Although I would have loved to stay longer, Friday, October 28, was the day I had to leave Islamorada, the Race Club and my new friends. My flight back to Switzerland was on a wonderful sunny and warm afternoon only one week after Wilma. By the time my plane took off, I knew that at home the winter season was about to begin and the “shorts and T-shirt” season was over for me. After 8 hours of flight time, our plane approached Zurich Unique Airport. It was so foggy that you could see absolutely nothing and I could only feel that the plane had landed.

But let me start a bit earlier and tell you something about my last day in Islamorada with the Race Club. My last day in Islamorada was a bit different from “the business as usual” day of which you have perhaps already read about in one of my former diary entries. Besides, you should also know that almost every day in Islamorada is different from the next, even if there are some (nice) habits.

My last “busy day” started when my alarm clock rang at 8 AM. I first went to Froggy’s Gym and began this day with the last strength workout in Islamorada, followed by another short swimming workout, and my last training sessions had been done. Last but not least, in the program of this morning was breakfast at Mangrove Mike’s. Back at the Race Club house, packing was next on my to-do-list. When I finally got all my stuff together, it was already time to leave for the airport in Miami.

In my first diary entry I told you the following:

“What my stay will bring to my swimming skills in seconds, I can’t tell you today – only 2 weeks after my arrival. But I feel like I’m improving a bit more in every workout – to something and someone that is better than the guy who came over from Switzerland.”

Now that I am back in Switzerland and had some time to think about all that happened to me during my stay in Islamorada, I can tell you the following:

I still don’t know exactly what the time with the Race Club brought to my swimming skills in seconds. But I will get my first feedback soon at the Swiss National Short Course Championships which will take place from November 25th to 27th in Lausanne. And being back in my “home pool” (Neuchatel, scm indoor), I can feel these improvements I have made from working out with the Race Club. I feel better, stronger and faster, although I am aware that I have been away “only” 10 weeks. But 10 weeks in a place like the Race Club in Islamorada was much more, believe me!

So, once again, thank you all in Islamorada to have brought me to this point. I promise I’ll be back because I already miss you all!

-Nicolas