Dartmouth Men's
Swimming and Diving

 

2003 Training Trip to Hawaii 

Day 1
11 December So it begins. Training trip, the most anticipated and dreaded event of the swimming season. Woe to those lonely freshmen who know not into which circle of heck they descend.

So it began at the genial hour of 2:30 AM. A quick slog through the slush brought us to our sleek, glimmering, Vermont Transit bus. On board, everyone assumed the ready position, Tom fell asleep cradled in the lap of Brent, and Graig got intimate with his hat. Ryan walked down the aisles and upon reaching the back bathroom bent over to yell at the bus driver. With everyone on board the bus prepared to depart. Oh not quite, seems that the intrepid Grant forgot to set his alarm, or something. Fortunately, under orders of Jim, he was quickly scraped off his bedroom floor and kindly thrown, with his bag, in the luggage compartment under the bus.

Thirty-two hours later, 86% of which is Honolulu traffic, we arrived at the University of Hawaii. Jim welcomes us to our a new home with a quick “rooms there,” points vaguely into darkness, “pool there,” gestures at more darkness, and “eat there” waves again at darkness. All seeming in order, he commands pool rendezvous in fifteen minutes. 

After stumbling through a Hawaiian neighborhood, we walked into a cement bunker to find surprising amiable rooms. After a quick inspection of the disappointingly empty mini-fridges, as they remained for the duration, we returned to the pool for our first practice, which was a moderate set of 100’s or 200’s for the freestylers (not indicative of the rest of trip), and a set of not breathing for the sprinters, (more indicative of the rest of trip). Following practice our travel weary bodies were pleased to settle into bed for a long slumber.

Geography Quote of the Day: “Hawaii will be nice. I can’t wait to get out of the country.” –Matt B. in the Houston Airport

 

Day 2
12 December  Unfortunately, we were not destined for much slumber. Instead we awoke at 5:30 AM and trudged back to the pool for another workout in the dark. Jim started us off on our first day with a shoulder smashing, free/IM ladder, including a dryland set that finished off any still functioning muscles.

Practice over, we headed to food court and the saving angel of our trip ­­­Elouise. She alone guarded the doorway to the food court wonderland with a perky smile and quick, card swiping wrist. Inside we enjoyed the amazing all you-can-eat feast. Captain Scott threatened to transfer and then remembered he was a senior. After breakfast we returned to the dorms where everyone passed out and there remained until afternoon (i.e. night) practice. Finishing what he had begun in the morning, Jim ordered a 7600 yard continuous ladder for everyone. Everyone except Mike that is. He did 50’s easy/hard.  

Quote of the Day: “Sure I know where we are, Hawaii’s right below Florida.”- Peter

Day 3
13 December Our second full day in Hawaii began with a Matt B. special: Random distances swum fast for the IMers, sprint 1000’s for distance, and cordz for group Mike. Despite Benedict’s best efforts the practice was slightly enjoyable due to a rainbow heralding the rise of dawn. Or so we thought. Once we were dry, Jim led us to the weight room. After realizing that Mary (our strength coach) had written all of the workouts in a secret code known only to herself and Body By Jake, the team spent the time looking at girls’ lift records.

After practice coach “I’ll turn this car around right now” Jim took the team on the first of its island excursions. This one to the North Shore to see the Pipe Masters. En route Jim allowed a quick stop for Yale to shuck an oyster at the Dole Pineapple Plantation. Once at the Pipe Masters competition, Jim let us relax to watch some most excellent surfing. But mostly we just watched the girls walk by. 

Next, we stopped at a beach and allowed the team its first taste of the ocean where we picked up a new member of the team. We later found out it was actually Noah who had spent the term in Britain and was late due to “lightning” that struck his plane. Tom and Grant gave lessons on proper body surfing technique while Brent and John demonstrated their “head on the bottom” style of wave riding. Fortunately, a lifeguard was nearby to laugh at them. 

We returned to UH for dinner and an evening practice equaled in eclecticism only by morning practice. Everyone did some kind of workout though most would be hard pressed to explain what.  

