Encouragement

It was mid-February. I was well into my third month of training for my first

triathlon. There had been some hiccups along the way. Of course, there were

the holidays. Worse still, I had been suffering from a respiratory ailment that

always seemed to rear it’s ugly head when I would get into the pool. After

several weeks of fitful training starts I had finally settled into a routine. I was

feeling better but I had also lost some training time and I felt that my swimming

was woefully behind schedule.

I arrived at the pool as I had done on previous Saturdays. I was there as the

doors opened. I shuffled into the indoor pool ready to begin my workout. I was

confronted with a bulkhead that no longer separated the pool into two 25-meter

segments. Instead, the bulkhead had been pushed to the end in order to create

one long 50-meter segment. This long course was done in order to help

swimmers prepare for the upcoming open-water swim season. I however saw

this long course as a huge mental obstacle to overcome in my swim training.

When I began swimming it should be noted that I struggled to complete a simple

25-meter lap without gasping for air. The master’s swim sessions I participated

in left me physically feeling nauseated and rather discouraged. My confidence

level with swimming was at an all time low. The simple addition of 25-meters to a

lap seemed like the last straw being dropped on an already overloaded camel.

Sighing, I got in the pool and slogged through my workout. The workout was

relatively easy – just 500 meters, which in training terms for a swimmer is a

pittance. However, it might as well have been the English Channel as far as I

was concerned. I got out of the pool tired, defeated, and questioning whether or

not I’d be able to accomplish my goal much less finish my first triathlon which

would occur in just over a month.

I remember standing under the warm water of the shower in the locker room after

my swim session. As the water streamed down my body I seriously thought

about giving up on my goal and just saying to hell with it all. The anger and

embarrassment I felt was palpable. I wasn’t making progress and I felt like my

swim fitness was atrocious. I was at low ebb mentally and emotionally.

I came out of the shower and was greeted by Robert, an ultra-distance runner

who, like me, came to swim early on Saturday mornings. We had seen each

other often enough to be friendly and engage in conversation. “What did you

think of the long course?” he asked me. Rather than give him some superficial

and pat answer for some reason I ended up spilling out the emotions flowing

through me. Robert quietly listened and then he offered me a couple of pointers

to try with my next swim session. He also offered suggestions on what I could do

to improve my form (mainly keeping my head down and pushing my chest down

in the water so my legs would come up closer to the surface). He ended by

encouraging me to keep working hard and doing my best. With that he pulled on

his bike kit, threw his backpack over his shoulder, and headed out the door

whistling a jaunty tune.

It wasn’t much but those words and that brief time spent with me as I look back

was probably what kept me going and recommitted myself to that goal. Coming

from a person such as Robert, an experienced athlete meant a lot. I took some

of what he said, applied it to my swimming, and began to see some small

improvements. It made me realize that even though this was my personal goal

and my journey that every so often I needed to be willing to look to others to

assist me on my journey.

When undertaking a goal that involves a certain amount of training it is important

to realize that there will be times of improvements and then there will be times

where things plateau, and even regress a bit. There will be days where things

don’t seem to come together and others when you feel that you’re the king of the

world. On the days things aren’t working out perhaps it’s best to take a step

back. Think about what you’ve eaten, determine how many hours you are

sleeping, and see if there are other stressors that may factor into poor

performance or the feeling of fatigue. Sometimes it may simply be getting into a

rut and needing to mix things up a bit in your training program to get things to fall

into place.

One of the benefits of having a good coach is that they are able to analyze your

training and make adjustments. They provide an ear for questions and can ease

nerves when self-doubt creeps into the psyche. They are able to see the big

picture and look for patterns that may not easily reveal themselves to someone

who is just beginning a training regimen. If a coach is not an option then perhaps

seek out a mentor or someone with experience. Sometimes it may simply mean

striking up a conversation with someone you’ve often seen at the track, on the

road, or at the pool.

I learned that day in February a good lesson. Sometimes we need just a bit of

encouragement to get over the hump. It is ok to seek out and ask for assistance

and guidance from others. After that day I also discovered that it ok to

encourage others as they work toward their goals. In doing so I just might be

helping others continue on their path towards reaching their goal. It also think in

doing so it reminds me of the goal I have set for myself. Several months after

our conversation I had the opportunity to share a beer with Robert and thank him

for those simple words of encouragement. Had I not heard those words and kept

going I’m not sure I would have accomplished my goals or be where I am today.