Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Becoming a Master

This quote was brought to my attention today:

"God's gifts put man's best dreams to shame".  ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I think this means that we have no clue what we are REALLY capable of.

As I sit here getting ready to go to my first masters swim ever, I am feeling a loss of confidence. Wouldn't it just be easier to keep swimming on my own and not bother with this shit?

Then I have to remember that you never get anywhere by dropping out of life because you have fears and insecurities. I know to grow stronger for my half ironman I need to become a stronger swimmer and I can’t do that on my own.

What is a masters swim, you ask? Apparently, it is this:

Masters swimming is a special class of competitive swimming for swimmers 25 years or older.  Most towns or cities now have masters clubs. Typically these are very friendly and welcome newcomers. Club members will follow a set of different drills and swims each time typically covering anything from 1-3 miles. Each club will have lanes and so whilst the younger and faster swimmers who are competing nationally and regionally are at one end, the other lanes are for hobbyists who may have taken up swimming quite recently.

I really like the part about how they are friendly to newcomers and how I can have my own lane if I am slow. I also like how they use the term “whilst.” You don’t hear this every day so this must be a very classy group.

Things swirling in my head: These master’s people will all be better than me. They will make fun of me. I will drown. I will hit my head on the flip turn. I might get my period.

Bottom line fear: I will fail.

Oh, is that it? I might fail? At what? Not being the fastest or the most skilled? Big deal. Who am I trying to impress anyway?

Interesting how we psych ourselves out when we get ready to try new things. Maybe wearing my underwear will intimidate them all.

bethsuit

Or, perhaps I will just demonstrate my technique whilst laying on the carpet.

bethswimming

What are you doing that scares you (makes you grow, be better today)?

SUAR

34 comments:

  1. Good luck swimming with the masters team! I wish I had a team nearby to swim with

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is kind of a daily thing, because I am afraid of... well... everything.

    Most recenltly, I set up a slack line (a thin piece of webbing stretched between two trees that you try to balance on) over the weekend It's my new favorite thing.

    Maybe I can try rock climbing next.

    ReplyDelete
  3. LOL... I seriously need to get my eyes checked! I thought that bottom line fear was "i will FALL"!!! I was wondering why the heck you were worried about falling in the pool! But you're not going to fail... what is there to fail at? You just go and do what you do :) And about the period..You won't bleed in the pool... it might happen when you get out, but there is something about being in the water... Okay, I'm full of shit. It might happen... but who cares? Nothing no one's never seen before, right?

    And 'whilst'...It is an awesome and CLASSY word, you are right!

    Tomorrow I am going to ride my bike. That scares the crap outta me. Falling hurts... and I tend to fall off my bike just getting on the dang thing!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Ooh, good luck with the masters! It will be challenging, but I bet you'll love it!

    ReplyDelete
  5. nothing.

    Don't panic. They are typically chill people. Only thing scary is trying to keep up with all the good swimmers. Don't try and race them either because you will not last the workout ;)

    I didn't sign up for masters for my IM training because I am pretty diligent on my own training wise and they don't have lessons as close as our recreation center pool. All comes down to timing for me.

    Hope you enjoy it. Pace yourself in the pool, those sessions can get long!

    ReplyDelete
  6. It sounds silly, but I joined a band. I was terrified to audition and even more so to get up and sing for that first gig a few months back. I still get butterflies and the sudden desire to pee myself, but I also have a lot of fun. Its something I never thought I'd get the balls to do.

    ReplyDelete
  7. are you taking Coach Robert's noon session? Good luck - I hope to be ready for beginning masters this fall. I look forward to hearing about your experience.

    JessicaH

    ReplyDelete
  8. JH - I am going at noon, so guess that's who it is. No clue! I'll let you know how it goes.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Good luck! I would be really scared to do a masters group so I'm looking forward to how it goes for you.
    I'm pretty scared of riding in traffic with clipless pedals, but am trying to do it more often to overcome that fear.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I think I needed to read this today, so thank you for posting. I am faced with a tough decision right now - I've been given a pretty cool opportunity, but I AM AFRAID OF FAILING. What am I am the slowest? What if I am the heaviest? What if they don't think it's funny that sometimes I have to poop in the bushes? Anyway, will post details in due time but thanks for the nudge.

    Good luck at Masters!!

    ReplyDelete
  11. I am considering joining a bike group. AFter I consider learning how to change a flat.
    Maybe.

    Well now I am also considering a master's class. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  12. The Masters will be great! I would LOVE to swim with a masters team but we live so damn far from any team, that plus the cost to drive 40+miles round trip.. sigh.........

    ReplyDelete
  13. Mater's swimming will improve your overall swimming so you'l ldo better when you're on your own.

