“Most Boring Months”: Paris Olympics Hopeful Simone Manuel Opens Up About Overcoming Burnout Days Before US Swimming Trials

The two Simones, Biles and Manuel, both 27, are cut from the same cloth, in the sense that they have subverted adversities like it’s a walk in the park, only to come out strong. Similar to Biles, Manuel, an Olympic gold medalist, is fervently gearing up for Paris 2024 through rigorous gym workouts, weightlifting, and, of course, swimming. However, before she sets her sights on Paris, Manuel faces the pivotal challenge of the Olympic trials, mere days away. Yet, Simone Manuel’s journey has been a rollercoaster of highs and lows, perhaps with another rise on the horizon.

Growing up, Simone Manuel often found herself as the only Black swimmer on the pool deck, which brought a feeling of alienation, inadequacy and loneliness. However, she shattered barriers when she won the 100-meter freestyle at the 2016 Olympics, becoming the first Black American swimmer to earn an individual Olympic gold. Despite her outstanding achievements, her journey was fraught with challenges. With burnout coming with the territory, how exactly did Manuel defeat this foe of hers?

How Did Simone Manuel overcome over-training syndrome? A tale to tell

In 2021, Simone Manuel faced a setback when she didn’t qualify for her signature event, the 100-meter freestyle, due to overtraining syndrome. This condition, stemming from excessive and repetitive training, pushed her body beyond its limits. In March 2021, before the Tokyo Olympics, Manuel received the diagnosis of over-training syndrome, but prior to that, her health struggles, such as irritability, extreme fatigue after seemingly ‘easy’ workouts, and a loss of appetite, were overlooked, even by her own coach. Manuel reflected on this, saying, “People didn’t believe that I actually was overtrained.”

Once the Tokyo Olympics concluded, Manuel was compelled to take a sabbatical from all physical activities, including light strolls, to heal both physically and mentally. How did these months turn out dastardly for an Olympian who has been swimming since a nascent age? Well, most recently, she revealed how transformative this break was.

In a recent interview with The Associated Press, she revealed how those past couple of months unfolded. As she describes it, “It’s probably the most boring months of my life. I spent a lot of time talking about my feelings processing what happened because when you’re in it you’re kind of in survival mode.” Now as she comes back, she’s much stronger and more determined. However, she has made a schedule for herself as she revealed so that she won’t overdo training.

Is Manuel ready for the trials?

Simone Manuel is getting ready for the U.S. Trials scheduled to take place in Indianapolis from June 15 to 23. Last month, she showcased her fabulous form by recording a time of 53.10 in the 100 freestyle event in Irvine, mirroring her performance from the prelims of the 2019 World Championships. This achievement also positioned her as the third-fastest American in the event of this season.

During her training schedule, Manuel commits herself to practicing for 20 hours every week, setting aside Sundays as her designated rest days. Sharing her routine with Equinox, she mentions, “I do doubles on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays, with one swim practice in the morning and another in the afternoon, totaling three hours in the pool each of those days. On Wednesdays, I follow a lighter swimming routine, while Thursdays and Saturdays see me spending up to two hours in the water each.” With her training plan, Manuel undoubtedly emerges as a competitor as she prepares for the Olympic trials. Will she be able to let bygones be bygones come the mega games?