Morning workouts mean success for 'M'

By Steve Jackson

Daily Sports Writer

Under the cover of darkness, the Michigan women's swimming team begins its daily training every winter morning.

Coach Jim Richardson is the first to arrive at 5:15 a.m. But after 15 years of leading the Wolverines, Richardson is used to the hours.

"I enjoy getting up at 4:45," Richardson said. "When you have girls that want to be here, it makes the job a lot better."

Richardson considers this year's bunch one of his top two or three favorite teams to have guided.

"We have had faster teams," Richardson said. "But these girls put in tremendous hours of very physical training and still do very well in class."

A typical week involves a minimum of 23 hours of pool time. That workload takes a toll on some of the swimmers.

"I love morning workouts," yelled junior Kathleen Gilbert from across the pool. After a short pause she added, "Find some way to put the sarcasm in there."

Distance swimmers have four morning sessions per week. They swim between eight and 10 miles per day. Life isn't much easier in middle distances. Three two-a-days per week and swimming nearly seven miles per day is rough on the athletes.

Even the sprinters are required to attend two morning sessions and swim over five miles on each of those days.

These 6 a.m. workouts might break the average college student, but most of the swimmers had only positive things to say about their winter mornings.

"These are good for you," Samantha Arsensault said. "But you have to work hard, or it is just a waste."

Like Richardson, many of the athletes have been conditioned for these hours over many years.

"Most people at this level of competition have been swimming early in the mornings since they were 13," assistant coach Stephanie Kerska said.

Even after all those years, co-captain Missy Sugar can still get burned out.

"You get used to them, to a point," Sugar said. "Where it really hits me is at about 9:30 or 10:00, when I am sitting in lecture. Sometimes after a really tough day I might even crash at 8:00."

The sessions may be rough, but the coaching staff employs a number of methods to keep everyone awake and motivated.

Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" blares over the loudspeekers as the team breaks its meeting and hits the water.

In one morning workout the team may enlist the services of snorkels, kickboards, flippers (hands and feet), elastic bands and weight belts.

Sometimes they even swim dragging 10 gallon buckets behind them.

"We bring out all the toys for morning workouts." Kerska said.

The 13th-ranked Wolverines will get more sleep before they face the Buckeyes this weekend.

Their Saturday meet in Columbus won't start until 4 p.m.

BRANDON SEDLOFF/Daily

The No. 13 Michigan women's swimming team hits the water every morning for practice at 6 a.m. Saturday's meet against Ohio State doesn't begin until 4 p.m.