The team exhibitioned during the Feb. 8 meet against Richfield, resulting in a 91-70 win, according to senior Tommy Guddal. The meet was the last dual meet of the season. Guddal said the team has been undergoing a series of exceptionally tough practices to prepare so sections.

“We are near the end of peak week, which is the hardest week of the practice,” Guddal said. “It gives us a huge base and a lot of fitness to then taper off and wind back practice all the way until sections so we will be much more energized and not so hurting from the exercise.”

Head coach Amanda Forsberg said she was pleased to see the team kept up the pace in races they had set previously in this meet, despite being in the midst of peak week practices.

“Peak weak ramps up the yardage with a lot less rest, so swimmers are definitely tired, I was really pleased to see they held their times even after putting in a lot if work this past week,” Forsberg said. “After tomorrow’s last tough practice we will start to taper and start resting them to prepare to get ready for sections.” 

Senior captain Adam Recknagel said in this meet underclassmen swam exceptionally well.

“The younger swimmers performed very well, in fact, (Sophomore) Etian Weinstein lettered,” Recknagel said. “There were no records broken because it has been a pretty tough practice week, but we are all pretty great.”

Guddal expressed how both physically and mentally draining peak week can be for swimmers. Guddal said the impacts of peak week on the team need to be publicized.

“It’s actually the hardest physical thing, practicing, I’ve ever endured. It’s just so difficult and so exhausting. It’s a lot of distance on fast intervals. It’s rough,” Guddal said. “I get home and I’m exhausted when I’ve just fully exerted myself for two and a half hours.”  

Guddal said the essential benefits of peak week are key to the team’s success, but come at the price of being physically spent during the day after practice.

“I agree it’s a huge benefit to the team, it’s definitely helpful. I understand why it’s there, but it’s truly exhausting,” Guddal said.

Recknagel said Junior Varsity and Varsity teams will both be focusing on different aspects of their performance in preparation for sections.

“The JV team will be going over technical stuff, and varsity will be tapering, which means they will have practices of lower yardage to ensure they are in proper shape,” Recknagel said.

According to Recknagel, who participated in Junior Varsity Sections meet on Feb. 10, the team placed very near the top, and hopes performance at Varsity Sections to be similar.

“JV sections were great, we had multiple races where we were either first and second or first and third, we placed very highly,” Recknagel said. “(In Varsity Sections) I’m sure everyone wants to drop times and set personal records, as a team we always strive to place as high as we can.”

The next sections meet is at 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 22 at Art Downey Aquatic Center/South View in Edina.