Happy Wednesday! The week is halfway over. But if you are reading this at night, you should know I only have 1 more full day of class left. Then work time. I mostly do all my homework over the weekends. It gives me to time to relax (or not) over the week.
I feel I kind of left last nights entry in some sort of rant and I probably pressed publish before I fully explained myself. So I’ll try my fullest to do that.
I left swimming last season hating it. I left on a bad note-not PRing (which isn’t really the biggest deal..but when you are the only person on your team not to PR you get shit and I got plenty…whatever.) and having my slowest time since early high school. Yes. EARLY high school. As in 6 years prior. It was enough to make me not love swimming…minus the whole staring at the bottom of the pool for two hours thing. I was pounding yards, just to get them done. I hated the two hours I spent in the pool. I was worn out. It happens and I thought that the about 6 month break I’ve had would rejuvenate me.
Well it hasn’t. I’m leaving swimming right where I ended and I still don’t have very good warm fuzzy feelings with it. I’m not complaining and saying my life stinks or looking for jazzy compliments. I’m just telling you, right now I do not find swimming enjoyable.
Will that change?
Well I certainly hope so. I like my teammates…they are a riot but my two closest friends that have swam throughout my college career have both decided not to swim. I mean I live with Julie but the other one Kelsey, has work overload and doesn’t have time.
Luckily, I have Jenna who is about at the point of enjoying swimming as much as me so we can make it through together. HA. I just realized, we need to take some photos together so the blogging besties can see yo lovely face!
Anywho-
Today wasn’t as bad because I actually got to swim with Jenna, we did our yards and enjoyed chatting. Winning situations. Today’s practice was just a hair under 5000 and pretty damn easy. (So also a plus)
500 warmup
1X(100 breaststroke-100 kick-50 fly-150 kick)
400 breaststroke drills
6X100 kick
7X100 pull with the pull buoy at your ankles
5X200 freestyle
4X225 freestyle
400 cooldown
Total 4900 yards
I said on dailymile, but I’m a senior in college. I senior freestyle distance swimmer. I’m not going to somehow magically go pro and get to the Olympics in Breastroke. My coach accepts that and I kind of frolick in the back of lane during the hour of drills today. It’s beneficial for people that really want to get their breaststrokes in tiptop shape but besides the 400 IM once in a VERY blue moon, I haven’t raced Breastroke in…oh I don’t know 6-7 years.
Well that is my swimming story. I’m off to watch America’s Next Top Model tonight and a possible night run. Anyone else?
Questions for you:
- 1. Something you keep doing even though it’s not your favorite?
- 2. Who do you think will go home tonight on America’s Next Top Model?
- 3. Email me your real girl outfits for Friday! (or Real boy…Yes you Chuck! ;))
I keep coming to work…bhahaha, just kidding. I like work and I’d go nuts without it. If I really truly don’t like something, I just stop doing it, but I think it would be hard in your situation since clearly you are so good at it and it’s been such a big part of your life. Good luck!
I know what you mean about just not loving swimming. I hate it when I’m on a team but I love doing it on my own terms 🙂
Perhaps it’s just a swimming rut… a really long one. And you are amazing at swimming so don’t give up just yet. Maybe not swim competitively anymore and just swim when you want to.
Well as a former swimmer, I can assure you that I completely understand where you are coming from here. When I quit swimming my senior year of high school… I hated it more than words can express (aaa lotttt) and I still have no desire to go back… whoops. I did always mean to though. I think you should do what is best for you… I know I know, same old boring advice you always get. But I really mean it. If swimming makes you want to kill someone then don’t do it, or approach it differently (mentally differently) somehow.
I understand swimming. I left swimming years ago on a not so great note either. I was burnt out and over it. I came back for a little while this last season and didn’t really enjoy it. Idk… I’ll blog all that later. 225 is an awkward length. haha. Well don’t beat yourself up if you hate it and can’t do it anymore – some times the break turns out to be really good. For me, it opened up a large chunk of time where I started in on other hobbies, etc.
i do chores even tho its not my favorite…haha does that count??
I have kind of the same feelings about running right now. I think ever since the marathon, I can’t get back into my running groove and it’s kind of frustrating. I love to do it but now I just feel as though I am forcing myself to run or even exercise for that matter and I’m not happy with it. At all. I feel ya girl.
your running in a cotton tshirt!!!! That doesnt seem like you at all, thats like…something I would do! haha
I understand the burn out. I hope it goes away for you. But 5000 yards, thats pretty impressive!
