Mania's Reflection on 2012 Trials on USA Swim

 
BY MIKE GUSTAFSON//CORRESPONDENT
Adam Mania is a Polish 2004 Olympian who decided he wanted to make the U.S. Olympic team (he has dual citizenship.) The former Wisconsin swimmer recently competed at the 2012 Olympic Trials. We catch up with Adam to see how his Trials experience went, what some of the differences were this time around compared to 2008, and what’s in store for his competitive swimming career going forward….
 
Talk about the Olympic Trials. You made the semi-finals in the 100 backstroke. How did that prelims swim go, and then the semi-finals?
I had a great time. The biggest thing was not to stress out too much. However, I wasn’t happy with my swims considering I was going the same time unshaved and unrested at the Grand Prixs. I was a little disappointed with my taper. However, prelims, I was out fast. I was out first to the 50, then couldn’t hold on. In semis, I was happy to make semis, because I thought it was a really bad prelims swim. Semis, I took it out too slow, and was too far behind to make the finals. But I was relaxed. I was having a good time. I was trying not to think too much about the actual race itself, but experiencing everything that Olympic Trials has to offer. It only happens every four years, so you have to take it all in.

So, it wasn’t what you wanted?
Not really at all. I’d gone faster last summer with pretty inconsistent training. Even the summer before that.

How did these Trials compare to the ones you went to in 2008, in terms of mentality and how you approached them?
Four years ago, my Olympic Trials, I was disappointed, I was upset, I was kind of a jerk to people around me. I was really nervous and trying to do everything correctly. Trying not to walk a lot. Getting all my naps in. This year, I didn’t try to put so much pressure on how I swam. The point leading up to the race, I was there to enjoy the sport of swimming. I didn’t do that great -- I thought I would do a lot better -- but I had a really good time, and I was there with some really fun teammates. Being with all the swimmers from around the nation. That was what I took from it.

Did you only swim the 100 backstroke at the Trials? Did you swim the 200?
No. I can’t do the 200 anymore. Four times a week, 3000 is not cutting it for the 200. I did the 100 free for fun and the 50 free too. I’m not just going to do one race then sit around. I wanted to do other racing.

Leading up to the Trials, how were you feeling? Confident? Ready?
I was just trying not to even think about it. I was just going to go out there and have a good time and smile and chit-chat in the ready room and keep it light. That’s usually how I do it best.

What did you do immediately after your swim was over?
Immediately after the race, I tried to get up in the stands to cheer some teammates. I wanted to watch my teammates swim. We had some kids from Schroeder and Wisconsin swimmers swimming. There are always so many people there I wanted to support and watch swim. After my semi, I didn’t even warm down. I just put my clothes on and went into the stands. After the competition was over, I came back to Milwaukee and got back into the pool. Did some lifting, did some swimming. I enjoy swimming and working out. I never really got that burned-out sensation, like “Now I can take a break and relax.” One of the ways I relax mentally is by swimming. And then I did this little tiny meet for Schroeder, and I went just as fast at Trials and even-split it. I was like, “I don’t even know what to think anymore.” I wasn’t rested at all. I lifted that morning. It was so random. We took a relay to U.S. Open. We had two boys who were first timers at nationals, so it was a great opportunity for them to swim at that meet. We had a good time. Those boys got their first ever national experience. It was for them and their experience.

What are you doing now? Coaching? Training?
I am actually in business school. I’m starting my MBA and started last week. I actually left my full time position at Schroeder. I couldn’t do it with classes. I’m also doing a little assistant coaching at UW-Milwaukee. During the day it works out with my schedule because I can go to class afterwards. And then I’m in the water – I got invited to swim for the relay meet, that “Fast Lane” sprint meet in Brazil. I’m going to that. I have a reputation to be able to do a 50 back at any time, no matter what. I got a call from organizers and talked to Eugene Godsoe and Lenny Krayzelburg. It was spur of the moment. They called me a week ago and said, “The meet is in 3 weeks. We know you can pull off a good 50 back.” I was excited. I just got done lifting. I was swimming with my training partner Steve, and I was just gonna go a 50 back right then. I’m not going to say what I went, but I was very, very pleased with it. Hopefully I’ll help out with that relay.

So you’re going to be competing in the future?
Yeah, why not? I swim 3-4 times a week. I enjoy it. It doesn’t take a lot of my time. So why not? I love being around swimmers. I’m not burned out. What else am I going to do with my time? I study a lot, I’m usually up past up midnight, but during the day? It’s either swim or watch SportsCenter in the morning.

What’s the one thing you took away from this journey?
That feeling that I really enjoyed what I did. I see a lot of swimmers who have a lot of bad races at Trials that will essentially not touch the water again competitively. They’re so emotionally drained from that experience. Then there’s this negative connotation with the water. I’m so thankful I came out of this sport with this positive frame of mind. I tell myself “I really liked what I did. I pushed myself.” I may not have had certain outcomes, but I really enjoyed the ride and felt like I made myself a better person because of it.

You’ve done and seen a lot of aspects of this sport. What advice do you have to kids out there looking to emulate your success?

I always like to say, “You have to enjoy what you do and have a good time.” But at the same time, if swimming was easy, everyone would be good at it. You have to work. But I enjoy the work. Either you enjoy the work, or you don’t enjoy the work, but you still have to do it if you want to be good at anything. I put in a lot of hard training – I didn’t put in a lot of volume, but I made it count. You just have to do it. I say to kids, and I coached age group kids and I see some kids burned out and some kids who are just there because their parents drop them off, and my challenge is for them -- whether you like the actual swimming or not -- to find something you do like about it. Your friends. Competition. The travel. Some people just enjoy making goals. For kids, they have to find something in swimming that gives them pride.

When the kids have pride, they will keep doing it. I hate to see kids quit swimming, and sometimes it’s necessary for them, because maybe they’ll come back in a year with a refreshed mind, but you have to find something you enjoy about the sport. You may not like everything in swimming, but the pay out is worth it.