a matter of national record

After a 2 year drought in PB's and records and repeatedly swimming into a gigantic 'NO' in my head, i finally managed to get out of the slump i was in freediving wise. I did this by taking a step back instead of continually pushing myself to move forwards. I played safety and let the hunger to dive and compete grow. I then started doing longer dives, not aiming to improve myself in meters, but in mentallity. With this better, more relaxed metallity came the meters, and slowly i got near national record territory again. I fucked up in my first competition coming back, again staring blindly at the bright light of the record which makes the tunnel look so far. But i learned and forgot about records in my next comp, where i immediately did a PB, 2 meters shy of that national record. It looked like that was going to end the year for me and i was fine with that, but then at the very last minute i got a chance to go to Berlin for the 12th Long Night of Apnea. I was nervous as hell before the start, which is a good sign -before the break i was dreading the dives. I visualized, did all the mental preparation i need and learned from the excellent freedivers in my life, and when it was time, i let myself do it. It was a tough dive, but i fought and managed to stay calm nonetheless and came up when i'd done enough. A PB AND a national record. Couldn't have hoped for a better way to end the season. I am a lucky and happy man.