First Time Ocean Racer Report - Believe in Yourself for Success

One of the swimmers I work with recently took part in her first big-time ocean race while visiting Western Australia with her IronmanWA-bound husband. Angela went through a lot to get to the start of the race (like a fear of swimming in the ocean). She did the work in the pool, improved her technique and her fitness, and even more important, improved her belief in herself as a swimmer. She is allowing me to share her race report from her first race with you.

When the race official "literally" drew a line in the sand a massive wall of people manned the line and I was immediately pushed to the back of the pack. Then what I saw next nearly terrified me. These people almost simultaneously crouched down as if to mimic a football stance or the start of a quick track and field event. Before I knew it sand was flying and everyone just started sprinting into the water for the 1,000 meter swim race. I was still trying to process what in the world was going on as I took my time to stay clear of feet and kicking and entered the water unscathed. I didn't realize that I too was swimming like a crazy woman at a full on sprint pace. BIG NO NO!!!!!

While swimming out to the first buoy I realized that there were no swimmers near me and I panicked. At one point I stopped and my breathing was out of control. I turned around toward the beach and quickly told myself "I can't do this" ... Then I looked at the man paddling the kayak and the look on his face said it all ... "He was worried about me". So, I told myself only one thing, "I can't quit in front of my kid" ... and put my face back in the water and just tried my best to settle down (Note, the pause was a lengthy one and there was much more mental battle going on whether or not my son Gabriel would truly think I was a quitter).

Turning the first buoy was a relief ... I was headed back to the beach. Running out of the water around the 1st marker I felt like I was going thru the motions and I don't recall ever looking around, saying hello, I was in survival mode. Stupid Jaws movie!!!!

Entering the water toward the second buoy I calmed down and I began to become cognitive and aware of my surroundings. Once I relaxed I was like the black stallion coming from the rear picking off people. Somehow I had made my way to the upper pack of swimmers and I wasn't feeling alone in the water anymore. I swam in bubbles, I LIKE BUBBLES, I was checking out the stroke of the man next to me, I was enjoying the beauty of the water, I started repeating the breathing sequence that you taught me in my head because I was still breathing like an asthmatic ... "One one thousand, Two one thousand". I concentrated on my stroke and the position of my hand and head. I also realized I had feet that I could kick hard with and did so. Before I knew it my hand had hit the bottom and I knew it would be a matter of seconds before I was running on dry land.

When I exited the water I was running like a wild woman. Not sure if the adrenaline was still in full effect or if I was subconsciously running as far away from all the fears that I just had to quickly overcome. I was so out of breathe and so emotionally taxed.

As I was trying to catch my breath I was rendered a hearty congrats from my son. From my husband, Butch ... "Babe ... its not that you were slow, those other swimmers were just incredibly fast". NICE!!!!!

I was trying to forget what just happened until he said, "Babe you swam that in 14:27". "WHAT"????? No way!!!! I must have stood there with the dumbest look on my face wondering if he said 24 or 14. I quickly found a race official and asked them my time ... 14:30:06. Again, I just stood there watching these people stare at my no response. I finally uttered the words, "I'll take that" and they all laughed. I was dumbfounded. How in the world did I pull off a 14 minute swim when I was obviously not in control out there. SIMPLE - Sheer adrenaline, and fear was a great motivator!!!

So, what I hadn't realized is that my son video taped my swim and I didn't see it until I stumbled upon it days later. Something is seriously wrong with me. I was never at the back of the pack. There were people always swimming around me. Coming out of the water were a stream of people behind and ahead of me. I realized that my lack of open water racing experience hindered my ability to enjoy the swim, be aware of my surroundings, and quite frankly exercise a game plan. I also realized that my deep rooted fears all came to the surface and showed their ugly faces and I had to make a split second decision to stop or go (basically quit or succeed). So, I found that:

• I do like swimming around people.
• I don't like the kayak rescue squad following me.
• I can properly breath in sequence to the current hitting from the side and realize that its happening. That was actually fun. I would take a breathe, quickly turn my head and the small wave would ride up the side of my head and crash on top of it. I never drank water.
• I learned that I can swim. I can put one arm in front of the other and actually swim.

I think with more open water training/siting/racing style drills I will be much better for the next race in terms of enjoying the swim, being aware and staying in control of my swim. That's my game plan anyway!

Angie