I started swimming about five years ago, in 2019, in preparation for long-distance triathlons. I signed up for a short sprint race about two months away to begin my journey.
I had swam in pools before, but never consistently or competitively. That did not cause me any concern, but the fact that I could barely make it from one side to the other in a 25-yard pool did. I did not have a proper form, and my breathing was a mess, causing me to expend more energy than needed to swim the length of the pool. Terrified and naive, I kept trying. I did not realize or even have the knowledge to recognize that I was “doing it wrong” in every aspect of swimming.
That is what led me to hire a coach.
The coach taught me technique and form. We practiced weekly in the pool, and she would give me drills, critique my pace, and push me to excel. My coach was worried that I did not have enough time to prepare for my upcoming race, but they kept training me and giving me tips to “survive.” I gradually increased my ability to swim longer without rest and eventually reached the distance I needed for the upcoming event. However, I had never paddled a distance in open water.
If I had the foresight to know the massive difference between open water and the pool, I would have at least gone into the ocean before the race, but I needed to prepare…
