Question: Does appearance, demeanor, or reputation of fellow competitors effect your performance in your races?
Intimidation could be of any type really. Whether you're next to someone who looks like a real mean SOB, acts like a mean SOB, or has a reputation of being fast as hell and never losing, etc. Does it effect your performance in any way. Do you swim slower in the presence of such a person, or do they drive you to new bests? Or the converse, if someone looks weak, out of shape, or in some way inferior in skill to your perception of yourself, does it make you swim down to perceived level, or make you want to cause a crushing defeat?
Some of this may not be in the main spirit of masters swimming of course. We probably shouldn't go around with the goal and hopes of crushing everyone else in the pool, but I was always curious what other people thought about it.
If I'm eyeing up the competition and they look more in shape than I, its hard not to feel like i'm going to take a hard loss in my race. Of course I'd like to think I always push 101% on every race, but its hard to say whether or not I subconsciously hold back or push harder than I would've depending what the field looks like.
Part of it probably comes back to the type of swimmer you are too. Do you thrive on competition and winning the race, or is it just 8 people swimming alone against the clock at the same time for convenience?
No right or wrong answer, just thought i'd throw it out there.
Slowly exhale when the starter says "Take your mark." Then inhale as you leave the block. Simple.Very simple, but valuable. I need to quit worrying about the things I don't need to worry about. All the thinking should have been done at practice
Very simple, but valuable. I need to quit worrying about the things I don't need to worry about. All the thinking should have been done at practice
You can almost take it a step further and say don't think, and anything you needed to prepare for is already done.
But you're definitely exposing to us all where you're vulnerable to intimidation. ;) If we can just get to you while you're worrying, you'll be in trouble, lol.
It can be daunting to line up behind the blocks and swim against others, whether they be younger or fitter or faster than me. I try not to worry about that stuff, but wish everyone near me a "swim fast" and knuckle :bump:, then get ready for the splash!
Having fun and swimming fast (the latter is hard to qualify, or course) is what Masters is all about! :cheerleader:
At our smaller local meets there may only be 1-2 heats of some events and I could be seeded in the same heat, sometimes just beside, someone who I know is substantially faster than I am.
When it comes down to it, I do realize that it is my race against the clock (and/or my prior times), but it is rather intimidating when you get repeatedly lapped in the 1500m free. My adrenaline (and perhaps testosterone) start to take over to try to minimize the damage a bit. My brain has to keep things in balance to make sure I don't go out too fast, so I can at least finish the race. This actually worked to my benefit a few months ago, when I took over 20 seconds off of my time from last year.
The clock intimidates me more than any other swimmer possibly can. When I race, I am racing against the clock and nothing else. And, to me, the most difficult part of the race is immediately after it ends, when I look up at my time or hear it from the timer for my lane. It's either :afraid: or :bliss:. I would rather come in last place and get a personal best time than win with rotten times (as in, this past Saturday at St. Nick's). Exception: If I am swimming a full slate of difficult events, specifically going for high points for the Georgia Championship Series. :ohyeah:
Usually I'm pretty good about staying focused. I vaguely remember being mildly intimidated when I swam a 4im at a US Open next to Kyle Salyards (2000 Olympian). He blew me out of the water. At another US Open, I was seeded a lane or two from Tom Dolan in the 4im for prelims, but he never showed. I was disappointed he didn't come to that one, even though I surely would have been intimidated for that! Other than that, I get nervous for races, but not intimidated by opponents.
My biggest opponent is me. "What if I miss the turn?" or more recent "When should I take my last breath on the block?" I was last off the block due to this
Very simple, but valuable. I need to quit worrying about the things I don't need to worry about. All the thinking should have been done at practice
But then you're too busy worrying about when to breathe in, that you're not focused on the gun, and miss the start.
Oh heck!
Sorry,to clarify,raising teenagers is one of the most stressful thing the average person goes through.Compared to it,swimming is a piece of cake regardless of who is in the heat.
Amen!