Quote of the day: “Lightning my a**. Noah’s sitting in a hotel room in Honolulu.” -Ryan Goldhan

  Day 4
14 December Morning again. A quick workout set in the dark followed by dryland followed by breakfast. Today, in order to continue our education in Hawaiian culture, Jim took us to the islands largest garage sale/flee market. Mike bought a medieval sword and crossbow while Sean bought pink sunglasses. Both were extremely pleased with themselves. Afternoon practice included a stroke set for everyone save Yale who had an injured shoulder. Exposing his infinite store of pity, Jim gave Yale a kick set and a cement can.   

Quote of the Day: “Great. That’s just what I need right now. Mike with more weapons in my room.” –Andrew Biteen  

Day 5
15 December Monday. Another brutal practice, this one involving goal hundreds and a long kick set followed by cordz for the breastrokers.  Yale kicked. After practice the team split up, some going hiking with Grant and others surfing at Waikiki. The hikers experienced beautiful mountain scenery and waterfalls while the surfers experienced board rash, coral burns, and the Northwestern Women’s Team who impressed Matt B. by benching a catamaran.

Quote of the Day: “You know Jim I’ve been thinking, and I decided that I’d rather have you be proud of me than God.” –Mike

Day 6
16 December Tuesday morning saw us again awakened by a Matt B. collage workout almost as difficult to describe as it was to swim. After practice Jim packed everyone back into the vans for a day at Sandy Beach, the most aptly named, yet statistically lethal, beach on the island. Within moments of hitting the parking lot a roving lifeguard spotted Peter’s tan and marked us as tourists. He kindly suggested that no one enter the water. Tom, blatantly disregarding the warning, led the team headfirst into the breakneck surf. Shane discovered a blow hole and Justin discovered a sea turtle which, demonstrating the onset of a training induced developing mental instability, he followed out to sea.

Jim then led us to our second beach of the day. Tom did more body surfing, Matt D. read a book, and Sean got in a fight with a half drowned bumble-bee, lost, and wound up in the hospital.

Afternoon practice featured a free set and 400 IMs for the stroke swimmers. Group Mike had a sprint set and Yale kicked.

Quote of the Day: “I want to get out so bad. I want to get out and hide in the bathroom. Do you think he will find me?” - Justin

Day 7
17 December For practice this morning we visited Grant’s high-school, Punaho. Half of the team did a workout with Matt B. while the other half tied cordz to each other and played tug-boat.

We left Punaho for Pearl Harbor and spent most of the morning at the memorial enjoying the lunches from Elouise. They were hand made with love in every sandwich.

After reverently paying homage to history we left Pearl Harbor and proceed to the Polynesian Culture Center where we less-reverently experience tourism at its finest. The PCC offered a variety of activities that we all took advantage of. Everyone enjoyed the drum show, the coconut shucking demonstration, and the Japanese tourist groups. Andrew learned to Hula and weave mats, Ryan started a fire in the ancient Samoan tradition, and the breastrokers climbed a palm tree to get coconuts. Even Mike appreciated the native culture when he found a bamboo couch in the gift shop and went to sleep.

After watching a giant IMAX staring Dolphins with Sting, everyone enjoyed the river pageant, including Mike who woke up to chase a chicken. At this juncture the day took a turn as a few brave souls embarked on the Mormon Temple tour.

The night culminated with a tribal dance show that impressed everyone save Tom, who tribal danced in high school.

Quote of the Day: “So what do you guys do in here, you know, for fun?” –Mike

Day 8
18 December For a special treat, this morning’s practice was an open water swim at Kailua Beach. The course took a gentle wind through the surf and out to a small island. On the swim out a group of swimmers found a green sea-turtle who accompanied them for part of the course. Shortly thereafter we encountered a less amiable companion, the extremely poisonous Portuguese Man-of-War, who managed to sting a few members of the team severely. Upon retreating to shore the sting victims were met by an even more merciless companion, Jim, who sent them back to finish the course.

          While the sting recipients nursed their wounds, the rest of the team prepared for the meet that night against U Hawaii and Cincinnati.

Quote of the Day: “I’ve seen worse.” –Jim 

Day 9
19 December Back to routine. A morning practice of a negative split ladder and IM. Yale kicked, now joined by injured Peter. For the afternoon, we headed to Hanauma Bay State Park. There, in one of the most picturesque bays on the island, we prepared for a day of snorkeling and sun tanning. Though most of the day was spent in orientation, including painfully specific instruction for putting on fins, everyone enjoyed seeing some native wildlife close up on the coral reef. Evening practice was split by stroke. Yale and Peter kicked.

