The Uketamo Type

I like to swim. But I don’t like it when someone slow comes into my lane. Or rather, someone slow who doesn’t take breaks. Then they’re much harder to time for overtaking.

And I don’t like it when there are aquarobics classes in the other lanes. Their constant walking creates currents that we have to contest with if we want to swim straight.

And I don’t like it when we have to hurry because someone has booked the lane. I get that they booked the lane, but can’t I use it until their scheduled time? Why do I have to get out five minutes early?

Hurrying causes mistakes, like not putting your goggles on properly so they leak, or not tying your swimsuit up properly so you aren’t as streamlined as you could be.

Which is to say, I don’t like all these things because they make swimming harder, but I do like them because they make swimming harder.

They provide resistance that otherwise wouldn’t be there. The sort of resistance that appears on race day. They provide a form of resistance training that we may well need in future. Not just the physical type, but the mental type as well. The Uketamo type. The type that makes you stronger if you only let it.

Even if you don’t like it.