Swimming From Home: Ella Eastin on Learning the Benefits of Rest

We are all trying to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic as best we can. Staying at home and not socializing is not an easy task for anyone, and keeping a swimmer out of the pool is equally antagonizing. Therefore, SwimSwam is starting the Swimming From Home Talk Show, where host Coleman Hodges speaks with the swimming community about how they’re coping with our current goggle-less reality.

Ella Eastin has been at home in Southern California and out of the water for over a month now. At first, like any other swimmer, this was very unsettling, especially given that in January-February she had already taken an extended period out of the water due to health reasons. However, she has established more of a daily routine now and learned to slow things down.

Eastin is learning how to enjoy waking up slowly, drinking her morning coffee while watching the sun come up, doing a bit of yoga, and then getting into her day. This as opposed to a normal swimmer’s routine, which is waking up before the sun, rushing to morning practice, and getting in a 1.5-2.5 hour workout that leaves you at times ready to start the day, but at other times ready to collapse on the couch for a couple hours.