Swimming

Swimming

It’s 5:45 AM. Most people my age are still fast asleep in their warm, comfy beds, able to sleep for at least another hour. This goes for most people, but not for me. My days start off cold, wet, and fast paced. At 5:45 in the morning, sleeping is not an option. Second place isn’t either. I slowly get up out of bed and drag myself to the bathroom to get ready. I rub my eyes, put in my contacts, pack my bag, and before I know it, my ride is here. The day begins, and I won’t be seeing my house until at least fourteen hours later. Am I crazy for putting so much effort into this sport? Probably. But is the payoff worth it? Totally.

When you dive into the pool, so many emotions overcome you. I always think, “Boy, I hope the pool isn’t too cold today.” Another thought that crosses my mind is that I hope I’m feeling good when I practice. It makes it a lot easier to train when your body feels strong. Swimming is so hard to describe to other people. It’s a sport from where the outside looking in, you can’t understand it. From the inside looking out, you can’t describe it. This might help you comprehend swimming a little more. “Swimming is lonely. The swimmer’s mightiest challenge is to tune out. It’s the only sport where you can never know exactly how well you’re doing until it’s too late to do anything about it. There is no sound of footsteps or trash talk or heavy breathing in the next lane, just the muffled roar from fans who may be cheering for winners or screaming for losers. There is no other reality but the water.” Mark Spitz, arguably one of the greatest swimmers of all time said that, and I truly agree. Any thoughts other than swimming can either make you or break you in a race.

Nine years of my life have been devoted to this sport, and I’m going to be honest with you; they haven’t always been enjoyable. I’ll be the first to tell you, swimming isn’t always fun. Sometimes I wish I could hang out with my friends after school. Sometimes I wish I could skip practice and just be lazy for a day. However, imagining my life if I weren’t a swimmer is impossible. Without swimming, where would I be? Instead of getting ready to go to practice, I would probably be spending my afternoons sitting on the couch watching TV and eating junk food. My life revolves around morning practices, countless swim caps, chlorine, and coaches you hate but appreciate later. The feeling when hard work finally pays off is indescribable. My team has become my family; the memories we share are ones that I will truly cherish for the rest of my life. I know that when my arms feel like lead and butterflies take over my stomach, my teammates will always be there for me. No one understands what happens within the pool or locker room but us. Cheering for other people during meets is always so exciting. I love to race; I thrive off of competition. It may not sound fun to you, but I actually enjoy spending my weekends at swim meets. I enjoy pushing myself in practice to the point where I feel sick to my stomach and then practically collapsing when I get home. But most of all, I enjoy the person I have become through the years of my dedication to the sport.

Honestly, this sport has made me into the person I am today. Swimming has taught me how to be committed. It has shown me that if you have an aspiration, you have work towards it with the best of your ability.