My husband and I joined Triangle Aquatic Center in February with the ultimate goal of changing our lives. In early 2016, I began to have chronic stomach pain. After countless doctors, blood tests, and a couple procedures, I was diagnosed with the "catch-all" irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). I tried several over the counter and prescription medications in attempts to become regular again, but as the months went by, the symptoms worsened. At one point, I was barely getting through the day and living in constant pain, which left with me with a lot of feelings of helplessness and guilt.
As luck would have it, I married a former collegiate swimmer. However, he hadn't trained in over a decade. Together, we decided to start swimming, and it was possibly one of the best decisions we've made for ourselves and our growing family. We joined the TAC Masters team (the swim team for adults). While my husband quickly fit in with the Titans, I had some difficulty due to my lack of swimming experience and my unfamiliarity with pace clocks and written workouts. I knew how to swim but had never been a member of a swim team or formally trained. I decided to go to practice twice a week, and it took everything I had to show up on the first day...and even more to show up on the second day!
Matt Mosher was coaching the evening Masters practice at the time, and he helped me immensely with his perfect combination of instruction and enthusiasm. I cannot imagine there is a coach that gives more energy to his swimmers, often running up and down the pool deck giving praises and instruction. It's quite remarkable that, day in and day out, he can come with such unwavering and contagious humor and positivity. In the beginning, I remember enjoying the practices, but still dreading them. Truth be told, sometimes I would cry in the car before I got out. But I kept showing up, and as the weeks went by, the IBS symptoms started to subside and so did the crying. Eventually, they were gone. After a year of pain, and only two months of swimming twice a week, the dark days were a distant memory. Matt helped me develop proper technique in the water as well as understand formal practice structure to the point that I can even write my own workouts when I swim on my own. Now I am one of "those people" who loves to exercise.
If you're reading this review and it strikes a chord with your own situation, stop beating around the bush already. Join the team! It doesn't matter if you're an experienced swimmer like my husband or a beginner like me. There is a place for you at TAC. My husband found friends through coaches and teammates, renewed his love for swimming, enjoys the competitions, and attends up to five practices a week. As for me, I found that I prefer to swim on my own, and now I have the knowledge, skills, and will necessary to do so.
I don't know what it takes for someone to decide to change their life. I don't know what it takes for someone to keep showing up week after week. All I know is I reached that point, and I am so glad I did. Although I am upset that I wasted so much time in pain, I am thankful that not more time went by before I took the chance. What is two months when you have chronic pain? I am thankful that we found TAC. I am thankful we decided to join. I am thankful for my coach. But most importantly, I'm thankful that I beat my chronic pain with a little help, hope, sweat, and tears (and a lot of chlorine). read more