Summer Time is Time for You--SATURDAY CARDINAL COUPLE

Swimmers Keep Swimming

It's July, which means it's the perfect time to get into the pool. As Jeff mentioned yesterday, some Louisville swimmers are currently doing just that. The competition wraps up today, and on the women's side we'll see the finals for the 1500m Freestyle, the 200m Individual Medley, and the 50m Freestyle. Personally, I've always felt the 50m Freestyle event is closer to 30-40m because of how long they are underwater before actually getting to the freestyle motion, but that's just how it goes.

Yesterday's competitions saw Louisville swimmers compete in the 400m Freestyle, 100m Breaststroke, and 100m Backstroke. She qualified for the A cut in the 100 meter fly. Louisville is lucky to have Mallory Comerford for a couple of more years and she may very well be the next Cardinal to represent her country in the pool at an Olympic Games. 

July Brings Free Time

This may not seem true, depending on how you schedule your vacations or how your work schedule pans out, but allow me to point something out. July is the only month in a calendar year in which the University of Louisville has no scheduled competition. As I know all of you are avid sports fans, I'm sure you spend much of your time indulging in Louisville athletic events. Thus, if you spend time on athletic events and there are none, you now have free time.

Boom--math.

I challenge each of you dear Cardinal Couple readers to use this free time appropriately. Many people will take time that is created and use it to work harder or become otherwise busy. My challenge is that you use this time you have gained as personal time just as you would if you were watching a Louisville sporting event. Instead of heading to the Yum! Center for 3 hours on a Sunday to watch a women's basketball game, use that 3 hours to start on that book you've been meaning to read (or write). Instead of hitting Lynn Stadium for some Tuesday night soccer, go play soccer (or any other physical activity you prefer) for those couple of hours instead. Don't fill up your schedule with minutia just because you can. Taking time for yourself is essential to your mental health and devoting some time to even a walk around the block can do wonders for your physical health as well.

One of the things you might occupy your time with if you still want to partake in sporting events is coming up tomorrow. I won't be on the radio today (in fact I'm writing this article at 1PM on Friday) because I'm at Clifty Falls State Park near Madison, Indiana. Every year, on July 4th weekend, people flock to Madison for the annual Madison Regatta. You may have seen a movie about this event titled Madison in which I am one of thousands of extras. The Madison Regatta is an annual hydroplane race on the Ohio River which pits 27' long boats going up to 200 miles per hour against one another. The Regatta has fallen on hard times recently, with weather and other extreme circumstances lowering attendance both in crowd numbers and in boat teams. The organizers had to scramble to get four teams this year in order to make it a points event and there is talk that a poor showing this year could spell doom for the event. (You can read more about the struggles in a recent Courier-Journal article.) If you aren't doing anything tomorrow, and this sounds even the slightest bit interesting, I implore you to head up to Madison. It's about an hour drive and you can get into the event (I believe) for less than $20 per person for a full day of boat racing. The racing begins at 11AM and you can be home shortly after supper. You can be sure my family and I will be there.

Cardinal Couple Radio Hour

As I mentioned, I'll be out of the studio today, but there will still be a full house in the basement. Paulie and Jeff will be joined by Julie Sullivan and Daryl Foust. They'll have a ton of fun, I'm sure and you won't want to miss it. Tune into 100.9 WCHQ FM, on the WCHQ app, or at www.crescenthillradio.com at 11AM to get in on the fun. 

Until next time, Go Cards.

-CH-

PS: Ya gotta regatta!