🙂
I’m going through the exact same thing as you. Last year was a bit of a “recovery year” for me because I had surgery on my foot senior year in high school. But I’m only a sophomore in college- that means I’ve only been training really intensely for a year. My club and high school teams were different. They were more enjoyable. I’ve lost the passion too. I was hoping the same thing as you- 6 months off and I’d be back to normal. I was hoping I’d remember what it feels like to be at home in the water. But so far, I look at it with dread everyday. I also joined the track team in college. My coach wouldn’t let me do cross country due to the overlap (our xc season doesn’t end until Thanksgiving). I love running now. It is what I look forward to most when I wake up in the morning. For me, what’s keeping me going is the racing. I am giving swimming a second chance. I’m doing my best to remember what it feels like to spring off the blocks when the gun goes off; that’s what gets me excited. Maybe you don’t think like that, but it is definitely helping me find the motivation.
Good luck! You’re not the only one going through the swimming burnout 🙂
I have that feeling with swimming right now, I am injured and kind of have to suck it up and deal with it because I have no other way of getting in exercise besides the bike and I feel more of a workout when I swim. I think I would like it more if my local swimming pool was fixed and I did not have to drive thirty minutes out of my way to use the pool after work everyday.
I took 4 years off running! I can’t believe I ever did that. But it turned out to be the best decision I ever made…it allowed me to explore other interests outside of cross country. Now I live and breathe running and get so excited to race 🙂
I’m DVRing ANTM and I can’t wait to watch — no clue who is going home. I didn’t think Brittany was going to go home last week, I liked her!
I have those feelings about running now and then, I just take a break for a while and then get back into it. Sometimes I wonder if I’m just trying to force myself to like it, but I don’t think that is true. I do enjoy it but we all need breaks once in a while, right?
I say do what feels right! If I am dreading something and no I am not enjoying it then it is so not worth it. This happened with me and softball this year. I have been playing since I was 3 and for about 8 years at the elite travel level, but for some reason this year I fell out of love with it and lost my passion for it. So I decided not to play and it was such a great decision! I am so much happier that I was able to use my time and put energy towards things I genuinly enjoy! Ask yourself: why am I swimming? (if you could share the answer I’d love to here!!) Thats what I did with softball and I realized if I kept playing it wouldnt be for me, it would be to keep up this persona I had over the years and it just wasn’t worth it! Hope this helps!!! 🙂
Hmm I’ll have to get my real girl on real soon so I can send you a picture. Anyway, I’m sorry you’re not enjoying swimming – I can really empathize with you because I don’t enjoy it. But I guess it’s not quite the same because I’ve never enjoyed it! I used to play softball and field hockey – but I DREADED it. I only did it because my friends did it. I’m so glad I took the plunge and joined track instead because by golly if I was still out there now… I don’t know if I’d be here now!
Do you really want to keep swimming then? If you don’t still love it, why do it? Are you still in Cross Country? That’s pretty nuts if you’re doing both! (Which I know your are)
I know your answers to the above will be “yes” but just think about why you do it–find a NEW passion for it!
And hahahaha my real boy outfit for friday will be track pants, compression gear, and a T-shirt… long drive to Augusta!
Oh girllll I know exactly how you feel. I got my best time my junior year in high school and used to cry after meets out of frustration for not getting near that time. Senior year though I let my guard down and stopped caring. And dropped two seconds from my best time!
i was a distance swimmer too and totally was there with you and not getting a PR in a distance event since highschool (i swam 4 years at DI).. distance swimming is one of the absolute most taxing things mentally and physically. If you aren’t enjoying swimming then you need to either take a breather or do something else (maybe mid distance/4im?) so you can enjoy it. I’m so willing and happy to chat more if you need an unbiased ear!
Ugh, I’m sorry to hear that about swimming..but I give you major props for pushing through! 🙂 You are a rockstar..for real!
I always think of you whenever I see ANTM- I tend to catch them when I’m at the gym & I’m like…hmm I wonder what Hollie thought of this episode 🙂
Something I still do even though I don’t like it: Actually, this is horrible, but lately I’ve just been so busy that I haven’t had much time to blog..and I hate dreading it…so I just take breaks when I need to.
I hope swimming goes okay. I hope you enjoy it enough to not be miserable during practice/meets! We are totally on the same page! I don’t know WHAT keeps me doing this when I despise it so much…