Patient Missy Franklin Eyes Strong Return At Nationals

Jan 16, 2016; Austin, TX, USA; Missy Franklin before competing in the women's 200 meter free final during the 2016 Arena Pro Swim Series at Lee & Joe Jamail Texas Swimming Center. Mandatory Credit: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

Missy Franklin. Photo Courtesy: Soobum Im-USA TODAY Sports

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By Dan D’Addona.

Missy Franklin stepped up to the blocks and felt an unusual sense of calm.

It didn’t matter that it was her first meet in nearly two years. It didn’t matter that she was competing in France with fewer familiar faces. What mattered is that she was back.

“This whole process has been so humbling and has taught me so much about patience, and that was something I think God realized I needed a lot of growth in that area. It has not been easy at times. But to realize that being back and racing again was the best thing that could have come out of those two weeks,” Franklin said of her return at the Mare Nostrum Series.

“It was awesome. I expected to be a lot more nervous than I was for my first race. I was very calm, which I really wasn’t anticipating. I was so calm. It was so weird. I honestly had no idea what to expect, and I have really never been in that situation before.

“It is fairly safe to say, a lot of elite athletes will have somewhat of an idea where they will be in competition but I really had no clue. But I think taking it like that is what made me so calm. I was expecting to be a bundle of nerves. But I was fine. I hopped up on the blocks, then it was just another 200 freestyle. I was excited to look up and see what numbers would be on the board. But that was the whole intention of why Jack (Bauerle) and I wanted that to be my first meet back. That series of meets is so relaxed. The atmosphere is so chill, but you still get great competition. It was nice to be a little away from everything and not feel like there were so many eyes on me when I got back in.”

All eyes will be on Franklin this week, however, as she competes in the U.S. national championships in Irvine, California, her first major meet since the 2016 Rio Olympics.

“Obviously, my goal is to make the team. I am trying to be as prepared as I can be. This summer is really difficult in that it doesn’t just qualify us for this summer, it qualifies us for next summer, too,” Franklin said.

“That is hard for me with where I am right now. I am a different swimmer now than I was six months ago, and I am going to be a different swimmer in a year from now. I have come truly so far and I am so proud of that. I have done everything I could have possibly done the past seven months to be at my best for nationals. That is the mentality I am going into it with. I am going to go out there and race my heart out and, hopefully, that puts me on a team.”

A year ago, Franklin wasn’t even sure if she would be back in the pool at all. The five-time Olympic gold medalist had undergone two shoulder surgeries and was in a battle with depression. Either one of those factors could have easily ended her career, but Franklin battled back.

It wasn’t easy. The most difficult thing was admitting there was a problem because without identifying the problem, it is impossible to find a solution.

“The most impactful and influential moment for me was realizing that I was in control of my own life. It took a lot of work for me to get to that realization with therapy, friend talk, family — but coming to the realization that I am in control. I think for a long time I felt like I wasn’t in control, which was a huge factor in leading me to feel so lost and so anxious. I felt like all of this was happening TO me,” Franklin said.

“I will never forget the day in therapy where I finally told my therapist I wasn’t happy here. She said she had been waiting for me to say that since the first day I walked into her office. Now I can do something about it. That was huge for me.”

Admitting she was unhappy in California, led to part of the solution — moving to Georgia.

“Me choosing to leave California and go to Georgia was the first major decision I made under that assumption that I am in control. That was huge for me. That took so many months of thinking about it and being honest with myself,” she said. “Part of what makes decisions that are best for you so hard is how it affects other people around you. I couldn’t come to terms being unhappy in Berkeley because I didn’t want that to have a negative impact on Dave or the guys or the team or my friends. I didn’t want anyone to think it was because of them.

“One of my most profound moments that I remember with (Jack) is one of the huge reasons I came down to Georgia. He has supported me at every single point in my career since he was my first national team coach at age 13, even when I chose not to come to Georgia. He was the hardest person to call and tell them you chose somewhere else because he has that father figure. I remember him saying he was so disappointed I didn’t choose Georgia but if I ever needed anything he would be there to support me. That is a true gentleman, who cares more about the person than the athlete. That is just so special. He has been by my side and never once made me feel like he didn’t have my back. Being here and watching our relationship grow the past six months has been so special.”

And painful.

“He has kicked my butt for the past six months,” Franklin said, bursting into laughter. “I didn’t realize how much I needed it until I got here. I had never really done this kind of training. It is definitely more volume than I am used to. But it has been really cool to see how my body has adapted to it. I have been loving every second of being here. Melanie Margalis got back from a meet in Austin and she came up and told me she needed to apologize for something. She said one of the reporters asked her how I was doing and how I looked and she said I looked tired. I died laughing. That couldn’t be more truthful.”

The training led to the Mare Nostrum Series where she got her first taste of competition.

