I've been swimming since class 3. It started as something I had to do, and now it's the one hour nobody can reach me.
- Since
- Class 3
- Raced
- As a kid
- Speed
- Still quick
- Phone
- Can't come underwater
- 01
Won in training
Competing taught me that races are mostly won in training. The fast swimmers were the ones who kept turning up for the dull sets, week after week, and the race only showed who had.
- 02
No notifications
There are no tabs underwater, just the line on the bottom of the pool and the count of your own strokes. Pull harder and you go faster. Nothing else decides it.
- 03
The breathing
In freestyle you only get air when your face turns out of the water, so you learn to stay calm on the lengths where you don't get enough. The burn at the end is honest.
I don't race anymore. It's still the clearest hour I get.