66 Thoughts You Have During the 1650

Athletics – Men's and Women's Swimming, Underwater Action Shots, Chatham County Aquatic Center – Fall 2013 – Photography by Stephanie Krell, courtesy of SCAD DVD and SLEEVE TITLE = Athletics: Swimming, Action Shots #1 (underwater), Fall 2013

Photo Courtesy: Stephanie Krell/SCAD Athletics

By Kelly Lennon, Swimming World College Intern

Originally posted May 29, 2015

We’ve all been there. Whether you’re a distance swimmer or just unfortunate enough to be one of those kids that gets thrown into every event at every meet, you’ve likely swam the mile at some point in your career. Sixty-six laps and 15+ minutes leaves you a lot of time to think, and if you’re anything like me, your train of thought probably goes something like this…

Oooooookay here we go, 66 laps, I can do it, no big deal, just a quick mile.
Don’t take it out too fast!!!
No, seriously slow down, you will die.
Why is everyone else going so fast….
We literally just started
Is this the mile or the 50 what are you people DOING.
Should I pick it up too?
Is that a risk I’m willing to take?
No, no, definitely not.
But I don’t want to get lapped…
EVERYONE SLOW DOWN.
I THOUGHT WE WERE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.
We’re allll in thisss togetherrrr once we know that we are we’re all STARS…
Focus.
But I’m probably fine…right?
No, I’m definitely fine they’ll all crash and I’ll be great.
I’M FINE.
I wonder what everyone else is thinking about.
Are they as tired as I am already?
Based on the way they started out sprinting I would assume so.
Yet everyone is still ahead of me…
They’ll get tired eventually, right?
OK, focus on something else.
This is YOUR race.
Sing a song!
CAUSE I GOT A BLANK SPACE BABY
AND I’LL WRITE YOUR NAME
And I’m bored again.
Wow, I’m also exhausted.
Don’t. Think. About. It.
Aaaaaaand I’m thinking about it.
This is painful.
HALFWAY THERE
Ohhhh living on a prayer take my hand and we’ll make it I swear..
Except we really might not make it
I literally just have to do what I just did one more time.
I could probably do that
Without dying…right?
This isn’t even that bad.
I’m totally cruising.
Practically on autopilot.
I’m also basically already done.
Except I’m in A LOT OF PAIN.
I don’t actually think I’ve ever felt pain like this before.
The last time definitely wasn’t this painful.
Maybe it was and I just blacked out.
I could always stop.
Or do an open turn and get some oxygen.
Is it worse for me to finish and have a bad time or not finish at all?
Which is coach more likely to yell at me for…
If I stay in, I might drown.
If I get out…
Yeah, I’m definitely gonna stay in.
What’s that quote? When you want to stop remember why you started?
Well I only really started because my coach made me, but still!
Just start kicking and kick your way to the finish.
OK, your legs AREN’T working today.
Why are you shaking the counter?
If I could go faster don’t you think I would go faster????
I’m not TRYING to go slow, it’s just HAPPENING.
Almost there, finish strong.
Think about all the food you’re going to eat after this.
Literally, so much food.
And oxygen.
That wasn’t even that bad I could probably do it again. Why is everyone complaining?
THOSE RED BLOCKS ARE SO BEAUTIFUL.

84 Comments

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Michael Amis

8 years ago

If you’re counting for yourself, there’s a whole different set of thoughts.

Kara Lennon

8 years ago

Reply to Michael Amis

I was thinking the same thing….. What lap am I on?? Was that 24 or 26 lol

Michael Amis

8 years ago

Reply to Michael Amis

And do you revert to the lowest lap count you think you may have done? Did I really do a 1650? Maybe just a 1600 (wow! I beat my time!) or 1700 (crap, didn’t feel that fatigued…)

Dist-swimmer

8 years ago

Awesome! I usually have a good song in my mind.

Mary Bressler

8 years ago

This is freaking hilarious.. and so true

Susan Hartley

8 years ago

So true. Also dam I’m hungry

Tom Apter

8 years ago

Open water…. Wait was that a shark? Oh, in a lake! Alligator? ?

Tom Apter

8 years ago

When having to split a lane…. ‘Why ate they taking their half from the middle?’

Sean Doyle

8 years ago

Great article Kelly

Kelly Lennon

8 years ago

Reply to Sean Doyle

Thank you!

Swimming World

8 years ago

Welcome to Swimming World Kelly. Nice Job!

Kelly Lennon

8 years ago

Reply to Swimming World

thank you!! happy to be here 🙂

Yosa

8 years ago

Yes, number 4

Chris Mckay

8 years ago

That’s SO funny. That’s what I thought when I was doing cross country…so much time! Swimmers go thru the same stuff I guess. Good article

Chris Cook

8 years ago

Anneliesse Bruns it’s more like 1-66 just keep swimming just keep swimming, oh my body is numb, well that just means no more pain. And I can go faster. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPETY NOPE NOPE definetly can’t. Them again maybe a little bit at a time, alright here we go feeling good, here it is last lap, hey that’s a person I’m passing cool. Done finally done give me burger now please!

Julie Payne Sparks

8 years ago

I am cracking up – that is so gonna be me!!!!

Eileen Kees

8 years ago

So funny….so true!

Courtney Andrews

8 years ago

This is great! !! I always wondered! !

Aleksandr Sigalus

8 years ago

This is so true!

Angie Diez

8 years ago

Do you think anyone would notice if I skipped 2 laps?

Suzanne Dominguez Riddle

8 years ago

Yep, every single one and then some, each and every time I swam it, lol.

Megan Maloney

8 years ago

So true! But I love the mile.

Ben Van Dyk

8 years ago

As a distance swimmer I never allowed myself to think about pain. I went out a little slow until the midpoint, then looked for the nearest swimmer to pass. After passing, I picked the next swimmer and then the next. Focus on pain and you’re done.

Kelly Lennon

8 years ago

Reply to Ben Van Dyk

Something I’ve learned the hard way!!

Ben Van Dyk

8 years ago

Reply to Ben Van Dyk

Me too!

salvatius

8 years ago

Being a little bit older, this happens to me (more than often) around lap 10 after a little coughing:
*Why do I still keep forgetting to fix my dentures? *