    PS I'm completely fearless.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I'm reading your blog. Sometimes THAT scares me...;)

    Aren't you the one who reminds us to run our own race? So, swim your own class. I thought of that logic whilst running my first race. I wasn't running the 20-somethings race - I was running my own 39-year-old first-timer race. I was s-l-o-w but I owned it. You will, too. Go!

    ReplyDelete
  15. Woohoo, have fun at the masters swim class! Seriously, it's about as intimidating as a wet puppy. For realz. I took a masters class last semester, and was crazy nervous going into it, but by day 3 it felt like no big deal and I wasn't nervous walking onto the pool deck. It's like being part of a team. Which makes it impossible to be a slacker. I got a lot out of the class!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Funniest picture I've seen all day! Thanks for the laugh! :)

    ReplyDelete
  17. Love the fancy definition! Have a good time, masters is not as scary as everyone thinks it will be... we really are a friendly bunch whilst in the pool :) There can be some who are super fast and super intimidating but just show them your rug burns from practicing your technique and you will win them over!

    ReplyDelete
  18. going out there and meeting new people. i get wayyyyyyyyyyy nervous/anxious when i talk to new peeps and lately i've been trying to be a social butterfly :)

    ReplyDelete
  19. I am planning on signing up for the South Beach Tri next spring and will be making the master's swim class a part of my winter training. I am not a swimmer and don't have a clue where to even begin learning- I figure this is a good place to start. I am terrified! The South Beach Tri is obviously in the ocean- so I now refer to myself as "shark bait" :O

    ReplyDelete
  20. Can't you turbo charge your swim speed by letting a couple of farts rip? Gas propulsion may just be the answer you're looking for....

    ReplyDelete
  21. Does this mean I must now call you Master Suar?...yes Master.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Just joined a running club and I am sooo nervous about being the slowest! I know I can run, just not very fast! I guess the key to it all is just to have fun.....go to the Master's swim and just have fun.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I sent in my registration for the Seattle Half Marathon today! My goal for this year was to run my first half marathon and I ended up signing up for two. Since I'm just a novice runner, I'm pushing myself past the excuses not to. Plus, the first half marathon hands out champagne and chocolate when you finish! The other thing I'm doing that's scary is training for said half (the first is in 7 weeks, the second in November). I still have little idea what I'm doing, but reading a lot and looking through lots of training plans.

    Thanks for the funny motivation and inspiration!

    ReplyDelete
  24. YOu'll love master's and they are friendly people, for the most part. Getting out of our comfort zone is what helps us grow.

    ReplyDelete
  25. I had a good laugh with u swimming on the carpet

    ReplyDelete
  26. Good luck today!! They will love you I bet.. Look forward to hearing about this new experience!

    Thing that scares me:
    I am signing up for a half tri this October. I am afraid to do this because I am a big girl.. Whilst (seems to be the word of the day ;)) reading the site I saw they have a "special" category for women 150 pounds or greater called "Athena". Yeah.. I am 60 pounds heavier than 150 pounds so... However, I know I can bike slow, run slow, and doggy paddle - just those skills alone will get me through the race. I plan to train up a bit though so hopefully I won't have to doggy paddle those 1.2 miles.
    I am still scared.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Great quote, and that is totally it. When we use faith as our motivator, it is amazing what the body can do. I am constantly in a mind over matter game. I know I can run farther, be stronger, go faster but my mind likes to tempt me into stopping. Thanks for the motivation!

    www.myabcsoup.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  28. Good job pushing through fears--I totally feel you on the scariness of going to something new. I was the same way when joining the local running club in town. Cant wait to hear how it goes!

    ReplyDelete
  29. Good luck! ::giggles at the undies::

    ReplyDelete
  30. Masters swim scares the crap out of me. Up here they are super fast, and super competitive. I could mostly keep up as long as they were doing freestyle. Backstroke would be slow but at least they'd recognize the stoke. Breast stroke and the kick drills would be humiliating. There wouldn't be a lane slow enough, and they'd have to arrange for a special closing time. Butterfly only works if I'm wearing fins.

    Have fun and tell us how it goes.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Good luck! I'm signing up to learn to surf. I'm scared, but I'm gonna do it anyway! I'm also going to learn to play the trumpet - which is scary for everyone else in my house.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I'm training for my first marathon - and haven't had a good run in 16 days. THAT scares me! It's in 44 days!

    I'm scared to death of the thought of running for over 4 hours (because YES I am slow).

    ReplyDelete
  33. Boy, did I need to read THIS! I've been procrastinating on signing up for my first half marathon in October. Been training for four weeks, but there's something about committing via registration form and paying that fee that scares the bejeebers outta me. But I'm doing it . . . RIGHT NOW. Thanks for the encouragement (and the laughs)!! Good luck with the swim!

    ReplyDelete
  34. You are not boring....I love your blog...you crack me up.....and you are by far the best indoor waterless swimmer I have ever seen!

    ReplyDelete