I competed in two triathlons last year. They were both OWS (open water swims) and my first one was such a wild experience, it is worthy of an article. In fact, I DID write an article about it......but I digress.
My first tri this season will take place in this lovely 50 meter indoor pool you see in this post. I was initially excited about an indoor swim because of the heated water. Now, I've become more nervous about it than I would have ever imagined.
As I sit here and write about it, I think it's simply because of the close-up view spectators can have of you. Once you're far out in a lake, you just become a mesh of bright-colored swim cap and splashed water. In a pool, people are just a few feet away from you, able to watch you closely and I think it'll make me more self-conscious about my stroke, rotations, etc.
Anyway, so what cracks me up is that I was so terrified of doing an OWS last year. Now that it's become what I know, something that had seemed easy to me (indoor pool swimming) seems harder than what I now consider easy.
Bottom line? Harden up, have fun and get it done! Plus, I feel better already having figured out what was making me so nervous...and I'm not nervous anymore. Maybe I should just go ahead and delete this post...
10 comments:
The great thing about writing, -your thoughts all sorta work themselves out in the end. :) I have not yet done a pool tri, that will be interesting. Oh man, does this mean I'll have to learn to do flip turns?!! :)
Definitely don't delete the post. You can refer back after the tri and laugh about how easy it was.
I agree with Truth North Yoga.... this was my first tri... in the sport.. and ever.. and I look back and could tell you so many stories... like how I got there before 4:30... to get ready, and check out the course.. I was soooo nervous.. and how I didn't have a USAT card, and how I made up some cousins name... and how I didn't know what to wear and tried all week different things, before settling on a bathing suit and my tri shorts.. and how I had no idea what to do when waiting... because there is that aspect of a time trial swim start in a pool.. ya wait.. and when I saw other athletes shaking arms and legs, I thought that is what I should do.. haha...
how I proposed to a guy that was on this hill with me, because I thought I was going to have to walk it.. but he grunted up it with me... Stay straight he kept yelling..
Sadly.. he was married with five kids.. ha ;) oh the list goes on and on and on...
can't wait to see ya there!
Keep bustin moves!!
Love the blog! I have never done an indoor race, but I suspect I would feel similarly!
Hey! Thanks for stopping by my blog! I look forward to reading yours as well. I totally get what you're saying about the pool swim vs open water. I prefer open water because I hate all the congestion in the lanes of a pool. Then again, when I do an OWS I always complain about swimming off course! haha! I guess it's always something no matter what!
Hey, Jana. Writing really does help work things out. So true. Oh, and you actually don't need to learn flip turns. I can't do them and am not planning on it. I'm lucky just to be able to swim! :)
Hey, Debbie. I'm sure looking back on this race'll be worth something...
Jess, what are you doing proposing marriage in the middle of a tri?! :) That cracks me up! So, what IS the shaking of the arms and legs about anyway?
Hey, Sara and Lana, welcome to my blog and thanks for posting!
love it! first of all, thanks for the shout out here and finding me on twitter. i haven't read lots of ur blog yet, but can tell i love it already. I had the same experience with open water for a LONG time. Starting as a pool swimmer i was super scared of the open water til my 20's. I moved to San Diego, became a triathlete, and lived across the street from the La Jolla Cove and it still took me YEARS to feel comfortable out there on my own. But i did and at that point it was obvious that it was such a mind over matter thing! The La Jolla Cove hasn't changed for thousands of years, yet it seems SO different to me. This pretty much changed my life. woohoo! Whenever i come across something that seems too big or scary, i think of a person somewhere that thinks its a piece of cake. almost 10 times out of 10 it ends up being more easy than hard, and certainly easier than i thought it would be. Makes adventures so much more fun!! Have fun whatEVER u do :) Later...
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