I've read nearly every taper thread on this forum, learnt how people feel like crap and freak out before their meets, I have read about their doubts and fears and the encouraging responses given by experienced users and still I have no idea of what I'm getting into :afraid:
I have been training very intensely for the last two and something weeks. My idea was to peak training then taper. From the 11th to the 24th of June I've swum seventeen times, ten of these workouts were high-intensity race pace stuff with lots of rest, and lifted weights four times. The other workouts were the usual 5km+ ones with my team.
There are two upcoming meets for me which are a week apart and I'm focusing on the second one which is more important.
I have never tapered though and I don't know what I'm doing, I thought that a two-week taper would be fine then I read that the second week is the one when you feel like crap so I fear that I will hit my taper after the meet :doh:
I tried to come up with some kind of a taper plan for these two weeks, the number on the left is the day. Ez/drill stuff is not reported.
24 4x25fr, 2x75fr, 2x50fly
25 OFF
26 OFF
27 2x25fr, 200fr broken
28 2x25fr, 100fly broken, 50fr
29 ?
30 MEET 50fr
1 MEET 50fr/100fly
2 MEET 100fr
3 MEET OFF
4 2x25fr, 75fr
5 2x25fr, 50fly
6 2x25fr
7 1000 ez/drill
8 MEET 200fr
9 MEET 200fly?
10 MEET 100fly/100fr
What do you think? Is it the right road? Should I ever do a full broken 200fr or 100 fly during taper? What should I do on the day before the first meet? :dunno:
I don't know how long it should be, I know that the duration of a taper varies with age, I'm 24 so younger than most here, I should be fine with less rest right? still I fear to miss my taper. If I screw up the second meet I'll have to explain my coach how I have ever come up with this crazy idea of resting, because you know "rest" is a swearword for him :bitching:
Thank you very much :)
All the best "Race Prep" plans decrease the work and increase racing practice. We prefer not to call this phase "taper" since most masters don't exactly swim enough yardage to justify that label.
Although there are definitely some Forumites who do!
Feeling sluggish in the water is normal. Feeling completely exhausted is not. The idea is practicing pieces of your race and strategies involved.
Regardless of what your race prep plan is in the pool, my advice is to work on your racing spirit and get it happy!
Sulking around the big meet grouchy, way serious, nervous and over-intense will likely kill the good times.
And I mean that in every sense of the word.
Don't worry about weird negative stares from your competitors or other swimmers. Someday - they'll catch on to the fun!
Good luck at the big meet and enjoy yourself!
All the best "Race Prep" plans decrease the work and increase racing practice. We prefer not to call this phase "taper" since most masters don't exactly swim enough yardage to justify that label.
Although there are definitely some Forumites who do!
Feeling sluggish in the water is normal. Feeling completely exhausted is not. The idea is practicing pieces of your race and strategies involved.
Regardless of what your race prep plan is in the pool, my advice is to work on your racing spirit and get it happy!
Sulking around the big meet grouchy, way serious, nervous and over-intense will likely kill the good times.
And I mean that in every sense of the word.
Don't worry about weird negative stares from your competitors or other swimmers. Someday - they'll catch on to the fun!
Good luck at the big meet and enjoy yourself!
