This past weekend, we saw several swimmers competing in at least 3 meets: Santa Clara, Austin, and even Monte Carlo. Shout out to Cullen Jones for winning the speed races in Monte Carlo! I followed Dara Torres and Garrett Weber-Gale's progress in Austin via Twitter. GWG has some of the funniest Tweets btw :) Anyway, our attention was focused on Norcal (North California) for the Santa Clara Grand Prix. The usuals were there, including our fav interviewer Gold Medal Mel. Mike of course was competing, along with Ricky Berens, Matt Grevers, and another swimmer whose gaining many 'Swagga Badges' with many of the ladies, Ryan Lochte.
The PP&P were represented at the meet and I thought the best way for me to blog is to let PPP member Lizeth talk about her time in Santa Clara with fellow PPP member Lindi........
Lizeth: We arrived in Santa Clara around 6:30. We got to the pool around 7am so we where the only non swimmers! We didnt have assigned seats so we just sat in the front. Soon enough more swim teams started to arrive and they where sitting around us.
Lindi pointed out that i actually matched with the team around us cause i was wearing a red jacket just like they where :) We finally decided to move one bleacher down from where we where sitting. Lindi looks at me and was like "that guy looks familiar" It was Matt Grevers :) So hard to miss since he is sooo tall!
We saw all the prelims that morning so around noon we decided to go check into our hotel and get some lunch. We drove to the hotel and found somewhere close by to eat.
We got to the pool for finals but this time we had bad seats all the way up on the bleachers but we made it work out. They announced that RL and MP would be signing autographs. We already have MPs autograph but we knew this would be the perfect time to speak with RL and get some video and pictures. We started asking "where can we get RL autograph" and no one knew! but they where like "this is the line for MP" im sure we sounded crazy when we where like "no we want RL" HAHA everyone at that pool was going to get MPs autograph yet we didnt want it :) We found out the same line for MP was the one for RL and that meant we would have to stand in this huge line where i believe we where the oldest in line not holding a kids hand or babysitting a kid :) Watch Mels video cause you can see us standing in line :)
We didnt know where to have dinner so we asked for some advice from the hotel and they gave us a list of places so we sat in the lobby trying to figure out where to go. Once we picked a place i decided to go to the bathroom before leaving. I turned to Lindi and said "I better not miss anything while im gone" I put my cell down and off i went to the wonderful restroom.
As im walking out i can see lindi straight ahead making these faces trying to make me look to my left. I didnt see anyone so i sit down and she was like "look!" Ryan was sitting next to us on the right but he was on his cell!!!! He left with a group of people. Sunday we woke up at 6 and we where at the pool by 7:30. Once again we had good seats for prelims and this time we had plans of not leaving and having the same seats for finals.
Once again we didnt see MP warm up! You totally knew when he was around cause you saw his 2 body guards and everyone looking at him! He tried to sit with his team in the bleachers but that created a mass of people around him! Poor guy, he was just sitting and people where looking at him! not even taking pictures just staring! I saw Ryan in regular clothes so i figured he would be leaving for lunch since he was done with all his prelims. This is when we where figuring out what to eat so where walking outside the pool. This is when I spot Ryan walking our way with his Stylist.
So as we walked close to him all i was able to say was "is it ok if we take a picture with you" and in the most relaxed chill voice he said "suuuure" HAHA We where happy with this picture :) After lunch we spent the rest of the day at the pool waiting for finals. We saw MP a couple of times but still with his bodyguards. Finals where full of excitement. I cant explain how excited people get when MP comes out. People sit calmly cheering for swimmers but once MP comes out EVERYONE stands up and rushes to the front to get a closer look! Its intense and a great experience...............
So Lindi and Lizeth told us about the races, of which everyone knows. I have to say one of the best parts about their trip is the pix! Lizeth is our resident photographer, and she took some of the BEST pix during the meet. One of my favs isn't of Mike, but Ryan jumping into the pool. It looks as if he's skating on the water!
I know some people will think that this blogpost is about Lochte more than Phelps. As Lizeth said, there was no way to get close enough to Mike to have those chance meetings Lindi and Lizeth had with Ryan. But I do know that they were very excited to see Mike, and Lizeth got some terrific shots of him preparing to race. Although we all love Mike and are some of his biggest supporters, the girls of the group have fallen under the Lochte Spell. Since I've been crushing on Lochte since last September, I can relate to their initial hit of Lochte Love :) I TOLD you guys he was amazing! However, I feel that one of us will get that chance to try to remember how to form sentences when talking to Mike and actually get a picture with one of the greatest athletes of all time.
Mike is gearing up for a swim meet in Montreal Canada. Shout out to our TDOT connections and Sloane for representing at the meet! Thank you to Lizeth and Lindi for the stories, texts, pix, etc. You can see the pix AND vids on PPP Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=32786806179&ref=ts
Much, much Love and Thanks to Ryan "Check-Out-Those-White-Speedos" Lochte for being so cool, and Matt Grevers for walking past :) Until the next meet!!! GO PHELPS!!!!!!
