If you told me a month ago that I would be on the 2008 Olympic Team in the 200 IM, I would have thought you were insane. When I swam it at the Stanford Grand Prix, I was pleasantly surprised (shocked, actually) by my 4-second personal best. Then I swam it again at the Janet Evans meet and took another 1.5 seconds off my time. Still, I didn’t even consider doing that race at Trials because of it’s timing in the meet schedule. When asked about possibly swimming the 200 IM, I would answer with an emphatic “no!”

About two weeks ago, I was talking with Ethan about the 200 IM somehow he persuaded me into considering it in my schedule. After a day or so I spoke with Teri about it and decided to go for it. It wouldn’t interfere with the 100 back since only the 200 IM prelim was before the 100 back final. I downplayed my intentions to swim that event because I didn’t want to draw any extra attention to that race and add any unnecessary pressure.

While last night’s final was not the prettiest of my races, I am so grateful that I decided to give it a try. I haven’t swum it much in the past several years, so I haven’t had too much time to experiment with that race. Last night I decided to push myself in the first 100 and see what happened. After pushing my backstroke a little too hard, my brain completely shut off for the first 35 meters of the breaststroke leg, which explains why it was so ugly. I watched the video last night… yuck! Fortunately I snapped back into it going into the turn and had a good enough freestyle leg to grab second place. Although that wasn’t my best race, I learned a lot from it that I will take with me to Beijing.

I’m probably the last person to change my plan last minute, but I am so glad that I did. Eight years ago I attempted to make the Sydney Olympics in the 200 IM but got fourth. This is probably my last try at an IM on the Olympic stage, so I’m excited and ready. I’m enjoying having a new race to focus on and disperse some of those nerves.

One more race to go (100 free final) and then it’s off to Stanford for the first of two Olympic training camps!