Let's take a step back and enjoy a good laugh at ourselves.
Here, I'll start.
This happened on my first meet ever.
I had only been swimming for 4 weeks and my freestyle was really starting to come together. I was looking at a 1:03-1:05 time slip.
All day long I had been seated in the "barely able to float" heats but found myself in a single digit heat for this race. I knew my weakest points were my turns and (especially) my starts.
So they call for us to take the blocks. I climb up, my stomach full of butterflies.
"Take your marks", I balance on tip toes like my coach had been instructing me, waiting to spring out into action.
I'm thinking that if I can get a good start I may actually be able take this race. So, I start leaning a little forward in preparation for the starting horn.
It seems like an eternity that we're standing there, me balancing on the edge of this block. I think he's got to sound the horn any moment and lean a bit into it to get a good start.
WRONG! I fell face first into the pool.
Have a nice day, maybe next time.
To make matters worse I had brought my video camera to the meet so we could tape ourselves and look over it the next week.
I've had to relive this nightmare over and over more times I care to admit.
Upon watching the tape, it's obvious the starter saw me leaning into the start and held off. I thought I was being sneaky but after watching it on film I think everyone there could see me trying to edge out the start.
Barring any other mishaps, this will always be the most embarrassing moment of my swimming career.
1995. Speedo Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale.
I was swimming the 200 back, an event I rarely swam before then, but the only event I felt I wouldn't embarrass myself in on this particular day.
I remember being in a seeded heat, but not a threat to win the heat (remember, I'm a breaststroker who does backstroke). I had gone 1:00 in the 100 back the day before, so I was feeling good about going under 2:10, which would have been my best time if converted to yards.
Those of you who have swum in Fort Lauderdale know the conditions. It's extremely sunny. And now you probably know where this is going.
I swam the first 100 very well. I think I was in third. The third 50 was torture because the sun was right in my eyeline and there was no way I could tilt my head to remove the glare. Having not trained outdoors much, this was a new aspect of the race to deal with. The 100 back was no problem, I remember, because it was the first event of the day and the sun wasn't bad. And then finals was late at night so the sun was almost set.
Anyway, back to the third 50. I couldn't take the sun any longer. Since it was long course, I figured I'd close my eyes and swim for about 10 strokes. Swimming with my eyes closed felt so comfortable I kept them closed ... for 20 strokes.
BAM! I hit my head on the wall. Oh, how embarrassing! This was a pretty crowded meet; lots of people were watching! And I knew lots of them! I quickly recovered and swam the last 50 like there was no tomorrow (obviously the accident affected my standing). I finished 11th overall in the prelims. At least I got a second swim. My coach couldn't stop laughing.
In finals, with no sun in my eyes, I won the consolation heat by something like three seconds, going 2:10.5.
I've got another one. And, again, it involves the 200 back.
A short course meters meet when I was 15 or 16. Very, very, very low-key. Which is why my mind was wandering while swimming the 200 back an winning by a lot.
I stopped at the 150 thinking I had done eight lengths. I saw people waving at me and my coach yelling "Two more!" Unfortunately, I touched the bottom and was disqualified. I was happy it was the last event of the day.
Barring any other mishaps, this will always be the most embarrassing moment of my swimming career.
1995. Speedo Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale.
I was swimming the 200 back, an event I rarely swam before then, but the only event I felt I wouldn't embarrass myself in on this particular day.
I remember being in a seeded heat, but not a threat to win the heat (remember, I'm a breaststroker who does backstroke). I had gone 1:00 in the 100 back the day before, so I was feeling good about going under 2:10, which would have been my best time if converted to yards.
Those of you who have swum in Fort Lauderdale know the conditions. It's extremely sunny. And now you probably know where this is going.
I swam the first 100 very well. I think I was in third. The third 50 was torture because the sun was right in my eyeline and there was no way I could tilt my head to remove the glare. Having not trained outdoors much, this was a new aspect of the race to deal with. The 100 back was no problem, I remember, because it was the first event of the day and the sun wasn't bad. And then finals was late at night so the sun was almost set.
Anyway, back to the third 50. I couldn't take the sun any longer. Since it was long course, I figured I'd close my eyes and swim for about 10 strokes. Swimming with my eyes closed felt so comfortable I kept them closed ... for 20 strokes.
BAM! I hit my head on the wall. Oh, how embarrassing! This was a pretty crowded meet; lots of people were watching! And I knew lots of them! I quickly recovered and swam the last 50 like there was no tomorrow (obviously the accident affected my standing). I finished 11th overall in the prelims. At least I got a second swim. My coach couldn't stop laughing.
In finals, with no sun in my eyes, I won the consolation heat by something like three seconds, going 2:10.5.
I've got another one. And, again, it involves the 200 back.
A short course meters meet when I was 15 or 16. Very, very, very low-key. Which is why my mind was wandering while swimming the 200 back an winning by a lot.
I stopped at the 150 thinking I had done eight lengths. I saw people waving at me and my coach yelling "Two more!" Unfortunately, I touched the bottom and was disqualified. I was happy it was the last event of the day.
