Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.
-- Omar N. Bradley

Saturday, May 25, 2013

Open Water Swim...Current 1, TriMom 0

Being defeated is often a temporary condition.  Giving up is what makes it permanent. -- Marilyn vos Savant

Another open water swim...another failure.  The current was strong again, and I ended up behind the start line.  I panicked.  I couldn't make forward progress.  And I gave up.

Not forever.  But for the evening.  The problem is -- I need to have an OWS success pretty soon, or it's going to feel permanent.  I'm not sure I'm ever NOT going to feel defeated if I manage to have a good outing.  Hubby says it's all in my head (or most of it).  I'm not so sure - the current was strong again and I'm a weak swimmer.  I really truly couldn't make progress.  And then I panicked.

OK - yes, the panic is in my head, but the current pushing me down river away from everyone (including the safety kayaks and the instructor) was NOT in my head.  I felt like I was swimming, but apparently not strong enough to keep up with the current.  I wouldn't even mind a swimming "treadmill" - making no progress - but I got nervous when I sighted and realized how far upriver I had started.  (We are supposed to swim upriver and then come back down river.  I never made it past the dock we left from...

I'm not giving up.  But it is getting harder - and we're going on vacation soon, so my OWS opportunities will be nil for a few weeks.  I know next time it will be even harder - but somehow I have to get over this.



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