This is why we swim.
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Ready or Not, Ready Enough I didn’t feel ready. Not for the spring water temps. Not for the distance. Not for everything this swim would ask of me. But I went anyway. Because sometimes, waiting to feel “ready” is just another way of hiding. And I could feel myself trying to hide! The weather looked rough. It was Mother’s Day weekend. Despite months of planning, coordinating schedules, and arranging travel to get my crew here, when push came to shove, all I wanted to do was stay home and enjoy…
Do you feel like you’re doing the same thing over and over? I do. With my little swimmers, and my adult swimmers. Humming. Lobster. Books. Spearfish. Streamline. Whale fin. Wing. Over and over and over. But that’s the point. Each time we do it again is a chance to notice something new. To let the body feel a little more. To choose presence over performance. Each stroke becomes an opportunity to meet the moment, rather than rush through it. But in life, I forget. I want instant results. And…
Effort vs. Exchange As the seasons change—with cooler weather, darker days, and at times, water falling out of the sky—I’ve found myself on my rowing machine for movement. (Remember those Zones 4 and 5 I’m chasing to “age gracefully”?) After last week’s 550 yards, I’m reminded there are many ways to build the engine. Rowing, like cycling and running, builds cardiovascular capacity that carries over to the water—which is why I tell triathletes they’ve got it made. Their bike and run training…
When your body says “nope”. I had one of those moments this week where my whole body said nope. I stood in front of the shower—my hand hovering over the faucet, knowing I should turn it to cold. I know the benefits: improved circulation, boosted mood, sharpened alertness, enhanced recovery, and built-up resilience. I’ve done it before. And yet… I didn’t want to. I started wondering: what’s actually happening in those moments when we resist something we know is good for us? Maybe you’ve felt…
The Power of Awareness This week, one of my swimmers said something that got me thinking:“I used to like swimming. Now I love it.” It had all the makings of a testimonial, but what moved me was the subtle shift in language — because words matter. We do this in SwimMastery all the time. I’m sorry, you don’t have a “hand,” because the moment you think hand, your attention goes there and you disconnect from your engine. You send your books away from your feet — not your head — because thinking…
Do you leap or linger? Lately, I’ve been reflecting on thresholds—in part because I’m standing on one myself: a 50-mile swim coming up later this month. It’s the kind of challenge that asks me to show up differently—not just in the water, but in how I prepare, how I rest, how I relate to resistance. And this week, one of my swimmers asked me a question that got me thinking. He was lingering at the edge of the pool, delaying that first plunge, and he asked: “Do you ever take your time getting…
