens 400 Medley Relay - UGH - 400's are so hard! We debated with the coach on the many options we had on the ordering of this relay. We ended up with the same women as teh 200 free relay. Karin led off back with a 1:06.2, Christy did the breast in 1:10.9, I did the fly in 1:01.3 (this MAY be a lifetime best relay split, best flat start is definitely a 1:01), and Denise brought home the free in 57.3 (smokin for her). We dominated by 6 seconds for 1st place!

1000 Free - I'm tired, I'm done. I'm doing this as warmdown! Me and Karin LaBerge entered "sandbagger" times so we could be in an earlier heat, and be done to help clean up etc. I told Karin that I was not going to race it, and we both joked that if we could be anywhere near our 1000 split in the 1650 then we'd be happy. I had a VERY comfortable (and fun) 1000 free and went a 11:50.6 (my 1000 in the 1650 was 11:21...haha).

My mom - She swam the 100 free in 1:13.0 and set a team record. She swam 100 back in 1:29.4 and set a team record.

Here is a picture of our National Record Setting 400 Free Relay (Brian, Adam, Me, Christy)


This is TEAM PETERSEN/WHITE...my brother Adam, my mom, and me!


Here is the wheelchair of a 93 year old woman. How INSPIRATIONAL! I hope I'm alive and moving, let alone still COMPETING at 93!


And here is a picture with Hubby, who came but missed my last race! Haha. Oh well...he has to sit through my 10-17 hour Ironman soon, that'll make up for it! ;)


I am thrilled about the weekend! It was a great meet and we earned our beers at the post-meet dinner at the local micro brewery. Now, its time for a good night sleep and a long(ish) run tomorrow. Back to the tri training! :)