Swimming
The One Lane Race
I only focus on what I can control
By Dylan Becker
It’s not like I hate losing.
But I just love the feeling of winning.
I was constantly working hard, barely getting any breaks.
Staying motivated, chasing the one thing that every athlete dreams of.
Being the best.
Although, that’s not always realistic.
From the end of middle school to a sophomore in high school, I was in a slump. I couldn’t find a reason to really work hard. I would normally just go through the motions. Swimming up and down the pool repeatedly.
Looking at the clock to see how much longer practice was going to be.
I would still work hard, just not pushing the limits of my potential.
It wasn’t until I got a wake-up call from those around me.
The people I would normally beat with ease were suddenly catching me. Instead of getting top 3 in local meets, I was outside the top 10. I was still earning personal best times, yet everyone else was improving rapidly.
I was not.
My dad played a huge role in finding ways to motivate me, whether I liked it or not at the age of 15. I hated being told what I needed to do, as I thought I had it all under control.
That summer, my dad critiqued everything I did, whether it was something I told him about during practice or something I chose to eat at home.
As the summer ended, I was in great shape.
Finally, back to where I needed to be.
At my meets, I improved on all my times significantly. Beating the people I was supposed to beat, and even some that I didn’t think I could beat.
It was at this meet when I realized why I love competing and why I love this sport. I loved to win. That feeling of being on cloud nine is what I train all year for.
This was when I knew I was special.
I used to think sports was all about cruising. Just getting by. Until I realized the power of competition and being pushed beyond the limits I drew for myself.
The only difference between me now and in the past is now I believe I am limitless.
I went on to be selected to go to the National Select Camp in the winter of 2018, where I was among 48 of the top upcoming swimmers in the country. In the spring of 2019, I competed at Open Water Nationals and Junior Nationals. I placed well in the National 10k and 5k and won the Junior National 5k, which was my first national medal. That summer, I competed at NCSA Summer Championships in Indianapolis, in which I won the 800- and 1500-meter freestyle. These times qualified me for the Olympic Trials and eventually, a role on the National Junior Team.
Yet, this doesn’t just come overnight.
I didn’t just wake up one day and say hey I can’t be stopped.
There has to be consistency in training and everyday life.
Waking up in the morning before school, putting in work. After school, putting in more work. Even when you don’t feel good, or are tired from the day before. Pushing yourself to the limit every day. But everyone knows that.
The difference between those who make it in my field vs. not is those who can hold out the longest.
There’s a quote I love from the Bible. Galatians 6:9 says “Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest if we do not give up.”
As thrilled as I am to have accomplished so much, I know that this is only the beginning.
Every time I jump in that pool, I feel like I’m destined to do something great. I can’t explain it.
Although, I couldn’t have done any of this without the support of my family and my friends, as they support me through everything and I couldn’t be more grateful.
I truly believe that hard work beats talent when talent doesn’t work hard.
For me, setting goals that were both short-term and long-term helped me stay on that path toward success without losing motivation.
And most importantly, a little patience.
You can’t expect to reach the final destination without knowing what the journey ahead looks like. Setting these checkpoints makes your final goal seem a little less daunting.
Swimming is a very analytical and individualistic sport.
Whether you are someone who focuses on a race that finishes in less than 20 seconds, or close to 15 minutes, you are picking out the smallest details to help yourself get better. Reaction time, stroke counts, breathing patterns, hand and arm position, kick tempo.
There is a never-ending list of things that you can look at and try to master.
Yet at the same time, you have to figure out what works best for you.
Everyone is built differently and what works for them, might not work for you. That brings about the individual aspect of swimming and style in all things.
If you perform badly at a meet, it’s on you.
There’s no one to blame, only yourself. It’s from this moment where you have to look back, realize what you did wrong, work on it, and keep moving forward.
I know sometimes you can’t control everything that goes on in life. And it can get frustrating when things don’t go your way.
I think one of the biggest takeaways from my sport, and what took me a long time to realize, is that you have to focus on things you can control.
When I race, I am only racing against myself.
Especially since you can’t decide how someone else acts or how they will perform.
If you focus on yourself and what makes you happy and stop worrying so much about what everyone else is doing, you will be successful.
The magic here is I just do me.
Everyone else is taken.
Go Utes!
