So, I'm going to Nationals this summer. It will be my first meet... ever. I know I'm a really slow swimmer (part of that comes from being 5'2") and will likely be the slowest one in my events.
But I still want to do it!:D
I'm swimming 50 ***, 100 ***, and 50 free. I had to take 2mo off this spring because our van broke and it took us a while to get it fixed, so I wasn't able to swim from mid-March to mid-May. I'm back in the water now and am building up my training to swimming 5 days a week (in another week our Masters group will be meeting 5:30-7a M-F). Right now we're swimming short course still but when we switch our schedule, we'll be switching pools and swimming long course.
I had to time myself last week so I'd have my seed times for registration. In the past week I've already taken 6sec off my 50 *** - which, I think, is pretty good progress.
I'm not expecting to win my heats or get any awesome times at Nationals, but I'm super excited to be going and am anxious to see how much I've improved my own times.
Has anyone else been the slowest swimmer out there before? Any tips on staying positive? :blush:
Former Member
My personal motto is "Swimming is a competition between you and yourself".
I've played many competitive sports- soccer and lax being my two other big sports. In the beginning I always figured swimming was just about beating the people next to me, which it is in a shallow (pun intended) way. In high school I started to see swimming as a competition with myself and my goals and that's what made me really excel and enjoy the sport so much more.
Been there, done that. At my first nationals, I received medals in two of my four events. One was by default because only 9 people entered that event. In the other event, I actually beat one person for tenth! I couldn't have been more satisfied! Over the years, I've gotten faster and everyone else is getting slower.
It's all about you and the clock. If you stick with the training, you will continue to improve over time. Swim against yourself, and you'll be continually amazed!
Definitely not a math major;)
Results = performance - expectations
Set your expectation for fun, the beauty of swimming in a facility…
Results = performance – expectations
Expectations = fun + the beauty of swimming in a facility
Results = performance – (fun + the beauty of swimming in a facility)
Results = performance – fun - the beauty of swimming in a facility:confused::confused:
One of the ironies of the slowest – fastest spectrum is that it is often the fastest folks who sometimes struggle with staying positive. Case in point, at a recent nationals I congratulated a friend who just won a race; to which he responded in a disappointed tone “it was OK”, because he has missed his goal time. And that was me a long time ago when I was fast, now I’ve lowered my expectations and I’m having more fun (and plotting how to win the 2056 nationals 200 Fly).
Thanks so much everyone! :D
I'm really really excited to go. :bliss:
When my kids started swimming last summer, I remember them participating in their first meets (after only a week or two in the pool, starting as non-swimmers). They often came in last, but it was such an accomplishment just for them to swim in the meet that it didn't matter! Through last summer season and this fall/winter season it's been fun to see them come in 'not last' and, eventually, even win a heat occasionally.
I've always looked at swimming as a competition with myself - I've kind of had to being I've always been on my own in the pool. I've never been on a team and even with my Masters group, no one really talks to each other.
I'm really looking forward to experiencing the meet and meeting other swimmers. Thanks again for all your encouraging words!:)
Bonus goal 1 – Keep your goggles on when (and if) you dive
This would be a good one for me! I plan on working on (learning) dives with my coach when we start swimming at the LC pool. I've never even stood on the blocks, let alone jumped off them! :afraid:
5' 1" tall, swimming those same events (among others), in the 45-49 age group at Summer Nationals. This is gonna be awesome...You will have a blast.
Awesome! I'll be in the 30-34 age group. :)
No matter what, act like you won.
I don't think I will be able to not feel/act like I won! It was only a couple years ago on Twitter that I mentioned I wished there was a 'swim team for adults' and, of all people, Mel Stewart told me to check out my local Masters group! Now I get to go swim in the Olympic Trials pool.. how cool is that!? :banana:
You can always go without goggles....
I'm last or almost last in my age group in pool meets, unless I am the only one in my age group. One thing I've learned? No one is looking at you or paying attention to your times but you. If you meet your goals, or even if you don't, you're awesome for trying.
This made me giggle because whenever a kid complains of goggle problems in practice, my kids' coach lectures them about how when he was swimming they didn't have goggles! :D
Been there, done that. At my first nationals, I received medals in two of my four events. One was by default because only 9 people entered that event. In the other event, I actually beat one person for tenth! I couldn't have been more satisfied! Over the years, I've gotten faster and everyone else is getting slower.
It's all about you and the clock. If you stick with the training, you will continue to improve over time. Swim against yourself, and you'll be continually amazed!
It would be pretty cool to get a medal, even if only by default. :)
And as excited as I am about taking 6 sec off my 50 *** time, I can't wait to see how much better I do in July! :banana:
