Nikka Kalila Masters Swimming Championships
Before the Race
The 3rd Nikka Kalila Masters Swimming Championships. My first competitive swimming event — five entries across three stroke categories. I had been swimming consistently but never in a race format with blocks, timekeepers, and DQ rules.
Race Results
| Event | Time |
|---|---|
| Freestyle 25m | 13.13 |
| Freestyle 50m | 28.92 |
| Freestyle 100m | 1:05.64 |
| Backstroke 50m | 36.72 |
| Individual Medley 100m | 1:17.06 |
The 25m freestyle was the sharpest — a pure sprint where technique and reaction time matter more than endurance. The 100m IM exposed my butterfly weakness: the first 25m butterfly leg cost me time I could not recover on the other three strokes.
What I Took Away
Racing in the pool strips away every comfort. No wetsuit, no drafting, no course scenery to distract from the pain. You race the clock and the person in the next lane. My freestyle times were competitive; my backstroke and IM need structured training blocks to improve.
Pool racing also reinforced something I already knew from running: the taper works. I swam less volume the week before and hit personal bests across all five events.