Swim Team Goes to the Lake

You may remember that back in September I competed in an open-water swim up in Otavalo. And if you read the post, you’ll recall that it was quite the harrowing experience for me. Well, this weekend my coaching partner and I did it again, but this time we took our swim team!

My coaching partner explained that every year the swim team used to take this weekend trip together, and that swimming the lake became not only a highly anticipated event for the team each year, but also a rite of passage. For whatever reason this tradition discontinued and the trip had not been made in some many years. Our school was a little sketched out about the liability concern (and I can’t say that I blame them), so we made this an “unofficial” team trip. Parents had to make all their own arrangements and provide their own transportation. So after much planning and preparation, we had 9 swimmers from our team of 21 that decided they would go swim the lake with us.

Warm-Ups

We stayed overnight in a hotel on the edge of the lake and hired two boats to follow us and, if needed, haul a swimmer out of the water. I’ll remind you that the water is a chilly 18 degrees C (or 65 F). We held a meeting the night before in the hotel restaurant with all the swimmers and their parents, assuring them that their children’s’ safety was our top concern, and how this was going to be a little scary – for the swimmers to swim and the parents to watch. We explained that due to months of training, this challenge was not going to be a matter of physical endurance – because our swimmers had that, but rather this was going to challenge them mentally – to fight through the shock of the cold water and to get over the fear of swimming in open-water. At this point we noticed some of our swimmers’ smiles gradually change to looks of concern. After all the questions from parents were answered and we had sufficiently scared the daylights out of students, we went to bed.

Time to Get Ready!

We met in the parking lot at 6:30 am for some light exercise and warm ups and then we loaded up into the boats – parents on one boat, swimmers on the other. My partner and I had already divided the swimmers into 2 groups. One group would swim a full 3,000 meters and the second group would swim 2,200. Her husband was going to swim with the first group, and she and I were going to swim with the second group. (So yes, this means I had to swim in that ice cold lake AGAIN!)

Off You Go!

The boat took us out to the desired distance and then we all jumped in and started swimming! Immediately there were two kids who started panicking and wanted to get out but we wouldn’t let them. Remember – this is going to take mental toughness, we told them. We’re not going to let you drown, but we’re not going to let you quit, either. So together, spread out in groups of two and three, we started swimming across the lake. My partner and I had the task of swimming back and forth in between the groups and shouting words of encouragement to our swimmers. And if just treading water and obsessively doing head counts of swim caps won’t tire you out enough, try having to coax along a reluctant swimmer as well. No easy feat!

Braving the Cold Water

Remember that scene in Titanic when Rose and Jack are clinging to a piece of flotsam and they are slowly going into shock from hypothermia but they are professing their undying love for each other? It was sort of like that. I’ll never let go, Jack!

Push through the Cold and Fear of Lake Monsters!

Finally, after about an hour of swimming we all reached the shore. It was a little hilarious when some of the girls got tangled up in some algae and started screaming their heads off. I would be lying if I said their own parents weren’t laughing at their histrionics. Next, we were shuttled out to the big boat where we were welcomed by proud parents, warm clothes, and jugs of cinnamon water and hot chocolate.

Approaching the Finish Line

I was so proud of our kids to be able to complete this challenge. I’m sure at one point or another they all wanted to quit. And I saw the looks of strain and concern on all of their faces at one point or another during the swim, but they did it and they did it together and it was such a cool thing to be a part of.

We received so much love and gratitude from the parents. They really understood what we were trying to teach their children with this experience – about grit and toughness and perseverance. One girl even said that it was “the best day of her life.” And I hope this can once again become a regular tradition for the swim team here as I believe it was an invaluable experience for all of those who did it, myself included.

VICTORY!!!