And... we're back

We (I) am finally back from our long vacation. Sounds glamorous doesn't it. Well, when I say vacation, I really just mean a state of mental nothingness. Nothing to blog about. Nothing really to say--those of you who know me probably find this hard to imagine. You're right. I have a lot to say, but none of it really pertained to our everyday Olympian, so I spared you the boring inner monologue of this everyday Olympic swim wife/PhD student/mom/fan of the #1 football team in the country.

That last tidbit is the focus of this post. Auburn (our Alma Mater and the school that I currently attend--our house is roughly .5 miles from campus!) won the BCS Football National Championship this week. It was glorious.


Before the game even began I found myself a little weepy. My dear friend and fellow Olympic swim wife, Heather, posted this link on her Facebook page. I clicked on it, started reading, and immediately started to get choked up. Why are people motivated to win? Who do they want to win for?

Sometimes I worry that Annabelle and I put pressure on our everyday Olympian. In 2009 I think the pressure was at an all time high. In 2009 we decided to move from Charlotte, NC back to Auburn. Mark was going to be leaving David Marsh (Mark had swam under David for almost a decade!), I was going to be quitting my job, and I was 5 months pregnant. We were living in constant change. Everything was changing--coaches, training style, homes and financial position (I was leaving my job to go back to school). We were stressed. Mark had a lot to prove that summer (mostly to himself). At nationals, as usual, Mark had to swim to a 1st or 2nd place finish to keep his paycheck and to qualify for the World Championships.

Mark swam into a 3rd place position in prelims. As you can imagine, I was nervous the entire afternoon until the finals session. Sick to my stomach, actually (this could have been the stress or the pregnancy--still not sure).

Mark walked out with the rest of the field before finals. He looked calm. His face was still. He looked different than usual. It was then that I realized he was swimming for me. He was swimming for our baby.

Now, I'm not saying that we are in the forefront of his thoughts before every race. But, in that moment, we were.

The end of the story goes something like this... Win. American Record. Fist pump. Crying. The end.

So, to return to my original intention for this post--Auburn won. When we did it (Win, that is), I looked to Mark and said, "Do you remember winning?"

Mark and I were both a part of National Championship teams in college.

After brief discussion, we determined that our new perspective of those wins is probably different than it was at the time. It has only been recently that we truly understand the beauty of an National Championship. It was perfection and we didn't quite realize it. I can't wait until those guys in pads and football jerseys realize the beauty of what they accomplished. It will hit them, like it has hit us, and they will remember it as perfection, too.

What do they say, "Youth is wasted on the young...." well, so are National Championships. What I would give to get to relive that moment. So, in an attempt to relive the glory days, here are a few pics.

For those of you uninterested in this trip down memory lane, don't worry. I'll return with our regularly scheduled programming of swimming info, professional athlete anecdotes, and other real life trials and tribulations of our everyday Olympian and his family soon (I promise). Until then... join me on this blast from the past.

Dropping our National Championship banners; 2003

Auburn Men celebrating at Toomer's Corner after NCAA's 2003

Auburn Women on the football field to receive National Championship rings; 2004

Mark claims that this is his favorite swimming memory.

Me with my diving coach, Jeff, at NCAA's; 2004

Singing the fight song after winning SEC's; 2004

Mark and I at our senior banquet (aren't we cute?); Auburn 2004

New leaf

So, I have decided to turn over a new leaf.

Last night as I was talking to my mother (Turtle); we analyzed Mark's races (for the past 12 years) and his career as a professional swimmer. He is good. He has been successful. He will continue to be successful. He is happy.

Enter: new leaf.

I am vowing right here and right now to not be a nervous wreck going forward. I know, I know... you'll believe it when you see it, but I swear. Here is my analysis...

I have faith in Mark, in the hard work that he has put in, in his experience and in his ability to race. Honestly, I did not have that much fun in California watching Mark. I was too nervous. This is not right. This is not what swimming is about. This is not what life is about.

