Did you learn something?

In May I went back to Canada to compete at the Canadian Summer Senior National Championships. I had high hopes for this competition as my season had gone really well in my opinion. My coach and I flew to Quebec City in hopes of making finals on all events and placing in the top eight.
I BLEW IT. I had one of the worst competitions I could ever imagine. It was embarrassing and just horrible. I couldn't get anything right. I struggled with every dive and struggled with myself. My best event was the worst score I had all season. On 3meter I came last, which was extremely hard to handle.

Why? Why did that happen? What did I do so wrong? Those questions I kept asking myself. I couldn’t get over this hurt and wonder. When I went back to practice at the U I was almost scared to talk to my new head swim coach. He really understood and explained that it happens sometimes. He asked me this one question: did you learn something from the experience?

I didn’t have to think too hard about that question. I learned A LOT. I learned that I didn’t train the way I should have leading up to the meet and that future meets I really need to put 110 percent into my training, not 40 percent. I learned that eating the right way and not staying up until 4 a.m. every night doesn’t help. I learned that I need to work on competing on my own; sometimes I may not have my team behind me and I need to learn to control how I’m doing on the board not what everyone else is doing.

I can look back at that meet and still feel some annoyance, but I learned so much more from it than if I would have placed where I wanted to.

A bunch of my teammates are at sectionals. One of our new freshman Kylie texted me today saying she is not swimming the fastest she could. She was upset and mad that she wasn’t hitting any of her times. One of our coaches told her that it was okay and it happens. I kind of told her about my experience. I told her she’s a great swimmer and she knows how fast she can swim. There are some things that may have changed her training schedule and that she just wasn’t to the level she wanted going into the meet. I reminded her of all of that.

When things go extremely wrong, it was a bad day. You know the level you are at and you know how good you can be. Sometimes for a short time other things may be a bit more important, and you just have to find that balance. You have to decide what is more important. For my meet I decided hanging out with friends and not practicing was more important. For the future I know when it comes down to it my training, my sleep and the way I am eating will help me succeed.

-Kersten xo.