From the Pool: If Can't Be Fast, I'll Just Be

I’ve become quite philosophical of late about my swimming. I now accept that I am slow. There’s really no other way to see it. But, as painfully clear as that fact may have been to my poolmates, it took me a number of months and a slog through the 5 stages of grief for me to come to grips with it.

The process went something like this: Denial “I can’t really be that slow. I must be sick;” Anger “Look at those yahoos in the next lane showing off with their flip turns and fast arm turnover;” Bargaining “Maybe if I learned to do flip turns I’d be fast, too;” Depression “Where’s that duathlon schedule?” Acceptance “Hey, slow worked for the tortoise.”

Slow as I may be, I am showing some progress--largely due to regular trips to the pool but also to the Total Immersion program, which has really helped my technique.

There are times when I still feel like a crab in the water, but with Total Immersion I’ve become more streamlined and relaxed, even if I don’t achieve it every, or even most, laps. The constant goal of improving technique not only helps pass the time lap after lap but it also adds a bit of a Zen quality to swim training. You swim in the moment, mindfully focusing on various minute aspects of your stroke. And this has actually transferred to other aspects of my training and life.

We live in a world of distractions, and as much as I love that (truly), there’s a time to turn inward and live fully in the moment--whether it’s editing a document, riding up a six percent grade, or washing the dishes. Greater efficiency is a by product of this, but the real payoff of these mindful moments is that they help center us, put us back in touch with our true capabilities, and set the stage for growth. Of course, meditating with the Dalai Lama may be more centering than swimming, editing, or washing dishes, but you have to take what you can get.