By Nicole Farina, Swimming World College Intern.
November can be a tough time for collegiate swimmers. The beginning of the season excitement we all experience has officially worn off, and practice is feeling like a drag. It’s starting to get dark halfway through your afternoon workout, making that main set a little tougher than usual. The weather doesn’t help the cause, either, because it is too cold to leave your snuggly bed in the morning, and your hair turns to icicles when you walk outside post-practice in the evening.
You’re feeling sluggish in the pool as your body starts to break down from training. Your winter training trip seems like lightyears away. Don’t even start thinking about your end-of-season taper meet, because at this rate, you’re doubtful it’s ever going to get here.
How do you possibly survive this rough time of the season? Here are three reminders to keep in mind as you’re approaching November and the mid-season struggle.
1. Remember the end goal.
Photo Courtesy: David E. Klutho-USA TODAY Sports
It’s so easy to get into a habit every day at practice of just going through the motions. Instead, remind yourself why you’re doing this. Think back to the goals that you set for yourself to achieve at the end of the season. Everyday that you jump in the pool is one step closer to grabbing that goal. Make the most out of every practice, keeping your end of the season plan in the back of your mind at all times.
2. Don’t wish away the present.
Photo Courtesy: Andreas Roestenberg
Instead of wishing for it to be January so you can travel to your team’s destination of choice to enjoy some fun in the sun coupled with hours of seemingly endless swimming, or praying for February or March to hurry up so you can finally swim fast, stop. Take a step back. Those things may be the highlights of your season, but think about it. College swimming goes by in the blink of an eye. You’re only on this team for four years, and when it’s over, more often than not, you’ll be officially finished with your swimming career. So instead of longing to trade the pain and the cold for the easy speed and sun, remember that every moment on a college team is special and something you’ll be wishing to do over again, even the most mundane of days.
3. Embrace the harsh training and the tough, un-tapered races.
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
The thousands of yards that you do per week is no walk in the park. And getting up to race on a Saturday when your body feels drained and your muscles feel tired definitely isn’t either, especially after a tough Friday afternoon practice. But what would this sport be if we didn’t put in this insane training? We wouldn’t get the same mad respect that we get from non-swimmers around the world, that’s for sure. And what would it be like if we always swam like we were tapered, or swam our best race every race? It’s impossible, unrealistic, and honestly, not as fun.
Embrace the training and the un-tapered races, because they’re a part of your voyage to your own swimming success. You learn from the pain, the mistakes, and the adding of time. The strange beauty of this sport is something that is tough to see from the outside looking in. Your final destination, the achieving of your goal at the end of the season, is just as important as the journey that you took to get there. It may not feel like it now, or in a few months, or even when you do achieve that goal. But one day, you’ll realize it.
So as you’re struggling to get out of bed on this chilly November day, with the dreaded feeling in the pit of your stomach of what horrible practice your coach has up his sleeve this time, wishing for warm weather and the aching of your muscles to be magically gone, wipe that negativity out of your system. Because you’ve got some goals to achieve, and seizing them starts today.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.