Stretch
My neon pink
Skulls ‘n’ crossbones
Cap
Over my head

Pull tight
The bright yellow
Bungee
That straps
My goggles
To my face

Watch the clock
Grab the wall
Hit the top
Push off

Launch
Into a single
Streamline form

Feel the water
Flowing around me
For an instant

Dolphin kick
Hard
Fast

Once
Twice
Three times

Break the surface
With my arms
Pull forward

Follow the pace
Of the song
In my head

Kick
Even
And strong

500 meters
10 laps
One race

Almost to the wall
Breathe
Another stroke

Flip
Coil tightly
Spring

Take off
Pace myself
For the rest

Keep moving
Never stopping
Never ending

By the sixth lap
The water is ice
To my burning body

Keep moving
Never stopping
Never ending

Scrape my shoulder
Against the hard plastic
Laneline

The last lap
The home stretch
The most intense
Push off
Pour every ounce of power
Into my burning limbs

Sprint through the water
Faster than ever
Almost flying

Hearing mothering
But my racing heart
And the frenzied water

Powering into the wall
Ripping my goggles off
Staring at the clock

Breathing heavy
Shaking hard
Staring in disbelief

Drain a water bottle
Grab my goggles again
And take off

There is nothing
Like 500’s
In practice