Her first race back, she finished ninth in the 200 free prelims in France, finishing in 2:00.51. She then won the B final in a much-faster 1:58.91. Franklin then made the 200 back final and finished sixth in 2:13.14. On the second day, she took 12th in the 100 free in 56.32 and also finished 18th in the 100 back prelims (1:03.48). Moving on to Spain, Franklin scratched the 100 back and competed again in the 200 free, finishing fifth in 1:59.25. In her last stop in Monaco, Franklin earned her highest finish, taking third in the 200 free in 2:00.36.

The unique format of the series helped Franklin find a bit of a groove in the water, something she hadn’t felt since before Rio.

“The racing is so close together with meets back-to-back-to back like that. You swim a race and immediately you are able to asses and are able to make those adjustments almost real time because you swim the same race again in four days. It was really cool to see the progression throughout the three stops,” she said.

“At first, I was a little hesitant just getting back into racing. I was a little too much in my head about race strategy but by Monaco I was a lot better at just getting up and racing. That is the part I enjoy. It was cool to see my progression throughout the three stops. I don’t think there could have been a better way for me to get back into racing.”

But initially, Franklin wasn’t pleased with her performances, especially with nationals just a month away.

“I was really hard on myself. I wasn’t really happy with any of my races at those three stops. I had to have quite a few conversations with Jack about being patient with the process. Jack has helped me so much with that. During the actual meet, I was pretty unhappy. I think my 200 free was my best event by far. It was very evident that my backstroke still has a very long way to go,” she said.

That long way to go is what keeps Franklin focused on the future, mainly Tokyo in 2020.

“My goal is 2020 for sure. That is kind of the end goal for me. That has been a little tough because I am not used to saying the Olympics is my end-all goal. I usually take everything day by day. But I have had to rework that to be more patient and realize it is a process and might take a while,” she said. “I may not be right there right now, but I really believe I can be there in two years. So working toward that gives me motivation. That helps with the day to day. It feels like you have a long way to go, but you also know you have the time and support to get there.”

Meanwhile, Franklin is hoping her struggles with anxiety and depression show young athletes that situations like that can happen to anyone. Just having the conversation about it is a huge first step for many people.

“It has been a huge force of inspiration for me. I feel like a lot of people look at Olympic athletes as something other than human almost. We are put onto this pedestal of being able to achieve these things, but along with that, there is the assumption that we don’t feel the same emotions, which couldn’t be further from the truth. When we are able to be vulnerable and open, it creates a space for those feelings to become OK,” Franklin said.

“The first time I really talked about it was at the LEAD Summit last fall. The response I got from the girls there was so amazing. Some of them were so shameful of the feelings they shared, even if it wasn’t exactly on the same level. They would get anxious before their races. They had no idea we got nervous, too. When you are open and talk about these feelings, they don’t become good and bad, they just become feelings and we can talk about what we do to then make them something positive.

“The more we are open about it and talk about it, the more it becomes OK — and when it becomes OK, it takes away so much of its power over you. That is the biggest thing. We are going to experience so many times of hardship and suffering and we are going to grow so much from it. But we have that control and are able to make the decisions right for us, and the people who truly love us, are going to help and support that, whatever it takes.”

Bauerle is looking forward to seeing that fire from Franklin in a big-meet setting.

“It’s been a tough road getting back, particularly on the physical side but Missy has slowly made a lot of progress. She’s happy being in the pool and did a perfect job with classes these past semesters. Missy’s a great person and I hope we’ve been as good for her as she has been for our team,” Bauerle said. “She is good for everyone in the pool. Right now we are happy to race again. We are taking this step-by-step and Missy is excited to race this week. Heck, I’m excited to see her race. Will it be perfect according to other people’s expectations? Who knows? But, Missy literally is getting better every month.”

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16 Comments

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Bob McKeon

5 years ago

I hope so

Karen A Hayes

5 years ago

You GO Missy!

Mark Schwartz

5 years ago

I hope that Missy realizes how much she is loved and how much we all support her.

Teri Mortimer Lavo

5 years ago

Good luck Missy no matter what the outcome

Kristi Mustard Tully

5 years ago

You deserve it!

Gabby Trotter

5 years ago

Madi Wills have a read

Madi Wills

5 years ago

Reply to Gabby Trotter

wow

Madi Wills

5 years ago

Reply to Gabby Trotter

i actually love it

Gabby Trotter

5 years ago

Reply to Gabby Trotter

Good

Hamza AbdelGawad

5 years ago

Go Missy go. You can and you will do it.

Tammy Allen Smith

5 years ago

Go missy go!

Anonymous

5 years ago

Yeah Missy!?

Your biggest Canadian fan

5 years ago

Good luck Missy-I hope that the meet is a good experience and gets you back into your groove–I am rooting for you!!

Sandy Thatcher

5 years ago

You have a lot of supporters, Missy, and win or lose we will still love you for all that you have contributed to our sport. I’m turning 75 in another week and am still competing. I hope you will be too at that age. Anyway, a lot of us here at Texas Ford Aquatics in Frisco, TX, will be cheering for you. (I’m a Facebook friend of your Cal assistant coach Kristen Cunnane and helping her with the book she has written.)

Alexander B Gallant

5 years ago

Have a good swim!

Gigi I. Broadway

5 years ago

GO girl!!!