How the pool feels at morning practice
That tight, nervous feeling you get in your stomach as you approach the blocks
- When your goggles are so tight they give you a headache but they still . .
- When you look slow because you swam the right amount of laps and everyone else didn’t swim the last 50
- The way people look at you when you walk outside in the middle of the cold winter with wet hair
- Complaining about swimming, but defending it with your life when someone else disses it
- When you stretch your arms over your head, you automatically go into streamline
- I’ll have you know that I swam the 400 IM and only cried for 399 yards
- When 4 x 125; 25 kick; 50 drill, 50 swim, reverse IM order, makes perfect sense to you
- Coach: Did you finish warm-down?
Me: Yes
Coach: So it only took you 3 minutes to go a 500?
Me: I guess I just set a world record - When non-swimmers wonder why you still have to drink water at practice
- Swimming for years and still needing your best friend help you with your cap
- Still smelling like chlorine even after you’ve taken a shower for the fifth time
- Having to go out in public with goggle marks
- Dropping a second means the world to you, but to people who don’t swim it’s just a second
- The only sport in which the coach yells at you for breathing
- When it’s time for your worst stroke in practice, and you awkwardly move towards the back of the line
- Knowing that you missed the send-off anyway so you just flip turn and swim faster
- Yes, I am skinny. Yes, I can probably eat more than you can
- Having to explain what is written on your hand the next morning after a meet
- How the pool feels at morning practice
