About 3 times a year we take one week to undertake some testing – as in we time everyone that swims that week over 400m and 200m. Maritia and I often just slip it into the program but this time we are telling you that in week 6 in Margs and either 6 or 7 in Busso we will be doing the timed swims.
Having read this you fall into 1 of 3 camps – be honest:
- I’m not swimming that week
- Ok – that’s fine, it is what it is even though I’m perhaps a bit nervous for some reason
- I am super excited I get to see how I have improved or otherwise
- I have no idea what this is should I jump to option 1,2 or 3
What we want is everyone in group 3. Nobody likes swimming 400m hard – it’s hard. Equally backing it up with a 200 is a touch mean if I’m honest, but every time you come to a class everyone is swimming more than 400m. The only difference is there is a stopwatch, a pen and a piece of paper making an appearance on pool deck.
Own accountability. This is your chance to see where you are at. Nobody else is looking at the times as to be honest there is so much information gathered it’s a bit tricky to read the spread sheet anyway!!
Don’t be afraid of the result– It is not possible to always swim faster. It can be disheartening if you have put in a really solid focused training block but for most of us there is so much going on that outside influences can affect performance – stress, dehydration, lack of sleep, a hard gym work out, a cold – life happens – take the results for what they are – Your personal snap shot of the day. (I feel like a principle at naplan time!)
Don’t worry about other people – Some people are better at pacing, some people are faster, some are slower and that is what makes Swimming Women so bloomin special – we are all different and in celebrating that having different swim times is a fact. Also someone might have been doing secret training so deserve to swim faster, even though you normally beat them, or something has just clicked in their stroke – celebrate it all!
Its just another class – You turn up, you swim, I do some number crunching, and you then train more specifically for you. If the fact of self is too much, be selfless and know it makes the job of managing lanes and sessions so much easier for Rish and I with this information – I know some of you are so nice that thought would help you feel better!
Sing a song whilst you swim– don’t eat yourself up with worry – nothing bad can happen– The stopwatch can’t eat anyone, cause disease or anyone to die!
See you in the pool and please register to tell us you are coming!