The emotional rollercoaster of swimming

[GinnySellars]

I'm not sure that 'real' swimmers would get this...but for someone who swims because it's the first event of a triathlon, and a life preservation skill, my mood can be up or down based on 10 seconds/100m change in the pool. Pathetic I know....this doesn't happen on dry land. In fact, I'm totally comfortable with a really low wattage workout on the bike.

So Tuesday a gang came over to my house for a swim. It was much warmer than previous days and I loved it.....except that I was swimming strong and getting my butt kicked by Ally, and swimming stroke for stroke with Paul, who I am usually faster than in the pool. Now don't get me wrong...I'm coaching these two wonderful athletes, and if they were significantly faster in the water, I'd be delighted! But I did could not kid myself into thinking it was their improvement, not my slower lake swimming.

So Wednesday, I told my swim coach that I don't know why I can't convert my new found swim speed to lake swimming. I was concerned that perhaps my speed over short distance was better, but that I kak with continuous swimming. So we did a time trial over 1km, un-announced...I had excuses in my head about my I would not have a best time. Well I swam just under 17 minutes, at 1:42 pace, and I'm delighted. This is 10 seconds/hundred faster than a month ago. I AM getting better...

I know, who cares in the big scheme of things....well I care. I'm working really hard at getting better in the water. My plan for Oliver is to forgo the wetsuit, and wear a skin suit with no buoyancy. Apparently I'm not moving well in the wetsuit. I'll be chillly....I'll let you know how my little experiment goes.

[Allyson]

My two cents worth...
Your subject title is certainly appropriate...it could also be entitled the emotional "blender" of swimming. It's tough that in triathlon, it's swimming that starts off our race day and ironically, it's usually swimming that can be people's weakest link. Even if it's only in their minds. Standing on the shore about to start a race, it doesn't take much to let all your confidence slip away. Not like I speak from hours of experience, be it race or otherwise, but there is a definite degree of belief in one's abilities where performance is concerned. I had a very wise Coach tell me one that I am "...limitted only by my belief in my abilities". As soon as I "believe" that I am worthy/capable/able to perform at a certain level, then it's like you've given your body permission to do what it's supposed to. I think there's a disconnect sometimes between what we "could" achieve and what we will achieve if we only "let" it happen...we just have to want it. Ginny, I've seen you swim...you're a fish! Step off the rollercoaster, turn off the blender, and swim like you've never swam before...not just because I'll be the one tickling your feet, but because we belong here, we've earned the right to be here...and, gosh darn-it, this is what it's all about!
Can't wait to see you all on the shore!!!!
Ally

[GinnySellars]

Thanks Ally.
I'll expect an invoice in the mail for those wise coaching words. I may borrow them later if that is ok with you.
Some more motivational quotes:

If we all did the things we are capable of doing, we would literally astound ourselves.
-Thomas Edison

If constructive thoughts are planted positive outcomes will be the result. Plant the seeds of failure and failure will follow.
- Sidney Madwed


It is the nature of thought to find its way into action.
- Christian Nevell Bovee

[Andrew]

A similar conversation was one that occurred nearly every summer that I was coaching young swimmers. The talk (some called it a lecture) was titled, "The self-fulfilling prophecy". It went something like this. "Believe in success, and there is an opportunity to make things happen, and for you to fulfill your dreams. Believe in failure, and you will likely achieve this failure with alarming consistency."

As a coach, I would spend hours in conversation with some athletes who had shown both physical and technical proficiency, to the point that it seemed obvious that they would succeed. yet, they lacked the one thing that would allow for their own success. This was their belief in their own abilities, and the confidence in themselves.

I remember one particular young swimmer who I stopped in practice one day, and I said to her, "What is it like being the fastest person in the water who has never won a race?". Her response baffled me, as she became irate, and literally stormed off the deck, accusing me of belittling her in front of the team. I had to explain that I was being completely serious in my question. She was clearly the best swimmer in the pool, yet she had convinced herself over the years that she could not race against the other top swimmers, and I was wondering what that felt like to be so good, but to never have won a race. She came back a few days later, and asked me for some help. She refocused her attention on racing to beat herself, to be better than she ever had been at the next event. It was not surprising when she began to win. It was surprising how the success was only one question away. "If you are not going to do your true best, to reach deep and really believe you can succeed, why bother entering the race?".

[Rebecca]

A great (timely) conversation you guys; was the topic of movie my daughters and I were watching last night. Here is the poem the coach shared with his young talent:

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate

Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.
It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.
We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant,
gorgeous, talented, fabulous?
Actually, who are you not to be?
......
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There is nothing enlightened about shrinking
.....
It is not just in some of us; it is in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously
give other people permission to do the same.
As we are liberated from our own fear,
our presence automatically liberates others.

[/b]

(a return to love - marianne williamson)

[GinnySellars]

Wow Rebecca, this is excellent. I'm so glad your teen daughter is hearing this.

It's important to recognize we ALL have this potential. On a grander, more societal scale, those how under-achieve likely don't have a fan club that encourages them to excel at anything and then blossom from the feeling it generates.

No one ever won the Olympics while training for second place. (I can't remember the actual quote)