2023 PRO SWIM SERIES – KNOXVILLE
- January 11-14, 2023
- Knoxville, Tennessee
- LCM (50 meters)
- Prelims/Finals
- Prelims: 9:00 AM (EST)
- Finals: 6:00 PM (EST), Day 1 4:00 PM
- Meet Central
- Live Results
- Psych Sheets
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Newly-turned 17-year-old Katie Grimes had a solid weekend in Knoxville, logging top-3 finishes in the 200 fly, 200 back, 400 IM, 400 free, 800 free, and 1500 free. Next up for Grimes will be a massive training stint at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, a trip Grimes says will be just over 4 weeks. Not only is that a long time to be at elevation but also a lot of time spent in a place that’s sole purpose is to train. Grimes gives her take on how to make it through the camp mentally as well as physically.
At this level, one trains 12 months more or less a year. Doing academics 12 months a year rather than 9 months a year, if that is what is done,straightforward with online, more than compensates.
I’ve swum both at Desert Breeze and the OTC. DB at 3k’ is painful enough. 6k’ at the OTC – one flight of stairs and I was done. Can’t imagine a sand workout.
Out of curiosity, was your one flight at the OTC while training at a high level, or in your NARP/Masters life?
I never did anything at altitude while in my full-training physical condition, so I’m just curious about those experiences.
I did a weeklong camp at USAFA eons ago when I was at the peak of my age group career. Coming from a place that was decidedly not at altitude, it took me the first day of workouts to adjust, then I was fine the rest of the week. I was decidedly sucking wind that first day before adapting, though.
OTC was in college, DB visit was Masters.
Altitude just hurts, but coming back down is a super power
We used to do preseason camp in Colorado Springs (different sport; stayed at USOPTC and did physiological testing there, actual sport training in a different CS facility). Interesting thing about running up a single flight of stairs is that people tend to hold their breath and that (or running around while chatting constantly) was noticeable but not too bad, like I’d notice it in my quads and a little out of breath. Actual full-on training the day after arrival, it was noticeable, almost everyone struggled, and then it got better as the week went on. However, went back as a masters athlete for a competition at the same indoor facility – so a one-to-one comparison – and absolutely died. Like… Read more »
It does not matter whatsoever your physical shape when you enter altitude. It’s purely time that can save you. You can be a 10K Olympian and when you get to the OTC you want to cry climbing the steps. It gets easier after about a week there.
Came to comment about how school works? Saw other comments… anyone care to explain how this works beyond homeschooling, and online school (which could mean doing bare minimum to pass a GED).
Most of the colleges with the top programs are pretty difficult to get into via GPA and SAT and the courses are hard for real majors.
Colleges see a lot of homeschoolers these days. I would guess that most good online curricula are on par with the snazzy high schools that many (most) top HS swimmers come from.
i see the bots are alive and well
I think most of the Sandpiper elites athletes are doing online schooling.
In 2023, especially post-pandemic, these things are much more normal than they used to be, and admissions departments have adapted. You can get a good education via online schooling, or you can get a bad one. It’s really up to the students, athletes, and in this case coaches to provide that environment for a good education.
When you’re Katie Grimes, there’s an implied benefit of being such an uber-elite athlete that is attractive to colleges and universities in the admissions process. GPAs and SATs (and especially SATs) are not the be-all, end-all: elite schools are looking for elite people in all categories.
Not all home-school/online school programs are… Read more »
I would say getting into college at her level is a very different thing than even your average D1 swimmer.
Her level sure…honestly I see her cashing in with Paris next year.
But this of a large group.
A lot of pro athletes and pretty recently retired athletes have been asked what they would do differently as an Age Group swimmer. Most say things like take care of my mental health and focus on nutrition. You definitely see a lot saying I wish I wouldn’t have missed out on typical teenage activities. There’s something to be said for hanging out from time to time with non-swimmers.
What are the odds she ends up with Bowman at ASU? Her Phelpsian / Hoff / Kalisz versatility seems like the perfect match …
Or is the SAND -> Florida pipeline flowing too strong?
I could see Texas and NC State being options for her as well. Don’t see her at Stanford, UVa or the Ivies.
Any particular reason? From outside seems the main reason she might not go with the IM/distance free strength at Florida would be if she wanted the academics of a UVA/Stanford.
UVA is ranked 25th by US News. Florida is ranked 28th.
UVA propaganda machine is superior.
Question. How does a 4 week OTC camp in March work with a high school academic curriculum? Home schooled? Tutors?
I left a longer answer below, but I believe most of the elite group at Sandpipers are doing virtual/online schooling.
Does she not have school?
Many (if not all) of the high schoolers in Ron’s elite group at Sandpipers are home-schooled/do online school
thats really interesting. Didnt know
Downvoted for speaking lol. Anyway, that’s kinda weird, almost makes me think they were recommended to do that? I mean I guess it makes sense considering their commitment to swimming.
Recommended by who?
Their coach
Long before Covid, we had a coach that would recommend particular private schools that were more flexible and accepting of missing school for training and competition. Coach would beg the kids not to take Honors classes or other AP type classes that would create a heavier class workload. Always made the parents wonder which long game he was working toward…