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Preparation H

At 7 o’clock in the morning I stood on Craigville Beach with 700 hundred other tri-athletes, looking out at the ocean and the crashing waves. I couldn’t get George’s monologue from Seinfeld out my head, “The sea was angry that day my friends, like an old man trying to return soup at a deli!”.

Normally by this point a third of the competitors would already have been in the water warming up. Normally the water is smooth as glass and inviting. Not today. Today we have two to four foot swells and a stiff, onshore breeze whipping up white caps that make the swim more than a little threatening to everyone but the elite athletes.

And, much to my surprise, me. How the heck did that happen?

Into the Way Back Machine

Let’s jump back in time a bit to my last “tri” (note the authentic lingo) at this same beach. That day was beautiful. Bright and sunny. Warm, but not hot. Best of all, no wind, and that means no waves. Calm, clear water stretched across Nantucket Sound. It’s a “Chamber of Commerce” day, the kind that you talk about after your vacation to make your friends envious.

I’m surrounded by the other athletes (and maybe a few mathletes); we’re all excited to get the race started. The swimming leg of the race starts in waves by age group. My age group cheers for each one that starts before us as we move closer to the water’s edge. We joke amongst ourselves, and shake out the nerves. This is a local race and many in my age group are old friends, neighbors and class mates.

It’s our turn now. The race director goes over last-minute instructions, wishes us luck, and blows the horn. We’re off! Thirty weekend warriors hard-charging the surf. The swim start is always chaotic, lots of bumping and banging as everyone jockeys for their preferred angle of attack for the first buoy.

I make it out about chest deep and freeze.

My cohorts zoom ahead. Panic washes over me, I can’t move forward. I’m sure I’ll die if I try and swim today. I can’t do it. I can’t, I won’t. I turn back to the shore and look into the eyes of the next age group waiting on shore, mere feet away. Shame fills me. Crap, I can’t back down now. Someone tell my wife I love her.

Back to the Future

So, here we are, back on the beach, last Saturday. This time, the water is crazy rough and I’m totally ready for it. I’m even giving advice to the people around me that are nervous. What’s the difference today, when you’d think from past experience I’d be home in bed hiding under the covers instead of about to jump in, quite literally over my head?

THRIVE!-tastic Preparation

Last time I avoided serious swim training because I knew I didn’t like it. It made me uncomfortable. I rationalized my lack of preparation by saying it’s only a small part of the race and I could get through it. I was wrong. I wasn’t ready for the challenge and it almost ruined the day for me.

Does this sound familiar to you? Are there any challenges at work or home that you avoid at all cost? Even when it’s the first step to completing things that are important to you? Why do we do that? Why jeopardize our success when a little preparation can pave the way to achievement?

Is short-term comfort really more rewarding than long term success? I don’t think so. I think we anesthetize our pain with short term comforts, and, when we have to face the real challenges, we either run away or re-apply the anesthesia. We can do better. You can do better. You deserve to do better.

Here’s what I did this summer to prepare for the swim.

• I went to the beach. Instead of swimming in the pool at the Y, I found a way to make myself comfortable out by the buoys (special thanks to THRIVE! reader Darcie for the “comfort swim” concept).
• I wore a wet suit. I added it, not because the water is cold, but because it makes you more buoyant. I float easier and therefore swim easier. Work smarter, right?
• I swam with friends. Sharing my goal (Swim without fear) helped me overcome it. Some of my swim buddies have no fear about swimming, others have anxiety that is more extreme than mine. From the fearless, I learned control. With the fearful, I learned to share calm.
• I tested myself in conditions similar to what I’d find on race day. Two days before the race I swam in some nasty swells, almost as bad as the ones on Saturday morning. By successfully testing myself before the challenge, I knew I was ready for it.

Hopefully you can draw some parallels from my experience and apply them to your life. Remember that avoidance doesn’t get the job done and proper preparation will help you face the roadblocks with confidence.

Race you to the buoy?

Coaching Quickie: Preparation H

Check back next week for results!

Last Week's Results

Coaching Quickie: The More the Merrier
What's the biggest group experience you've ever been a part of?

(50%) Thousands - When they invented crowd control, they were thinking of me.
(30%) Hundreds - I've had great times with some great big groups.
(20%) Dozens - I've had some rewarding small group experiences.
(00%) Just me - I've never really felt a part of a bigger team effort.