Nerves

I'm not one who really gets nervous, per say. I have always been able to handle nerves constructively. Speaking in church doesn't count, that goes off the charts. I'm talking about athletic endeavours. I have had some moments in my swimming life that you'd think would have caused me a little anxiety, but they didn't. I was a soph in high school and heading to the YMCA Nationals in Orlando FL. This was the first Nationals when I really had a shot at "finaling", making the final 8. My event was the 200 yrd butterfly. I was dialed in, but in the qualifying heats I had a brief lapse of concentration. Having swum a near flawless race for 198 yrds, I glided to the wall instead of taking another stroke. That cost me the final. I qualified 10th. I came back that evening for finals, I swam the consolation final (9th-16th), won that with a time that would have placed me 5th in the main final. Pressure? Yes. Nerves? Never.

Second, and best, scenario. I was a freshman at the Univ of Ariz. The first 3 months of the collegiate swim season I fell on my face, I failed miserably. Adjusting to a new program, coach, atmosphere, all was a little overwhelming. One of our asst. coaches, Rick Demont, thought he could help and he told me he was going to save my season, but the saving would come at the end of the year. Well, spring is championship season in collegiate swimming. I was selected to travel with the team to the Pac-10 Champs. in Long Beach (as a freshman). Rick, the head coach, and I all knew not expect anything from me as far as a descent swim goes. It was about humility. Well I got a heaping dose of humility at that meet. Afterwards Rick told me, now it's your time. We had worked hard from Jan to the Pac-10 in March. We had more to do in a little amount of time. Fast forward to May. It is just prior to the 88 Olympics is Seoul and there was a US Swimming traveling team that was training with us in Tucson, numerous former Olympians and those who skipped a year of school to train for the Games. We had an inter squad dual with these folks, why not. Rick knew this was my time. Saturday came, I had trained hard, I had tapered, I had shaved. I was ready to go fast, well fast for me. I swam the 200 fly against 7 others, one of whom was Pablo Morales, former world record holder and former gold medalist in the 200 fly. I swam my lifetime best 1:48 for the 200 fly. I was so stoked!! Rick says to me, its not over. I think you can go faster. I said "what?" Lets come back tomorrow and swim it again. Ah eff this I thought. Rick had another plan. He called me that night. He said no pressure, but its just going to be you and someone else. I said ok, who? Well, Rick had talked to one of my team mates, Chris Rives, former national high school record holder in the 100 fly, and he talked to Pablo Morales. They were going to pace me to a 1:47 200 Fly. All I had to do was hang on to them. I have 2 of the best butterfliers in the world pacing me on a butterfly race. This is awesome! Pressure? Yes. Nerves? No. I swam the next day, Chris paced my first 100 yrds and Pablo paced my second 100 yrds. I went 1:47. 2. That time qualified me for Olympic Trials to be held later in the summer (July) for the Games in Sep in Seoul. I never swam after that Sun morning when I was paced by 2 of the worlds best, I didn't swim Trials, I did have a date to enter the MTC the first week in Sep., the week the Olympics started.

All this history telling is leading up to what I call "NERVES"!!!! On Saturday, I'm swimming an 8 kilometer, point to point, open water swim at Lake Mead. I'm freaking nervous!! Seriously, back in high school, my team would easily swim that far an farther every day. That was then, this is now. Physically, I really think I can handly the swim, its my mind I worry about. I've trained as much as my schedule will permit. I have assembled a "crack" team of supporters to help me out on race day. JB and Weintzy are my kayak escorts. And, if anything, next Mon there should be a great race report. That doesn't help the fact that I'm freakin' nervous!! Let's do this!!