A few things to remember

I wasn’t sure how to start this blog post. I have experienced so much in the last few days that I don’t have a clue where to begin.

A few things I want to always remember about last night:

-How awesome I felt before the competition. I had a great warm up. I was “up” and full of adrenaline, but calm at the same time. I couldn’t have asked to be in a better place mentally. This was a stark contrast to how I felt going into the prelims, so it was that much sweeter to feel so ready.

-Knowing when I was done that my coach was truly proud of me. We’ve been in it together for a long time. Both of us were overcome with emotion. I am so thankful I have a coach who cares so deeply.

-Knowing my family would be waiting outside of the pool (and on the phone!) when I was done. And there they were, full of love.

My performance was far from perfect, but at the risk of sounding cliché, I really did give it my
all. I felt great, I went for it, I held nothing back. And I got 8th.

I’ve always been a firm believer in the saying, “The journey is more important than the destination.” And I believe that is true even when I find myself at a slightly different destination than I had dreamed.

I’ve got alot more processing to do over the coming days and weeks. But in the mean time, I plan to soak up every last minute of my time here, cheer my teammates on to their victories, spend some quality time with my family, and of course to do a little shopping.