Surface tension … 'Imaginary jellyfish are just one part of my mind’s fear menagerie.' Photograph: Visuals Unlimited/Corbis
For those of us who love the sport of open water swimming, along with actual physical AND emotional toughness that is required to master – a huge factor that determines how successful we are is how we all handle FEAR.
Following is an excerpt from an article published recently on www.theguardian.com The Swimming Blog, and is worth the read.
“There’s nothing better (there’s loads better, obviously, but this is a swimming blog) than doing a long swim and getting “in the zone”. You start off concentrating on your catch phase or whatever it is you’re working on, then wake up 10 lengths later to find you’ve been thinking about something else entirely, or nothing. From in the zone, I’ve sorted out problems, played out difficult conversations, sacked some slacking family members and sometimes just drifted. Literally, figuratively, mentally. As soon as you realise you’re in the zone, you’re out of it.
There is one downside to being in the zone: jellyfish. Not actual ones, the imagined ones I sometimes see out of the corner of my eye …
Read the entire article on how to handle fear when open water swimming here
So how do YOU handle fear when open water swimming?
For those of you who struggle with fear, contact me (Shelley Taylor-Smith) and we can discuss how we can master your fear during open water swimming.
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