Tips and mind games to help push through beginner-dom
Former Member
Help!!! I'm totally hooked on swimming, want to be a swimmer. Even think I have some natural talent. Could swim before I could walk and I love the water. But I've got no background in it competitively.
I was very near to tears at last night's practice. Had to get out of the pool, get some water and have a moment. It's so hard for me. It's everything I have to push the breathless wet noodle up and down the pool. My calves burn and I feel like I have been rendered totally strengthless.
It's been 2 months and I'm no closer to finishing a whole masters practice. I have to sit out a piece here and there.
FWIW here was last night's scene:
Warm up: 200 swim (free), 200 kick, 200 pull.
500 medium pace
5 x 200 (I sat out the middle 200, that was my low point)
10 x 50 IM, *** instead of fly (sat out one or two of these)
20 x 25 kick "sprint"
Should have done some 100s and then cool down. I did 50 and was D-O-N-E. Not sure if i could swim more if my life depended on it.
Getting back in the pool after mentally crashing mid-way was my accomplishment for last night.
I'm not seeing ANY ANY ANY improvement. Except maybe higher expectations and slightly more serious and professional about my pool etiquette.
As I understand from the coaches and feel in my bones, it will take a crushing 6-9-12 months of 5 hours a week of disappointing and humiliating pool time before I'm a functional Group 2 swimmer. The pregnant mom smokes me. The 60 y o with the beer gut.
I want to break through. I know I've got to just keep going to practice and swim on my off days. I'm trying to eat well, sleep, and get strong in other ways too.
Is there anything you can tell me that will help me see the silver lining in this time? Being in the water is nice. I can enjoy that part of it. Small victories? Push off from the wall a little more at a time?
I'm proud of what I've done so far, but a little scared of months of this kind of challenge. I want to go to practice knowing I can keep up, lead pieces when it's my turn, complete the workout, enjoy pushing myself. It's hard knowing other people are waiting for me to get out of their way, to have the wannabe lane "coach" giving me excuses for why I'm so slow.
Sorry for the whining, and thanks for listening. Not sure I've ever done anything so hard in my life. Taking a deep breath now. :chillpill:
Parents
Former Member
Thanks, guys. I think I'm just coming to terms with a reasonable timeline and expectations. And figuring out how to make the most of my pool time, especially since I'm a little slow and stubborn about technique. I'm more of a brute force than finesse person. It's hard to make myself do things that feel unnatural, like changing my *** stroke kick from knees out to feet out. But after not too long I can feel the speed, and it doesn't feel wrong at all anymore. Maybe work on one thing at a time and build.
Hearing your perspectives here helps a lot.
Yes, ElaineK a FLOG is a good idea. Hard to complain about progress when I'm not careful about keeping track. And getting into meets. At least that will give me a time to beat. I'm volunteering next week at one, and will probably enter soon.
Thanks too for the Chlorine Drip blog link!
I think I'm putting this quote on my fridge, courtesy of pmccoy:
No matter how thin and strong I get, there's always going to be older, fatter and more pregnant swimmers that can beat me.
Ahh, yes. Both true and freeing.
Thanks, guys. I think I'm just coming to terms with a reasonable timeline and expectations. And figuring out how to make the most of my pool time, especially since I'm a little slow and stubborn about technique. I'm more of a brute force than finesse person. It's hard to make myself do things that feel unnatural, like changing my *** stroke kick from knees out to feet out. But after not too long I can feel the speed, and it doesn't feel wrong at all anymore. Maybe work on one thing at a time and build.
Hearing your perspectives here helps a lot.
Yes, ElaineK a FLOG is a good idea. Hard to complain about progress when I'm not careful about keeping track. And getting into meets. At least that will give me a time to beat. I'm volunteering next week at one, and will probably enter soon.
Thanks too for the Chlorine Drip blog link!
I think I'm putting this quote on my fridge, courtesy of pmccoy:
No matter how thin and strong I get, there's always going to be older, fatter and more pregnant swimmers that can beat me.
Ahh, yes. Both true and freeing.