Yes, swimming is a big deal. It is Mark's job and the Gangloff Clan's livelihood. But, at the end of the day, you have to enjoy what you're doing. I worry that my crazy nervousness shows. This is the opposite of what I want and who I want to be. I want to be flexible, easy going and breezy.

Side note: I used to tell Mark that Breezy was my first name and Danger was my middle name (these are the 'people' I want to be... kind of sounds like a super hero, right?). So, going forward, you can call me Breezy Danger Gangloff. I can see the comic book now.

Anyway... back to my new leaf...

The beauty of professional swimming now is that there are opportunities to work, to make money and to support your family. Yes, swimming fast does make it easier to make a living, but, like anything else, hard work pays off.

Now, I'm not saying that I don't think Mark can swim fast. Nor am I saying that I don't want Mark to swim fast...'cause I do. But, what I am saying is that I have faith. I have faith in Mark and I have faith in other things that I know will support us in anything (and everything) we do.

Okay, so I'll still get a little nervous (who wouldn't?!), but I will not let it paralyze me, I will not let it show on my face, and I will not let it disrupt the joy Mark finds in swimming and that I find in watching him swim.

Consider this new leaf turned over.

I feel cleansed.

Though I almost through the computer screen on the floor when it kept rebooting every time I tried to login to Skype. Ugh. Serenity now. Serenity now. Serenity now... See, I'm breezy.

Glued to the computer

Right now I have 5 tabs open on my internet browser as I wait for Mark's event (200m breaststroke). I am watching the meet via live streaming on swimnetwork.com, I am (of course) logged into Facebook, I am blogging via Blogger.com, I am checking updated articles on swiminfo.com and I am browsing for cute baby clothes on etsy.com.

Mark's event is swimming now but there are a ga-zillion heats and he will be towards the end, so I have time to catch up with old friends via Facebook, shop and catch up on a little swimming news. What can I say? I am a product of my generation. The only thing that would complete this picture would be Jersey Shore playing on the tv in front of me (I plan on watching the season premier that I missed last week later today).

Annabelle is taking a nap in her red, white and blue dress, "cheering" for Daddy.

Evidently the meet has been interesting since I left. DQ's, upsets and rising stars. I wish I could have stayed longer.

Today we will be cheering for our dear friend Eric (and Mark, of course). Eric and Mark trained together at Auburn, roomed together in Beijing and have always been great buds. Swimming is so wierd. There probably isn't anyone that Mark wants to beat more than Eric, but Eric is one of his best friends in the world. Both are fierce in the water, but as soon as they touch the wall they are making plans for dinner together. What makes this relationship even more perfect is that Eric's girlfriend is one of my best friends from Auburn, too!

The other night (Mark was on taper so we were obviously restricted to the house... the sofa) we were watching So You Think You Can Dance (against Mark's will). I get a text message from Jeri. She says that she is watching Toddlers and Tiaras and jokes that she will make all of Annabelle's pageant dresses (Mark would die before Annabelle will be allowed to enter a pageant). Within minutes Mark gets a text from Eric that says, "I can't believe that I am watching Toddlers and Tiaras." Mark returns the message consoling Eric and telling him that he is having to watch SYTYCD. He then follows up with "At least you don't have to watch the 'My Baby Can Talk' baby sign language DVDs."

It was as if all four of us were sitting on the sofa together--the boys rolling their eyes and Jeri and I making them watch girlie reality tv. Yeah right... I think they secretly like it.

To support Eric in his other endevors check out the great things he is doing with Livestrong. Click here to help Eric fight against cancer.

Travel almost killed this swim wife today

I left Irvine today to head home to the real world. I was supposed to leave from SNA (Orange County Airport) at 1:30pm and arrive in ATL (Atlanta Airport) at 8:50pm. My flight was cancelled and I was notified via text message from Delta this morning at 8am (Pacific). I immediately called Delta and was rerouted from LAX (Los Angelos Airport) slated to leave at 1pm and arrive in ATL at 8:32. I took a shuttle from SNA to LAX (got stuck in traffic... of course) and arrived at LAX at 11:30. I went to 3 different ticket counters to retrieve my alleged confirmed 1pm flight (for which I received a confirmation email, confirmation number and ticket number). However this alleged confirmed ticket was never entered into the system. I then learned that I would be flying stand by (I was only really confirmed on a 6:05pm flight to Salt Lake City). I moped to and through the security line. I did get to watch a traveling New Yorker get restrained by security because she was threatening to attack the airport security check-in staff. So, at least I wasn't bored.

I made my way to the gate where I was surrounded by, what seemed like, a million angry travelers (I wonder if their mornings were anything like mine). I waited anxiously and by some grace I got onto the flight scheduled for a 1pm departure. Thank goodness, because this traveling swim wife was one traveling snaffoo and a single $4.00 bag of sweedish fish from the airport Newstand away from totally losing my cool.

The flight was fine until we encountered some sort of holding pattern above the Atlanta airport. So, my 4 hour flight from Orange County to Atlanta turned into a two hour shuttle ride through Southern California and a 5 hour flight (one of which was spent circling the airport) from LAX to ATL.

The worst is that I could not get live results from the meet. I, since, have talked with Mark who is so proud of his former Swim MAC teammates and his current Auburn teammates (way to go Tyler and Micah!). Though I didn't get to watch the meet (or even the results), I did get to watch almost 5 hours worth of the Real Housewives of New Jersey via satelite tv from the plane. Oh how I love those crazy wives.

Now, it is time for bed. Tomorrow will start my long distance relationship with Mark via Skype and my mad dash to finalize plans for my trip to the Pan Pacific Games.

Old Man River did it again...

We're in. Mark swam the 100 meter breaststroke finals last night. He was second which earned him a spot on the Pan Pacific Games team. He will now stay in Irvine for the next three weeks to train and race. I will leave tomorrow morning to go back home, back to work and back to the baby for the next two weeks. I will then fly back out to Irvine (baby in tow) to cheer for Mark from the bleachers at Pan Pacs.

It is very rare that a big international competition like the Pan Pacific Games is in the U.S. This is why Annabelle's and my attendance is a must. Typically 24 hours after Mark qualifies for a big meet we are checking bank accounts, credit card balances and schedules to see if an international trip for me is possible. Typically it is not and I end up watching from the computer at 3 in the morning due to the time difference.

Not this time. This time Annabelle and I will be there, in the flesh, cheering for him.

Yesterday was similar to most race days. Mark swam in the prelims in the morning. He went a 1.01.2. Decent for a “morning swim” (a 'morning swim' is a luxury really fast swimmers have... it means that you don't have to "go" 100% and still make it back to the finals). "Morning swims" for swim wives is miserable. You're not sure how hard he is really trying or how hard anyone else was going.

Then, the rest of the day is waiting...

All day at the meet people tell me to "relax." I am convinced that they do this for their own benefit. Yes, I am nervous, but I will be fine. Mark will be fine. I am an insider. I know how he feels... it is YOU (people in the stands) that don’t understand. You make me more nervous.

After the prelims I am officially banished from the hotel room so that Mark can spit, scratch, nap and whatever else he does to prepare himself for the finals. Yesterday I sat outside all afternoon only to get a sunburn on the tops of my feet in the shape of my flip flops.

When I received the text message (3 hours later), "You can come back now," I made my way back up to the room. Mark was getting ready to go, packing his bag, and mixing his shake. .

Once we made it through traffic on the 405 I was on official coffee fetching duty. So, I dropped Mark off at the gate and rushed to the coffee shop down the street for Mark's coffee (plus an extra shot of espresso). I delivered it to Mark about an hour before start time and then made my way to the stands.

I stood by myself at the top of the bleachers (when I say bleachers, I mean bleachers that seat thousands of people). I cannot sit next to anyone while Mark is racing. Oh, who am I fooling? I cannot sit while Mark is racing. So, I pace at the top of the bleachers.

Mark raced.

I brought along the Flip video camera in hopes that I would feel good enough to tape Mark’s race. What a joke. No way… I could hardly watch. After the race I was relieved, happy, and proud and could then start to chit chat with friends and other swimming folks.

