David Arluck posted:
I am going to tell you the story of my second favorite elite-level swimming performance ever.
It ranks so high because it is relevant to all swimmers of all ages and abilities and demonstrates the power of the mind in our sport.
In the Semi-Finals at the 2009 World Championships in Rome Italy, Stephanie Rice's time in the 200IM was 2:08.68. An incredible swim - just two-tenths of a second off HER World Record time that she had set the year before when she won the Gold Medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
The catch was - Arianna Kukors of the USA beat Stephanie by more than a body-length in that Rome semi-final heat! Kukors swam an absolutely blazing 2:07.03 - chopping a whopping 1.42 seconds off Rice's world record!
After the semi final race - in an interview with Gerry Collins of ABC Australia, he asked Stephanie if she thought she could get anywhere near Arianna's time of 2:07.03. This was Stephanie's reply: "Will definitely REASSESS MY GOALS and hopefully get in there and give it the best shot."
The next day, in the final, Stephanie dropped 1.65 seconds off her previous day's semi-final and went the SAME EXACT TIME that Arianna had swum the day before: 2:07.03!
Arianna ended up winning the final with another WR. However, at the time, I was struck how Stephanie acknowledged that by seeing someone go so much faster - it put her in a position to re-think what she was capable of doing!
When Stephanie saw Arianna go as fast as she went in semi's - she intuitively knew that there had to be elements within her race that she can control to improve her own time. High achievers (those with a Champion's mindset) see someone else perform at a high level and realize what is possible. World record holders often visualize themselves doing something that nobody has ever done before - often before they do it themselves! People who do not have a champion's mindset spend more time thinking about someone else or the "TIME" - instead of the details of what can get them the time.
Stephanie didn't go back to her hotel room and obsess about how fast Arianna swam. Instead she evaluated the various components of HER RACE that she can control to improve.
I feel like this story is very similar to the experience that a lot of younger athletes experience with time standards and/or how fast their friends are going! I hear so many people (often parents) talk about how fast time standards get as kids age up and almost talk about it in a discouraging way "oh, it's so fast.... yada yada..." The time "standards" are there because a sizable group of other human beings have done It before!
It's good to be "aware" of time standards from the standpoint that if other humans are capable of going that fast - why can't you - if you want to and put in the work!? However, once you're aware of the "standards" - put them in the back of your head and don't obsess about the times. Instead, concern yourself with the details that will get you "there".
What are the little things you can do every day, in and out of the pool to get you closer to your goals? What are the things you can adjust within your races to drop the time you want to?In the case of Stephanie, she didn't just decide to go more than a full body length faster than she swam the day before. She didn't suddenly become a faster swimmer. She pulled from years of discipline, successes, failures, other experience and re-thought what was possible.
At every level of swimming - particularly at the age group level - athletes are capable of achieving a lot more than they realize they are.
The times are within you... it's for you to put in the work, lay the foundation and figure out how to achieve them. The times will come.
David Arluck explained: This is the semi-final finish in the 200IM at the 2009 World Championships in Rome. Arianna Kukors 2:07.03 more than a body-length in front of Stephanie Rice the world record holder when the race started and defending Olympic Champ.
More discussion
Paul Yetter posted: I had never viewed it like this. Right on the money. At that speed, that’s a “decision drop”
Craig Lord posted: I disagree, the drop of both terrific athletes is more a ‘realization and steep learning curve’ drop response in highly (not unusual in many regards, unusual in one very key regard) competitive situation to shiny suits in their first and last and only season of availability … decision drop bypasses the reality of that moment of 43 world records in 8 days by an indecent margin 
we should tell it like it was not like the historian who romanticizes the battle and courage shown but forgets to mention the blood and gore and cost.
