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First swim competition as Masters swimmer (would be from old forum)

67King
over 2 years ago

Alright, so I guess I started swimming about 4.5 years ago.  Posted here about it.  Doubt anyone other than Elaine recalls, and just her because it turned out that she and 67QueenMum are friends, and she lives in my hometown!

At any rate, had been hoping to do a meet for a while, but things just kept happening.  Then last year when COVID hit, I took up open water swimming.  And since I never had a good situation to train with a team, I kept at the open water stuff because I liked the people.  Decided I'd do the 10K swim the locals host, the Bridges to Bluffs swim.  Coming into this year, I had 3 goals.  I just BARELY missed two of them.  LIke by one minute for each of those (absolute time, and a person I wanted to beat).  Crushed the third goal.  Anyway, this was the first competition I have done in almost 30 years, when I was in high school.  Frist swimming competition in over 35, as I quit swimming at about age 11.

Anyway, I finally did a competition.  Wasn't a pool competition, but I did one.  And am very happy with how it went.

  • over 2 years ago in reply to 0B19A

    I am so sorry to hear that happened to you. Severe anxiety and panic can definitely be horrible. I absolutely agree with you to put as little pressure on yourself as possible for the next meet. Just go to be with people and have fun and swim an event or two. Take care of yourself and ease back into it

  • over 2 years ago in reply to 0B19A

    Thanks for your comment at the end.  I'm sorry to hear about your stressful meet experience.  Your idea of choosing the easiest and least stressful events at your next meet is excellent.  No pressure!  One of the reasons I took up the 200 fly and 400 IM several years ago was because of the pressure I was putting on myself in my 3 breaststroke events to meet my time goals.  I know I'm slow in fly, but I'm also one of only a few my age (60) that do the 200 fly regularly.  They are all SO MUCH faster than me that my only goal is to swim a clean "race" and not rest at the walls!  I have ended up liking (loving!) fly so much that I train more yards of fly than any other stroke on most days.

    By choosing new events, you may find a renewed passion for swimming or find that you really enjoy your new events more than your previous ones.

    Hey, if you ever feel that anxiety again, stop at the next wall, take some slow deep breaths, remember that you are just there to have fun, and then continue swimming.  Don't worry about what others may think, because chances are, they were too busy talking with their friends to see what you did.  If you prepare for that now and give yourself permission to stop, it will be so much easier if/when the time comes.  Believe me, because I have been there!  It was for physical reasons (dysautonomia) rather than anxiety, but I was determined to finish the race one way or another!  Chances are it will happen again, and I am mentally prepared.

    Good luck!