Quote of the Day: “Do you think wearing yellow goggles makes everything happy?” - Justin

Day 10
20 December No morning workout! Instead, the Dartmouth Swim Team proudly represented the mainland US by smashing the competition at the Honolulu Biathlon at Ala Moana Park. Sean’s breakaway run led to his and Kemper’s win in their age group and second fasted time overall. Everyone preformed at their peak, including Justin who asked questions the entire run. After the first portion the runners gathered at the finish line to watch the swimmers come in. Highlights include Jim’s breakaway race and Matt S’s triumphant finish after delivering teammate John an elbow-shot to the face.

Following the biathalon, most of the team visited the international marketplace in downtown Honolulu to buy anything they hadn’t found at the flee-market earlier that week.

Quote of the day: “I’m crazy in love.” - Justin

Day 11
21 December Sunday. No morning practice, instead a brisk hike up Paradise Park to see Manoa Falls. Led by fearless jungle guide Grant, the hike allowed a magnificent view of the island’s mountain foliage including a bamboo forest. Unfortunately, following the previous day’s run, the crippled team could do little more than stare at their feet and pray for an escalator part way up the mountain. Grant pointed out the local vegatation, including many decaying guavas. Sadly, Grant also informed us that the forest was devoid of tigers and snakes so there was nothing to be scared of. Scott then proceeded to jump from behind a tree and caused the fearless jungle guide to scream in fear.

We finally arrived at the top to find a spectacular 100 foot waterfall which, with some discouragement, Tom refrained from jumping off. In a dejected and slightly pathetic attempt to reaffirm his manhood he proceeded to shuck a coconut for Rachel Wilson though he was thwarted in this endeavor by mutton chops Mike. Pictures were taken to fool relatives into thinking this trip is fun. Smiling was mandatory. A quick slide down the muddy mountain paths to the vans and we were off to the Changs.

Lunch at the Changs turned into a feast. Everything imaginable, and some things we hadn’t dreamed of yet, were served. Always the politest of house guests, the team quickly devoured the food and moved into the living room to pass out on the carpet. Everyone at least managed to mutter a quick thank you to whichever member of the Chang family was near.

Afternoon practiced featured a kick set which, following the biathlon and the hike, was kindly put on an interval everyone could make. By everyone I of course mean only Tom. After failing the kick set, practice proceeded in a similar fashion. Dryland occurred, sort of, and the distance swimmers kicked.

Dryland over Jim took the seniors out to dinner. The rest of the team was left coachless to fend for itself, foraging for food despondently near the 7/11. We probably would have spent the night curled up in the warm neon glow of the store front had Graig not broken the door in an attempt to holdup the store with a ninja star. We went to bed and cried.

Quote of the Day: “John, I know you don’t like to cheat but if we don’t stop now I’m going to kill you.” –Justin

Day 12
22 December The day began with another early morning workout. A set of 14 300 IMs for selected IMers, and a sprint/distance/make the interval/breath control (read Matt B. special) for the stroke swimmers. The freestylers enjoyed a set of breath control and sprint which entailed sprinting without breathing. After a few blackouts, Jim gave in and generously allowed them each one breath for the remainder of practice. Yale and Peter kicked.

Breakfast was enjoyed at the Royal Hawaii Rip-off Cafeteria where, with five dollar meal vouchers, the swimmers were able to feast on half a pop tart and a complementary packet of non-dairy sweetener.

For afternoon practice we hosted the annual inter-team relay meet, this year at Punahu. Races included the 100 yard fruit juice chug, where Shane impressed even Jim. And the hold your ankle race. Yale and Peter kicked.

That evening found us at the Willows restaurant for decidedly the best meal of trip. There, we put a serious dent in the islands food supply and engaged in the secret Santa gift exchange. Highlights include:

After dessert pictures were taken and then, the most content and well fed swimmers lumbered to the vans for the last journey home.

Quote of the Day: “I’m going to steal this fork, that will show them.” – Brandon

Final Day
23 December  One hundred one hundreds. What can be said about the set probably shouldn’t. But, despite the set, the team was in good spirits. We survived training trip 2004.  We had trained like never before, and probably came out better because of it. Trip was over, and though we knew the memories of hours upon hours spent in the pool would inevitably fade, we knew also that the experiences and the friendships we forged would last forever. Most importantly however, we knew that we were done with swimming for five whole days.