Double Dip

For many age group swimmers, the advent of June means one thing: doubles. Depending on your personality, summer double practices are either a death sentence or (to the clinically insane) Christmas 6 months early. Doubles practices means waking every morning in your beloved summer months, heading to what is likely a freezing cold why-do-I-do-this morning pool, and jumping in before the sun rises while you reflectively ponder, “Somewhere, other children are happy.” For 14 and 15-year-olds beginning their swim journey, doubles are the first experience of rising when your peers are in bed (a trend to continue until you retire). It is also a period of considerable downtime, as most swimmers are sometimes too exhausted to run and play during the day.

Here are the five best activities to do BETWEEN summer practices – during those long hours agonizing about the next workout -- for those age-groupers fortunate enough NOT to work summer jobs in the in-between hours:

5) The Summertime Soirée. A.K.A.: The Beach. There is probably no greater recovery activity in the history of doubles swimming than the beach. It is warm. It is happy. You defrost like lizards lying in the morning sun. You can even jump in the waves for an extra warm-down session. Not only that, but being a swimmer, you can enjoy the benefits of being in-shape in public. In college, the beach is a mainstay during the training trip. For those age group swimmers lucky enough to live near a beach, use it to your advantage.

4) The Post-Practice Artery Clog. While I've since learned the horrors of fast-food, I used to eat fast food roughly three times/day in the summers as a teenager. Here's the breakdown: McDonalds Sausage McMuffin in the morning, Burger King in the evening, and then Steak 'N' Shake later that night out with friends. Every. Single. Day. It is the reason why I'm probably going to die earlier than most, but I'm not necessarily complaining. It was a fantastic diet while it lasted. Let's just be clear... I'm not advocating eating processed grease-fests that frequently, but a few dabbles here or there is OK. Nothing better after a long, hard, full practice than the whole team going somewhere and getting some greasy omelets. My own mother bribed me McDonalds breakfasts to join my first swim team when I was 7-years-old. I have fond memories of the after-morning-workout chow-down.

3) Movie Marathon/Daytime TV VegFest. I think I have watched the Blues Brothers 3,000 times in my life. I have also probably seen every single episode of Cheaters, Judge Mathis, Judge Judy, Maury, and Bob Ross painting re-runs in the history of daytime television. So while you can either sit around and veg out to movies, or just watch that awesome 10-2 block of daytime television (is Stefano still in existence on "Days of Our Lives"?) It's a great way to simply forget about the painful ripping and tearing occurring in the deep muscle fibers of your shoulders and arms. Also, now with Netflix, swimmers probably have enough downtime to crank through every single Rob Schneider movie ever made. Life can't get better.

2) Road Trip! Let's face it. The last thing you wanna do as a teenager in the summertime is go back home. What's better? Kidnapping all your swim friends, piling into a car, and going somewhere. Anywhere. Far, far away. Pick a town on the state with a ridiculous name.

1) The Black Hole Nap. Any swimmer’s bedroom is a black hole void of all light and indication of the outside world. It is a dark and mysterious place, a permanent nighttime establishment removed from the stresses of the outside world. Outside this establishment hangs a DO NOT DISTURB sign and doing so will awaken the beast that lies within. It is in this world that most swimmers retire to between practices, to escape, to dream, to sleep. Napping, for swimmers, is a drug. It's an addiction. Most swimmers I know invest in "black out" curtains. They close the door. Remove any and all traces of light from the cave that is your bedroom. Then disappear for 2-5 hours. There is no better feeling than the summertime between-practice nap. It is both spending time and wasting time -- at the same time.