A Day in the Life, Kelly Zahalka, Day 3

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, January 25. IN the third installment of her "A Day in the Life" series on SwimmingWorldMagazine.com, Navy sophomore Kelly Zahalka writes about rock climbing as a cross training exercise, Naval Weapons Systems class, Recovery Wednesday in swimming and enduring an Alpha-level inspection of her room – which she passed with flying colors!

Wednesday, January 24, 2007, Day 3
I always look forward to Wednesday, because after two solid days of training three times each day, we have the morning off. This means sleeping in until reveille with the rest of the Brigade which is at 0630. This morning was typical with three classes. At noon on Wednesday the women's swim team goes over to the field house to climb the rock wall. At first, most of us struggled to get to the top on the easy routes, but we've really come a long way. My favorite route starts with a climb up a small rock that is about twice my height, which I then stand on and reach up to grab the rest of the rock. I can just reach if I stand on my tip-toes. Then I have to do a pull-up and wrap my legs around the upper rock to get up to begin to climb the rest of the way.

It is quite a challenge, but I love the cross-training. Climbing the rock wall really works our forearms, the same muscles that help catch the water in the initial phases of each stroke. It also builds a sense of team as we learn to trust the girls who are belaying us to hang on and make sure we don't drop.

This afternoon, I went to Naval Weapons Systems class. Taught by a retired officer, this class, required of all Mids, prepares us to enter the Fleet by explaining how the United States Navy and Marine Corps sense, track, deliver and destroy Weapons Systems. Classes like Weapons remind all of us everyday of the goal we came to the Naval Academy to work towards – becoming an officer in the Navy or Marine Corps.

After class, I headed over to the pool for the first time today. After Test-Set Monday, and Endurance Tuesday, Recovery Wednesday is a welcome relief. The stresses of academics combined with meeting all of our military obligations means that by the time Wednesday rolls around, we are all pretty beaten down. We usually do about 6,000 meters of loosen-up type swimming to relax our muscles and prepare to push hard for the rest of the week into race day, but tonight was an exception. Our Warm-Up was as follows:

400 swim with sub turns (go under at flags, flip-turn completely submerged, extend wall)
400 social kick on a board
6×75 with fins (25 underwater/ 50 swim) @1:20
6×100 free pull with paddles descend 1-3, 4-6 @1:25

After warm-up, Coach Morrison gathered us all around and explained the main set. We divided into 8 relays of 3 people each. Everyone had to do 4×50 (2 free, 2 stroke) from a relay start. The relays ran continuously. We were supposed to focus on the start, breakout, turn and finish. After that, we did a 300 warm-down and were done in under an hour. The whole team was thrilled to have such a fun and short practice today!

When practice was done, we all ran off to our rooms to clean and wax the floors. The Brigade had an alpha inspection tonight. Our rooms have two levels of cleanliness: bravo and alpha. Bravo is the daily standard which includes a clean floor, a neatly made rack (bed), shined bright work in the sink and shower areas, and no "gear adrift" (everything put away in closets or shelves). Alpha inspections occur about every six weeks and have a checklist of 45 things to prepare including specific arrangement of books, clothing and shoes, as well as freshly waxed floors and a scrubbed shower. Jaime and I cleaned like mad all during the day and after practice. It paid off – 45/45! Although inspections are a lot of work to prepare for, Jaime and I enjoy having a super clean room – at least for a few days!

To finish out the day, the Brigade had "mando meal" (mandatory dinner) tonight. Everyone dresses up in the Service Dress Blue Uniform and eats together on Wednesday evenings. After meal there is usually a lecture that we are required to attend, but tonight's lecture was replaced by the Alpha Inspection. Mando meal with the entire Brigade gives varsity athletes a chance to catch up with other Mids around the Hall who we may not have otherwise been able to hang out with because of our practice and competition obligations.

I only have one class tomorrow, so I'm already looking forward to my afternoon nap!

Go Navy!

Kelly

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