His performance earned him a spot on the Pan Pacs team and a world ranking of 6th. At Pan Pacs he will have to defend his top two (American) finish to earn a spot on the World Championship team next summer.

It has been a big couple of days. This summer was the 12^th year in a row that Mark has made the USA Swimming National Team. The youngest competitor in the meet was only 3 years old when Mark qualified for his first National Team. Way to go, Old Man River... you did it again. I couldn't be more proud.

P.S. Thanks, Tyler, for shaving Mark's back. I am thrilled that someone else got this pleasure.

Red, white and blue tutus and the airport

Red, white and blue tutus and the airport are on my agenda for the weekend. Mark races in four days, so The Gangloff Clan is busy getting ready.

I am working today (that is, of course, when I am not blogging), tomorrow Annabelle and I will take Mark and fellow Auburn breaststroker Adam to the Atlanta airport and tomorrow afternoon will be dedicated to finishing the red, white and blue tutu that Annabelle will wear to cheer for her Daddy (again, I am a craft project kind of gal-I can't sit still). Sunday, Annabelle and I will drive to the Montgomery (Alabama) airport to pick up my parents (the babysitters). And, Monday, my parents and Annabelle will take me back to the Montgomery airport so that I can fly out to meet Mark at Nationals. Phew. I told you that this weekend includes red, white and blue tutus and the airport. Ah, the life of the wife of an Olympian... thrilling.

Last night Mark and I went on a date (go ahead, roll your eyes). We even got a little dressed up. Mark wore a pair of "pointy" shoes he bought in France. During dinner I looked at him and said, "I think this is going to be a pretty huge summer," to which he replied, "You said that last year." Well, excuse me. Wasn't last summer a pretty huge summer? That's what I thought.

After dinner I laid on the sofa in a complete haze (yesterday I turned in a big research proposal that I had been working on all summer and felt as though my brain no longer worked) and watched Project Runway (I am reality show obsessed). Mark got his ipod ready for the big trip.

If you can remember, Mark and I are big tightwads and never had things like ipods before last summer. Don't get the wrong idea, we are very fortunate and have a lot of things, but an ipod was not one of the them... until last summer. Last summer after Mark made the World Championships and was en route to Rome he called and asked me to buy him and ipod and send it to Rome with our friend who was leaving the next day. I bought him a bright orange one (Auburn orange, duh!). It made it to Mark in Rome the next day. This is one of those small and seemingly insignificant things that makes me feel as though I am contributing to his races.

Anyway, last night Mark prepped his bright orange ipod. Today we will finish up laundry (okay, he will finish up laundry--I HATE laundry), cook a big dinner, pack up and relax. Tonight is Mark's last night at home for (hopefully) almost four weeks (Nationals + Pan Pacific Games).

The traveling swim wife... assuming I make my flight

So, it is that time again. I leave for the USA Swimming Nationals in one week.

While Mark is tapering, I am coordinating my trip to California (where the Nationals will be held). Nationals is my time to shine as a nervous swim wife. I will sit in the stands, talk with the other swimming wives, parents, brothers and sisters, chit chat with sponsors and agents (all of this sounds much more glamourous than it actually is), and pretend like I am cool, calm and collected.

I have booked flights, hired a babysitter (really it is just my mother, Turtle) to stay home with the babe, and I am in the process of planning when, where and how I'll get to meet up with old friends living in the area.

I never really knew if Mark cared that I was at his meets until last summer. Last summer was probably the most nervous either of us (Mark or I) had ever been. There were a lot of things going on (i.e. a new coach, new training arrangement, I had just quit my job in anticipation of going back to school and we were pregnant... talk about pressure!). Last summer was also the summer of the suits.

Last July, as usual, I traveled to Indy to watch Mark race. Mark's races were great (more than great as he set the American record in the 100m breaststroke and 50m breaststroke). Typically I can hope that fast swims are a result of my positive energy and loud cheering, but last summer I feel directly responsible for Mark's swims. Okay, not really. But I do feel ownership in the fact that Mark was able to wear a dry suit during the meet.

