Swimming Through the Ages: A Data Table

With my "comeback" meet only a few days from now, I thought it important to share what I've been thinking about regarding my training... in the most methodical (non-Ryanesque) way I could think of: a data table.

What It's Like To Swim, From A Kid Perspective & An Adult Perspective

Swimming As A Kiddo

Swimming As An Adult

1. Hating morning practices 2. Being able to eat anything and everything within arm’s reach 3. Spending hours deciding on the coolest practice suits and tying little knots to connect holes in really old ones, because it looks cool 4. Passing the time in the pool thinking about those weekend plans that you are dying for 5. Having weekend plans 6. Loving the very concept of tapering 7. Being meet-ready means having cool new mirrored goggles and a big read Gatorade 8. Enjoying your time between sets with chatting with friends and making semi-real bathroom runs 9. During a hard set, hoping that maybe you’d just break your arm or something so that you could stop and relax 10. Taking it all for granted

1. Loving morning practices 2. Being able to eat nothing with artificial colors, trans-fats, or processed 3. Purchasing “grab bag” suits online because you don’t really care what it looks like, but at the same time learning to throw away suits that should be retired 4. Passing the time in the pool concentrating on perfecting your stroke, one more time 5. Training on 9:30 on a Saturday night, because you feel good at that moment 6. Loathing the very concept of tapering 7. Being meet-ready means being at the brink of mental and physical exhaustion but somehow gaining enough energy to write personal affirmations 8. Enjoying your time between sets by attempting to gain the feeling back in your right hand 9. During a hard set, hoping to the Universe that you won’t break your arm or anything, ever 10. Appreciating ever single moment of it