Ten Racing Truths:

 

To help you to get ready I have put together a list of items that are true about competition and here it goes:

 

  1. When you race the only thing you can control is yourself … nothing else.  So in other words just try your hardest, swim your smartest, listen to your coach’s suggestions, and don’t worry about the other swimmers.  You cannot control what they are going to do.  The more time you think of the negative the more time is going to be added in the negative.

 

  1. The perfect race has never been obtained.  None of the world records that stand today were the perfect race.  They all could have been better.  Take your time now to write down your goals and what it is going to take to obtain them this season (a miracle does not qualify as an answer).

 

  1. Every day is an opportunity.  This means that every day is an opportunity to get better.  Whether it is by working on something in practice such as going the extra few feet off a turn or making sure that you are eating and drinking right.  Every day you can contribute to a great swim by doing something better.  But remember if every day is an opportunity then everyday can be a missed opportunity also… just a little philosophy.

 

  1. Your body has capabilities that far exceed your goals.  Did you know that your body has abilities that are almost unbelievable?  For example there have countless examples of people having strength that was mind boggling.  For example a man was working on his car with his 13 year old son when the car comes crashing down on the man and pins him underneath.  The boy in an effort to save his Dad lifts this 2000 pound car off of him enough that his dad can wiggle out.  The mind’s limits are greater than the body’s.  Why do you think that your imagination was so vivid when you were younger and now is less so… because you have been told so much is not possible.

 

  1. The right diet and hydration will contribute to your success.  Plain and simple- if you put bad fuel into the car the car does not run well.  If you put bad fuel into your body it will not run well either.

 

  1. What if I do good?  That should be the question on your mind just before you swim.  If I do good all sorts of awards will come to me.  The pat on the back from your coaches, the high fives from your friends, the admiration of your competitors.  Let the other swimmers think about the other thing.

 

  1. Seeing is not believing.  Every thing that is worth believing in has not been seen.  Your eyes are the most prejudice organ in your body.  They see things but they cannot feel things.  Do you see the love of your parents, friends, and others… no you feel it.

 

  1. Your mind complicates your swimming.  I read an article several years ago comparing athletic performance to horse racing.  Now all you horse fans don’t get mad at this but horses do not have a highly developed brain.  In fact did you know that most horse racing records were set many years ago?  It is true.  The record time for the Kentucky Derby, Preakness, and the Belmont Stakes are all held by the same horse and set over 30 years ago.  Why?  Because horses are much easier to train than humans.  They can be fed a certain way and deal with training a certain way because they don’t know any better.  They are not worried whether or not if they go fast before a race because they still know that dinner will be still be served. 

 

  1. Your competition is working harder than you.  This always motivated me.  At practice I always visualized that the people I would be racing against were working harder than me.  Every time I felt like taking off I practice I would think of them working their rears off and hence I got in the car and was on my way to practice.

 

  1. Have FUN!  Make sure to know that thinking good thoughts are much more fun than think the other type of thoughts.  Let it flow and have a good time.