The 2004 Albatross Open. One of the few short course meter events that Terrapins have the opportunity in which to swim! And our teammates made the most of it!

Now, we’re not here to simply cheer on the new record setters but as well we need to recognize and give praise to folks like Eric Nordlund and Steve Payne. (Yah, yah, you hear all about them but why are these two beer guzzlers getting more press? Because we’ve got record books and these guys stepped up to fill in the boards!).

That’s right, Steve and Eric are Terrapin Pioneers! And if you have the time to sign up for a meet, we’d like the same from YOU! (Imagine Uncle Sam – who’s a swimmer by the way -- pointing his finger right at you, right now.)

You see, a Terrapin Pioneer swims in a particular age group that no one else on the team has traveled before. Eric and Steve have been tremendous sports. Imagine, going out into wild woolly territory of unknown swims that still remain untraveled by the teammates. You, as a faithful Terrapin Pioneer, put on your ‘coon skin cap, and go out to lay claim to a brand new record! You plant a flag and raise the bar so that others may follow!

You’re like the Hungarian Zoltan Halmay (Who? That’s right…) who set the first world record in the 100 meter free in 1905 with a time of 1:05.8! (That’s a 57.8 in yards converted.) Imagine, wouldn’t it be great to have a world record just like the great Zoltan? No one can ever take that away from you. You are the FIRST! You’d be a PIONEER. And you’d be just like Zoltan when you strut up to the blocks with your best Davie Crocket impersonation, after searching the boards on Cheryl Wagner’s website for an undiscovered record, swim, and thereby become initiated into the team as that record’s Founding Father! Booyah!

A quick recap of records & stories:

D-O-A-N-E is O-U-T!

G-O-O-D-I-S-O-N is IN! At least for 30 to 34 year old men’s 100 meter fly! Michael Goodison’s time of 1:03.10 simply demolishes Doane’s paltry 1:05.28 in the record books. That’s a beer swim, Mikey Doane! (You’za bettah start swimming or these fast teammates of yours will crush you like a bug!) Goody overall had a great meet. Not only did he blow that paper tiger Doane right over in the 100 fly, but he also dropped his own records in the 50 breast to a 32:18, and the 200 breast by almost three seconds to a 2:41.78!

Speaking of great meets, Cheryl “Wonder Woman” Wagner (how’s she have time to do all the things she does for Terrapins, anyway?) set FOUR new team records in the 50, 100, 200 and 400 freestyles. Moreover, she captured a meet record in the 100 SCM freestyle with a time of 1:16.56! And she also broke the six-minute barrier in the 400 free! (Heck, I need to get Cheryl on a relay with me!)

Emad Elshafei as well captured a meet and team record in the 200 SCM IM with a time of 2:20.73. He also bettered his previous 100 back record by seven tenths to a 1:03.52.

Robert Costello bettered his team record in the 50 free by nearly a quarter of a second with a time of 34.69. (The guy is one of the nicest fellows you’ll meet. Say hello to him on some Saturday morning practice.)

Deb Morrin-Nordlund also broke her rival, Hartzell Stringer’s record time in the 200 breaststroke! It was a great race with Deb breaking Hartzell’s record by sixth tenths of a second with a time of 3:56.94!

Here’s a quick little story before breaking the two-page barrier. It involves that stealth shark Curt Reynolds and the holder of the team’s shortest known Hat Trick!

As mentioned earlier, Eric “Semi-show” Nordlund’s been trudging out to area meets as a faithful Terrapin Pioneer! He’s been having as much fun setting the bar in the 40 to 44 year old age group as Emad “The Bull” Elshafei’s been having busting records down in the 35 to 39 year old age group (except for the 100 IM).

At the meet, the order of events allowed Eric the opportunity to swim the 200 backstroke where he “Pioneers” the age group’s record with a time of 2:55.17. Then, he goes onto the 100 backstroke to knock Steve “King-O” Payne from that record like a “Jared” tearing through a Subway Sandwich. Since Eric already lays claim to the 50 back record from last year’s Albatross meet, “Semi-show” Nordlund thereby scores himself a team HAT TRICK! (Thank you, Eric!)

The next heat of backstroke awaits. The stealth shark Curt Reynolds is in that heat. It breaks my heart to say it, but a mere 70.23 seconds after the sound of the gun – the secret weapon strikes again! Curt captures the 100 back record for 40 to 44 year old men, and then goes on to establish a new time of 32.06 in the 50 backstroke for the age group! Curt also posted record times in the 100 IM (1:08.91) and the 200 IM (2:32.88). Before you know it, he’ll be giving Crowder a run for his money! Bwah-dump, Bwah, dump!