It’s hard to put into words just how anxious I was walking down the metal ramp to start the swim of the 2026 Augusta 70.3. All that anxiety and even a bit of terror, encased in a full body wetsuit, swim cap, and goggles. Would it be too much to handle? Would I be able to let it go? Would it happen again? With each step, the anxiety built and built upon itself…and then, I was at the end of the dock. My next step would be across the timing mat and into the Savannah River…
17 years ago, I was in this same city at this same race that started in this same river. I didn’t know how to swim correctly…and I never tried to learn. The art of breathing to the side seemed completely unlearnable. So, I relied on a crutch…a snorkel. Back then, snorkels were legal to use during an Ironman event and that would be the only excuse I needed. Every single swim, in the pool or in the open water, I used it. I remember being extremely anxious before the start of that race and the tremendous amount of shame I felt as the only athlete carrying a snorkel towards the river. I lined up with my age group on the dock, put on my snorkel, and then jumped. As soon as I went under, pure panic and overwhelming anxiety consumed me. So much so that I could not swim. I could only “scoot”…picture treading water but with forward movement. Everyone else took off on their swim and I was left behind, waiting for the next age group wave to wash over me. Hearing comments from others only added to my shame and complete embarrassment.
My issues were not restricted to swim technique only. I also had a tremendous mental hurdle present. One summer when I was a young boy, a large ocean wave crashed over me and knocked me under…and it kept me under. I remember getting tossed around under the dark water and being completely out of control…unable to reach the surface to breathe. I was absolutely terrified. To this day, I still struggle mightily with putting my entire face into dark water. My face goes in, but my mind goes back to that beach and under that wave.
Fast forward, I’m now happily married to an elite former pro triathlete and have a 6-month-old daughter. My wonderful wife was finally able to teach me, just a few years ago, how to swim and how to breathe to one side. Due to our daughter’s birth in March, I decided, hesitantly, to defer a race to Augusta. I thought about that race from 17 years ago every single day since I clicked the 2026 register button. Every single time though I countered with “Why not?”. Why not go back to the race that holds some of your worst feelings/memories and rewrite it all? Why not prove to myself that I can swim the entire 1.2 miles without scooting? WHY NOT?
So, I did! I jumped off that dock into the Savannah River and when I emerged the anxiety was simply washed away. My conversation with God began and we talked from buoy to buoy to buoy. I never scooted and swam directly along the entire buoy line, finishing with a 30:07 swim…a personal record (PR).
Steven Petrea
