_Griffin Schaetzle is a sophomore swimmer at Missouri. He is The Maneater’s athlete columnist._
Students can see the finish line. A few hectic weeks of school are the only thing standing between them and a long, much-needed winter break.
For the Mizzou swim team, however, the finish line means bracing for the toughest training of the season. While almost everyone else gets to enjoy a nice long break at home, we get to swim, swim and swim some more.
When the semester ends, we get a little less than a week to enjoy our family and the holidays. While we are home, however, it is suggested that we keep up with training so we are in good shape when we return to campus.
And when we come back, that’s when the real work begins.
Since we don’t have to worry about classes or any other obligations, we can put all of our physical and mental energy into swimming. Every practice is important in building our bases so we can go even faster with a bit of rest at the end of the season.
There is no holding back during winter training. We have nothing to do but train, and we train hard. We continue our vigorous schedule from the school year, which includes swimming, weight lifting and doing dry land work. But everything is amped up because we have nothing else to focus on. Some days, we put in as many as 8 miles of swimming.
It is excruciating work as we break down our bodies as far as they will go. We push until there is nothing left, and it’s easy to see how winter break can take a toll on us.
But rest assured. Our team knows how to have a good time and keep an upbeat attitude even though we may wear ourselves out.
My favorite tradition is the ultimate Nerf war through Hawthorn Hall. We split up into four teams and each takes a floor in the dorm. From there, it is a slug fest until the last team stands. It is a great way to break up training and have fun with the team.
My other favorite tradition, which was put into place just last year, is the “waffle-off.” After a gruesome Saturday morning practice, the team usually eats at Waffle House. Last year, being the competitors we are, two of my teammates decided to settle who could eat five waffles the fastest. It was quite a sight to see as Alex Walton devoured his waffles in a record-setting time of 5 minutes and 14 seconds. It will be fun to watch a new challenger take on the reigning champ this year.
Winter training is quite a beast to tackle. Through all of the training, it would be hard without a team like Mizzou to tackle it with.
As much as some on the team may complain about soreness and exhaustion, we are aware at the same time that winter training is vital for long-term success. While working hard and having fun through excruciating training, our team knows how to thrive through winter break.