4AM time to wake.

It’s a 30 minute drive to get there on time.

Running red lights, trying to stay awake.

You walk on deck, no one talks, only mimes.

Pull the covers and see the steam.

What a great feeling at 5:15.

See the steam means its warm;

The water, that is.

But no matter how warm its hard to perform,

Sprinting this early will tear your muscles.

Time for warm up, to stretch out your joints,

To make them feel young and alive is the point.

Swim for an hour or two or three,

It doesn’t really matter,

Just swim till you’re free.

7:00, a time no better,

You’re out of the pool,

It’s time for dryland and weights before you head to school.

Get to school at 8 o’clock.

Your late to class.

Not really a shock.

You slump on your ass,

And try not to doze off.

But 5 minute later you feel your head flop.

You shake it off like you were going to cough,

But the teacher knows and threatens to call your pop.

Make it through class to the end of the day.

But nothing you do,

Can keep your mind away,

From cold deck and loving pool.

–8 Hours Later–

Back to practice,

For the second time.

Your shoulders might need some ice,

This time.

Same routine as you’ve read above,

Just rinse and repeat,

Until your fingers are full of,

Water and chlorine from your head to your feet.

Time to go home,

But first you call Mom.

So she can make a dinner (that tastes like polyurethane foam).

So tire you feel like a soldier in ‘Nam.

Shovel dinner down,

“You should eat like Michael Phelps” Mom says.

(I reply with a frown).

As if I need help after my wonderful day.

Hit the books, so you can get into college.

But isn’t that the point of swimming?

So I don’t have to have all this knowledge?

That combined with winning in swimming,

Will help me get into,

One of those great “Ivy’s”

With all the rich Jews,

That’s not for me.

I skip my

Homework, so I can get some sleep.

This is how I get by,

Rinse and repeat.