Provoking Your Greatness - Misti Burmeister

Walking through the double doors to the outdoor pool at Meadowbrook in Baltimore, I remember thinking, “Wow, that’s incredible,” as I watched a woman effortlessly swim laps in a 50-meter lane.   At the time, I barely knew how to put on a swim cap, and desperately wanted to be able to swim 25 meters without having to stop constantly to breathe. “There’s no way I could swim 50 meters,” I thought, as I watched her flip and kick off the wall.    Rather than concern myself with being able to swim 50 meters, I refocused on strengthening the skills I needed to finish 25 meters without stopping.   It wasn’t pretty, but a couple of weeks later, I completed 25 meters without stopping. “Do it again,” Marci, my coach insisted, while I pleaded for just 30 more seconds of rest. “3-2-1… Go,” she insisted.   And I went—and I went—and I went, each time decreasing my rest, increasing my distance, or both.   Just eight weeks later, I found myself gasping for air as I completed my first 50-meter swim. It was, again, not pretty.