My Michael Phelps Obsession

Chapter 2

Competetion Day

It was six in the morning but I wasn't planning on going to the track or the gym I was heading off to the competetion to win what could be the best thing in my life. Kayla had picked me and my dad up that morning and drove us the hour and a half to Bayside. They talked most of the time which left me to music from my ear buds and my own thoughts, I needed to focus. I thought about Lara which probably wasn't good I shouldn't focus on her but I couldn't help it from what I knew she was my biggest rival there and she could easily out swim me in the breaststroke and backstroke but butterfly was mine and freestyle she would have to fight me for if she wanted it. There was still the IMs though. I had the advantage in the beginning with the butterfly but she would catch me in the backstroke and breatstroke which left little time to recover in the last leg of freestyle. I ran those thoughts out of mind though and just tried to focus on the music my favorite song was on "Ice Ice Baby" It was such a dancing song though and I needed to get pumped.

We suddenly stopped I didn't realize but we had parked practically a half mile from the center since there was so many cars around. I didn't let that make me nervous though. My dad and Kayla still giggled and talked away as we walked so I stolled behind them giving up on my music so I  listened to my warm up pants swish with every step I took. I loved that sound it was the sound that reminded me of my the pool and the smell of chlorine and why I wanted to swim so much.

I looked up from my swishing pants to realize I had fallen very behind from the two who never stopped talking to take a breathe. I ran up to them as they waited for me at the door. We had to walk through a maze of hallwayd before we got to the pool deck and with one big push of the oak wood doors the silent hallways were filled with chatter from the oh-so noisy deck. I looked around to see every color of the rainbow in multiplye shades as my eyes scanned not really seeing people but just blurs of color since there was so many girls there. I had been so focused on how me and Lara where going to match up I had completely forgotten about everyone else.

"Your going to do great honey," My dad reassured me. "I'm going to go in the stands Kayla is going to stay here with you and help you warm up." He retreated to the stands where I instantley lost him.

"C'mon let's go," Kayla placed her hand on my upper back guiding me to the locker room.

When we arrived there was even more girls in more colored jackets and as soon as I walked in who do I make eye contact with but Lara Coleman. She glared down at me she wasn't the fake nice she was the day she introduced me to this event no Lara Coleman was in full attack mode now.

"Don't worry Winnie," Kayla moved me along to an open spot in the room. I removed my warm up jacket and pants and took in the chloriney air that touched my newly bare skin. I shivered as I dug out my good luck "Phelps" cap and goggles out of my bag. We walked out of the locker room back to the pool deck where most of the swimmers were in the pool warming up while others were stretching waiting for pool space. Kayla walked over and talked to a fellow trainer she apparently knew for a while.

"Winnie you can hop in this lane here," Kayla waved me over and pointed to the lane where I was supposed to hop in. "Warm up with slow twenty 50s free then ten 100s then just do some sprints of the other strokes we don't have a lot of time."

I completed Kayla's warm-up it wasn't easy since there was no room but that was normal at meets. Warm ups= every man for yourself no mercy.

She had me get out and stretch and get loose that gave me time to scan the other swimmers who were getting readyas well. There was a group of girls wearing matching maroon jackets and by the way they walked I could tell they're defiantley breaststroke swimmers and the looks of their leg muscles they had a strong- unlike me. I moved on to the group next to the maroon jackets to find a ray of colored suits from yellow to blue; they all had big legs as well, more strong kickers, one had great back muscles signs of a good butterflyer. I feel stupid for thinking Lara was going to be my only competetion these girls are going to give both me and Lara a run for our money.