The magic of swimming

· by · in Allgemein, swimming. ·

Since I have to be more into swimming now, I’m constantly searching for a motivation, a spark for a fire within me or just a sense in any way.

In cycling I have this absolute freedom. I can ride miles without seeing a person. I’m alone with me and my thoughts and I can ride away from all the stress in my life. I love this silence on the street.

Swimming doesn’t have that. The pool is always full and I’m only swimming up and down, up and down, up and down. I don’t move forward. It just doesn’t make sense.

But then again it’s this abstinence of sense, where the magic happens for me … it doesn’t make sense, but I want to do it. It’s for me. I’m doing this purely and only for me. That’s my magic of swimming.

What is the magic of your sport?

9 responses to “The magic of swimming”

  1. I’d always had dreadful coordination and balance, so was never particularly ‘sporty’, yet ‘activities’ and especially a outdoor, challenging ones (preferably with mud and wetness chucked in somewhere) gave me space to shut out the world and feel whole as a person without external interference. Quite out of character, about 7 years ago, I joined a local boot camp group and loved it. I learned a self discipline which gave me respect and understanding of ‘exercise’. I regressed quite a bit after illness but slowly regained some pace; walking and then chanced on yoga which required all the focus I could muster! It’s helped me enormously and I developed coordination enough to be able to swim. I’ve now begun a cycling group for autistic adults and we’re wobbling less, gaining confidence and meeting our individual challenges. Coincidentally a few of us practice yoga. But I think it’s creating your own space and personal challenges that brings together the elements that produce the magic. It’s on your own terms and not the expectations of others. And you’re right – it is magic.

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  2. I have grown to love the swim….especially when it moved from the pool to open water. Open water is where you’ll find your fire and freedom and peace. It’s become my favorite part of the tri training.
    I didn’t feel “the magic” until we went from swimming in a controlled environment of the Finger Lakes to a rough, wavy day in Lake Ontario. Magic!!!

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  3. I’m a bit fortunate I can swim at times that are a bit quieter. I’m not a fan of pool swimming at all (but my back dictates I must do it) but I know if I can just get in a zone where it’s solo and peaceful, the time can go by much more quickly. Thank goodness for watches that can count laps, though – 2,000 metres in a 25 metre pool, there’s no way I can count to 80…

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  4. Just read this but I can identify with the ride feelings. I sometimes go out at 4am and it’s the perfect time for me. Just started triathlons and I’m exactly the same about the swim too. First pool session today as I normal swim OW and I remember thinking how boring it was, up and down, then the tranquility of it hit me and I started to enjoy it. Good post.

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  5. Totally understand your dislike of crowded pools and how boring the up and down can feel. When I was swimming (had to stop because of the chlorine; saltwater pools are hard to find where I’ve lived), I could do a full mile but regularly did just a half because the full was such a drag. What I loved about it, though, was the sense of whole-body coordination, how limber and stretched-out I felt from head to toe, and how refreshed I felt afterward. Swim on!

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