Augusta 70.3 : 2606 Memories

2606. That’s the number of athletes who lined up to start the race on September 28 2014. That’s the number of athletes who waited patiently for their swim wave to be called to start the walk down to the floating dock. That’s the number of different swim experiences that would be remembered.

These experiences get distilled with time, the concentrated version sticking with us to be stored as positive memories, or to be stored as experiences to learn from. It has been a couple of weeks since the race and I have had a chance to reflect with several Discovery Aquatics swimmers about what is sticking with them.

MR ‘I should have practiced more in my wetsuit, I felt like my form was compromised as I reverted to arm swimming instead of using my core. My arms were fatigued by the end. I accidentally set my Garmin in kilometers instead of miles, so I was looking for the exit way too early. I also found myself slowing and staying in people traffic instead of navigating around them.’

JH ‘I was at the red buoy, almost finished with the swim, when I caught someone from the wave before me. He must have been swimming breaststroke since he kicked me in the chest with so much force that it tensed up my body causing a charlie horse in my right calf. I couldn’t kick and was in a lot of pain. I flipped on my back and flexed my foot until the pain became tolerable. Then I turned back over and swam the last few yards to the boat ramp. I never panicked, I was just annoyed that it happened.’

RT ‘My main objective was to be able to manage my fear of the open water using your SwimEQ tools. The next objective was to focus on form and technique to get the best time possible. I started well until I thought I swam into a net. My arms and legs were tangled in seagrass and I completely panicked. I flipped on my back and went through the SwimEQ steps to regain control. Once I was calm, I began to swim and really hit my stride finishing in a personal best time. I was really happy with the swim, learning how to face my fears and manage them, not letting them take control over me.’

JR ‘It was the easiest swim of my life, a combination of current and improved technique. This was the first time I have finished a swim feeling refreshed. My other 70.3 races I was exhausted after the swim.’

DW ‘It was a fantastically exciting environment! I started out calm and focused on technique, my tempo trainer set to my practiced tempo. But not long into the swim I lost focus on my swim thoughts and my stroke rate increased beyond what I trained at. There is no doubt that I lost my form and was muscling through the water. I allowed myself to be consumed by the excitement of the event and am left wondering how much better I may have been able to perform had I remained more focused on each and every stroke with exact precision. Clearly I sacrificed stroke length for stroke rate. This was a really important lesson. As I continue to put more trust in my technique I can save the big engine for where it can be better utilized during the run.’

I had the pleasure of swimming as part of a relay team. I remember the sensational sunrise, the massive American flag hanging from the bridge that was gently moving with the breeze, the chatting with friends old and new, the perfect pairing of air and water temperature, and the calm focus drawn to every stroke I swam. My pace was consistent and sustainable, and each stroke focal point executed well. It was a calculated swim that had calmness and clarity. Not every race pans out this way, but when it does, I remember it, file it away in the positive memory bank ready to be recalled.

Enjoy some footage taken by my family,

Coach Dinah