Week 5

We have been training lots as usual, and have been working out booties off! We are focusing on strength and control on land, and also flexibility. We have a strength and conditioning coach who comes every other day and we do work outs on land with him. We also have a gymnastics coach who comes on the days that our s&c coach doesn't come. I really enjoy the gymnastics day because we are learning lots of cool tricks and learning to control our bodies.



Our favorite coach, Mike 2

The 13-15 national team joined us this week, and it's been crazy. It's nice though to have other girls here, especially my club team teammate Olivia. It's nice having someone who I am close with and reminds me of home. It's help a lot.

I am getting home sick, but I just have to remember that I can do hard things. I have to keep my eye on the end goal and keep pushing my self to be the best I can. I am so thankful for all the support I have at home, and all the texts, emails, and letters I have received. It is overwhelming how much love and support has been shown to me!

On our days off, we have done lots of fun things. We actually get to get read for the day and spend sometime acting like normal people! Shopping, lunch dates, movies, ice cream, it's the one day we are allowed to eat desserts! It's nice to get out of the cottages and get a change of scenery.

my first dessert after 3 weeks!  YUM!!

The Cottages: where we are living

Riverside is such a different, but gorgeous city. Super old historic looking buildings with vines growing up the sides, and super green! It's really different from Mesa, but still has beautiful sunsets!

It even rained at practice one day.  Swimming in the rain was awesome, and made me feel like home...

Finally, this week, we got a kitten.  Some of the girls found it wandering around and have adopted it as our team pet...



Week 3 and 4

This week has been great.  I got to spend some time with my home team and watch them swim at the National meet.  They did great and I am really proud of all their hard work.

Some of my team from home



My mom was able to come over and be the team mom/chaperone for 8 days.  We girls kept her busy with concussions, doctor appointments, physical therapy appointments, and a bout of the stomach flu that hit 4 girls. I even hurt my wrist -- bruised my scaphoid bone in my hand.  I have to go easy on it on the land for about 10 days, but I can swim fine.  It feels much better now.

OUCH!!



It was fun to spend time with my mom, and have her see all the great training that we are getting. She even spent one evening doing pedicures for us, and took us shopping at the huge mall on our day off.
We had the 4th of July off, so the team all got to go down to Newport, and spend the day at the beach.  We went to Rockin' Baja Lobster for lunch-- yum!!  we came home to Riverside for the big firework show, but most of us ended up falling asleep before the show, so we skipped it.  These coaches are working us HARD!  Sleep is precious!

Bela and me at Newport Beach

Kaylee, Karenza, Bela, Sandra, Monica, Claire, Coach Heia-Yoon

Ellie, Shiree, Rachel, Katie, Anita

not pictured: Gillian and Karena