What is going on in our heads when we swim?

What’s going on in our heads when we swim? If you’re a typical swimmer, an ocean of noise — concerns, fears, urges, goals, hunger pangs — rushes in.  It’s the plight of a swimmer, their heads submerged under water, locked in a maelstrom of thoughts.  Below, guest contributor Nick Chasovskykh gives us a taste of the mental storm.

How many was that, 250m or 300m?

It feels like 300, but what are the chances I am beating my club record right now? Only 150 to go and then 20 second of rest.

Did Christmas come early or our coach is getting old? 20 seconds! Eternity!

I could talk to Mary or Sarah, or listen to James telling his all you can eat sushi story. I do not know how this sushi place is going out of business with so many hungry swimmers around. We basically inhale food. Sometimes I skip a breath to take a bite. Those hypoxic sets are clearly working for me. I would kill for unagi maki right now…or pizza…or….or….or donuts sound good too.

Wait! Why coach looks so unhappy? What is he trying to show me: what?

I got it – it is a game, charades. Come on, give me more clues, chief. What is it? You are tall, arms above your head, pointy. You are an arrow, no, torpedo! Very-very angry torpedo. Why you are moving your hips back and forward?

“You know my hips don’t lie, I am starting to feel it’s right, Shakira, Shakira. You like to move it, move it. You like to move it…”

Focus! Coach is trying to tell you something. Come on, think! Oooh, I messed up streamline and fly kick off the wall again! Gotcha, coach, will never happen again.

This is getting boring. I probably should sing. Ok, a song… Here we go…. Cannot think of anything…

Oooh, here we go, heard it this morning – “And you’re going to hear me roooar, louder, louder that a lion, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, roar, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh. You’re gonna hear me roar, oh, oh, oh, oh, roar, oh, oh, oh, oh.

GROSS, someone’s hair on my face, beeeh, gross.

Hmmm, I wonder if there is enough floating around to make a wig. Where this one comes from… Oh no, no, no, no. It is definitely head hair, right? RIGHT!   I think I feel sick now.

Ok, here comes the turn, I am going to nail it. I hope you are watching, coach. Wow, target at 3 o’clock. Hello there!
How much was that 300 or 350? And why does the coach looks so unhappy?

Oh, right, streamline.