For someone who swam intermittently recently without much focus, it dawned on her that the ritual must lead to something more quantifiable.
"I don't know. I guess I wanted to get fit again."
Muscle memory didn't betray the woman who won golds in breaststroke (50m, 100m, 200m), freestyle (100m, 200m) and in the 100m medley (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle) and silver in 100m breaststroke on February 2-3.
She was at her prime as a 16-year-old when she claimed silver at the age-group nationals while attending Taradale High School in the last two years of her secondary education, which began at Sacred Heart College.
Throw in factors such as the luxury of time in adulthood and offering something tangible for her children to relate to and matters pertaining to motivation tend to take care of themselves.
"I wanted to show my kids that if you stick to things and are determined, no matter how hard they are, you'll get enjoyment out of it."
Hannah, 16, a workforce development student, Amy, 15, of Karamu High School, Jacob, 13, of Hastings Boys' High School, and James, of Parkvale School, can swim but show little interest in it.
Instead, they engage in codes such as football, T-ball and volleyball at school.
That sits quite comfortably with Burns who adheres to the philosophy that if you enjoy doing something then the need to be pushed into it simply doesn't arise.
"My kids are long suffering with their mum smelling of chlorine and what not."
She's also found a balance between work and home.
Having competed from the age of 13 herself under her coach, the late Jack Sowman at Greendale Swimming Club, Burns realised she had to give it up to pursue her studies at Massey University where she has a Masters in psychology.
Besides, like most people at the defining stage of their lives, she had other interests - tennis, basketball hockey and musical instruments to master.
"The nationals [swimming] were the next level up so I knew I didn't have the time to commit to it."
After graduating and securing a job, marriage and children brought their own share of challenges.
Swim Gym instructor Judy Hill rekindled a fire late last year when she sent out an email on upcoming events.
The Taupo Spring Fling caught her eye in September. She won everything she competed in so thought why not take it more seriously.
A Whakatane event of a similar ilk beckoned the following month - same result.
"I thought, 'Wow, I'm really enjoying this so I'll stick at it'."
Burns hopes to compete at the Masters nationals in Papatoetoe, Auckland, next month.
"After that I don't know. Maybe I'll do the Australian Police and Emergency Services Games at the Gold Coast next year."
She has pencilled in the World Masters Games in Auckland in 2017.
"Masters sport is a fantastic environment, even with the people you're competing against.
"Even if they don't know you, it's like a little family."
It doesn't help that last month she had a niggly shoulder problem or that she has had a heart condition since her 20s.
"My heart can go randomly fast but I don't think about it too much although it can flare up."
Surgery is an option but it isn't something Burns is contemplating "because the risks now outweigh the benefits".
"If it got worse I would consider it but it's not such a big issue now."
She doesn't have qualms about putting in the hard work but enjoyment is the common denominator.
"I'm fairly lazy but I'm better at pushing myself mentally now than when I was 16."
