I recently posted a question about racing and received a lot of great answers so here is another question. I am about to participate in my first race (in a pool) and I am worried about being disqualified now. What are some of the common mistakes I need to be aware of? Turns maybe?
Also interesting is Masters rule on goggles, being that you can touch them. That 500 race I had where my googles slipped may have ended differently if my division made that rule change. I don't think the old rule is fair. If you take the time to fix your goggles, it's putting you at a disadvantage. If you're fixing you're googles, you're not swimming. It also makes you feel like you screwed the race 100% as opposed to 95%.
You can fix your goggles in any race, USAS, FINA, or Masters. For a non-freestyle race you just have to touch the first wall, turn any way you wish to as the rule states, and while still attached to the wall with an elbow, arm, etc. fix your goggles, then resume the race.
In college I told my college coach that I WOULD stop to fix my goggles in all my distance type races, 400 IM, 500 Free, 1650 Free. She wasn't too keen on the idea, but I'd for sure swim better with the goggles on vs. not having them at all. And in a distance race, the few seconds lost on the turn would be made up easily with the use of goggles.
Also interesting is Masters rule on goggles, being that you can touch them. That 500 race I had where my googles slipped may have ended differently if my division made that rule change. I don't think the old rule is fair. If you take the time to fix your goggles, it's putting you at a disadvantage. If you're fixing you're googles, you're not swimming. It also makes you feel like you screwed the race 100% as opposed to 95%.
You can fix your goggles in any race, USAS, FINA, or Masters. For a non-freestyle race you just have to touch the first wall, turn any way you wish to as the rule states, and while still attached to the wall with an elbow, arm, etc. fix your goggles, then resume the race.
In college I told my college coach that I WOULD stop to fix my goggles in all my distance type races, 400 IM, 500 Free, 1650 Free. She wasn't too keen on the idea, but I'd for sure swim better with the goggles on vs. not having them at all. And in a distance race, the few seconds lost on the turn would be made up easily with the use of goggles.