My job last summer was to serve as the Official Suit Dryer for the Gangloff family and other Auburn folks that might have needed a dry suit, too. In between prelims and finals I sat in a chair for an hour+ with a tech suit in one hand and a hair dryer in the other. Those things take FOREVER to dry on their own and we just didn't have that kind of time. So, I not only dried Mark's suit, but I also dried a suit for one of his teammates.

This summer, I do not envision myself drying any suits (not that there would be that much to dry anymore), so I expect to take my normal position in the stands.

Since I didn't get to go to France this summer as planned and read a just-for-fun fiction novel (thanks for all of the recommendations!), I will take my book with me on the plane to Cali. I am also contemplating learning to knit. Can you tell that I use my nervous energy on projects?

Here is the round up:

Plane ticket... roughly $300

Event tickets... $45

Box of Austin Peanut Butter Crackers... $2.99

Book from the library... free

Getting to sit in the bleechers while your dear husband races for a spot on the Short Course World Championship team, the Long Course World Championship Team and the Pan Pacific Games team... PRICELESS.

If you are wondering about Mark's week-before-the-big-race routine it goes something like this...

Eat, Sleep, Swim, Massage, Rest, watch an entire season of Mad Men and repeat.

If you'd like to send him a good luck note or a few words of wisdom for this traveling swim wife as we head into this year's big meet, feel free to leave a comment or email us at everydayolympian@gmail.com.

Knock on wood

Every summer I either (a) pay way to much for last minute travel arrangements or (b) miss out on the best trips. Why, you ask. Well, I am a bit superstitious.

It stems from my own childhood and athletic career. Now, remember, I was a diver. I was pretty darn good, too. Well, I was pretty darn good at the end of my career I should say. Early in my career I was perpetually the girl that didn't qualify. See, in the diving world you qualify for each meet (Zones, Nationals and international competition) by earning a very specific place at qualifying meets. For example, in my day (I'm not that old, but diving has changed a lot), to qualify for zones you had to earn a 12th place finish or better at Regionals. Typically, if you had to get 12th, I got 13th and when you had to get 5th, I got 6th--do you see the trend? Qualifying meets usually took place a week or two before the next meet. So, parents would either go ahead and make travel plans under the assumption that their child will qualify or they would wait and pay an arm and a leg for last minute flights, hotel rooms, etc.

This past full of qualifying meet disappointment has created a superstition that I just can't shake. I never (with the exception of Beijing) have made travel arrangements to go watch Mark at a meet until after he qualifies. I know, I know, Mark typically qualifies (knock on wood), but I truly believe this is partially because I have NOT purchased plane tickets yet. Stupid? Maybe.

So, here is my dilemma. Mark will be swimming at Nationals in Irvine, CA this summer (two weeks from today to be exact--ugh, I have the sudden urge to bit my finger nails). This summer's Nationals serves as the qualifying meet for the Pan Pacific Games (double ugh... now I have a belly ache). The Pan Pacific Games will be held in late August in Irvine as well. This is huge. Typically Mark is flying half way around the world a few days after Nationals to attend Pan Pacs and this year they are not only in the same location as Nationals, but in this country and easy to attend!

This doesn't really sound like a dilemma, huh? Sounds perfect, right? It is, or, I guess, will be as soon as he qualifies. But until then I am just sitting here twiddling my thumbs not making travel arrangements.

I have friends who will be attending Pan Pacs; I get calls and emails asking what my plans are. I DON'T HAVE PLANS YET. I can't bring myself to buy a ticket (yet). I am paralyzed by my superstition.

This nervous paralysis has cost me a lot of fantastic trips. Last year I didn't make plans to attend the World Championship in Rome (you heard me... ROME!). And, once Mark qualified, tickets were too expensive.

So, here I am. Surfing the internet for great airline deals only to not buy one. I can't. I would love to go to Pan Pacs, but Mark has to qualify first. Honestly, I can't even believe I am talking about this. Now, I have to go knock on every piece of wood in the house. Let's just pretend I didn't even bring it up.