Anytime, Anywhere

Just read an article on USA Swimming that brought me back to when I swam:

Article Link: http://www.usaswimming.org/DesktopDefault.aspx?TabId=2046&Alias=Rainbow&Lang=en-US

I remember swimming, and at the end of practice my dad allowing us to race off the blocks. We always stuck 25's and 50's as we raced each other. We had this anytime, anywhere mentality about those end of practice races. Most of us guys always thought that we could beat one another.

I also recall one of my teammates telling me what it was like racing me at meets. Brian told me, "It's always scary race you Kacy. We could be at the smallest of swim meets, but you could break out an amazing swim. He told me that it made him never slack off in a race because he didn't want to hear me talk about how I beat him." I think back on that comment, and I know that Brian raced hard at every race because he always wanted to beat me and the other teammates. I'd like to think that I prepared him to know how to race, as he practiced being in that race mode all the time.

I remember training with those guys. I remember coming back after a break of playing basketball, and insisting that I can train with those guys. It hurt like heck to try to keep up and make their intervals, but it made me prepared very quickly to perform again. I always hid how much it hurt because they were working hard, but they weren't hurting. I wanted them to think that I was that fast even after not being in the water. Oh my gosh did it hurt.

Was it a pride thing? Yeah it was. Brian raced fast because he knew that I was ready to race anytime, anywhere. He knew I was stupid enough that I felt like I could beat Lenny Krayzelburg when I was in his circle seeded heat (I didn't even come to close to him though). This same pride came to me when I got back into training after the basketball season.

I think the anytime, anywhere mentality really did pay off. Bad swims happened, and I shook them off pretty easily, but every race was a new race to beat some more people.

Swimmers always be ready to give your best. You never know when it will be your day. Always believe that you can contend anytime, anywhere.