I just started swimming three years ago, and it fascinates me. It is so much more about technique than gear (goggles and shorts). In the triathlons I race, there are 100 or so people (usually bigger than me!) who run down the beach to get to the water first. Swimming over and under and side by side with these folks is an exercise in strength and focus.
Once, I was in the pool, swimming with the Master's group in Ojai. We were doing repeat 100's: swim 100 meters, rest (for mere seconds), and then do it again. When I got back to the wall after 4 quick laps, I looked up to see my coach kneeling down with a frown on his face. "Jason, if you want to swim faster, you've got to relax in there." My first thought was "Yeah, right."
In the 6 AM Master's class, I swim with some amazing athletes. One of them, Michelle, was ranked last year in the top 10 in the nation in butterfly. Her brother holds records for the one hour swim and the 10 kilometer swim. "Relax, how can I relax?"
So, we start another set. I come back in, and he's on the side of the pool deck, giving us the rest of the workout. He looks at me and silently tells me to relax. "Ok, I thought, I'll try it."
Four laps later, I touch the wall. I was still slower than the rest of the class, but when I picked my head up from the water, they were clapping! I had just swum a 1:32. That was easily :12 seconds faster than I had ever swum a 100. And, the cool thing was...I just relaxed!
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