I have a swim meet coming up this weekend Nov 1, Nov 2. I haven't raced in almost 6 years. I have, however, been swimming all the time. The meet restricts each competitor to only two events. Each event is a timed final. I guess they do this to save time. I have entered the 50 m and 100 m free. The last time I raced these events I went 26.15 and 59.01 respectively. Back then, however, I did more training than I am doing now.
Recently, I have been swimming 4 times a week, averaging about 1500 m to 2300 m per session. In the mornings I follow a home fitness program which involves some very vigorous cardio, dumbbell work, body weight workouts, etc. It can be really exhausting and leave my muscles sore for a couple of days afterwards.
My questions are:
should I drop the home exercise program in this final week before the meet?
how much swimming should I be doing and what should I be concentrating on in the pool?
what should I be eating?
and probably the biggest question of all,
how do I warm up on the day of the meet?
Make sure to stay relaxed and get a good night's sleep. First meets are great in that you will make some new friends and experience the awesomeness that happens as we all encourage and cheer for each other during the events. Stay hydrated and don't get too hungry, especially if there is an extended time between events. Bring a book or catch up on some work stuff if you'd like. Have a blast and let us know how everything ends up!
I have a Halloween party to attend the night before but I am hoping I can get out early. Fortunately, my first event is late in the afternoon, so I should be able to get a good night's rest.
Thanks for your advice. :)
No dry land 7-10 days before the meet, you may do
Do sprints mixed with a lot of easy recovery swimming. Don't do too many sprints otherwise you build much lactate in your muscles.
For warm up it's individual - this article may help - swim.isport.com/.../how-to-warm-up-for-swimming
Good advice. And that article is excellent. Really sensible. I tend to do too much and wear myself out, I think. I almost feel I have to swim the entire distance at race pace just to make sure that I am still up to the task on the day.
Today, I warmed up doing an easy relaxed 600 m concentrating on my stroke and counting my strokes, working on my turns. I followed up descending 4 x 50 m: 36, 34, 32, 30. Then I did a similar set on 25 m. I hardly rested in between. Did a slow 50 m and then blasted out a 100 m from a push off. Went 63.01 in the wave pool and felt really disheartened because last week I went 61.xx from a push. But then when I thought back on it, I realized it was in the wave pool (my name for the kids training pool because it is only waist high and the waterline doesn't go up to the same level as the deck so the water sloshes around like in a box with high sides) and I hadn't really rested and I duffed my turns. Note to self: need to be more patient.
Should I be trying to swim all out 100's this week or should I only stick to the shorter stuff. I am worried about my endurance on the second 50. I am worried I am going to lose it this week. Have taken everyone's advice and stopped the drylands. Last bit of cardio I did was on Monday and it was only half of what I would normally have done anyway.
Thank you.
So, all in all, I wasn't dissatisfied but I know I can do better and I know I need to train harder and not go out partying the night before. At least I set some times that I can set about improving on now.
Thanks for everyone's advice.:)
SydCongratulations!
You are not going to lose conditioning in a week.You want to think of it as tuning up. 100s aren't going to help you as you can't do them at race pace with a reasonable recovery.Doing the entire distance at race pace before the meet is like striking all your matches before the camp out to make sure they all work,you'll have nothing left.
Thanks Allen, I didn't strike all my matches before the camp and that analogy gave me a good chuckle!
My specific to sprinters advice:
The week before is your time to keep it "long and strong" in practice.
Good advice, too. I didn't do anything in the pool that would result in lactic acid build up.
The meet went well given the circumstances.
Friday night's Halloween party went on a bit longer than expected. Or we left a bit later than planned. I, eventually got into bed at about 5 a.m. having spent most of the night standing or dancing. After all, it only comes around once a year. Unfortunately, it happened to be the night before my meet! I woke up at nine the next morning with aching legs. I drank water the entire night so I was fine otherwise, but just tired. I felt terrible in the warm up pool but convinced myself I was going to do well because I was going to give it everything I had.
Well I did. My first event was the 100 m Free. I went out in a 28.75 (I had wanted to go out in a 28 low and come back in a 30.XX for a 59) but the wheels came off in the second 50 and I died badly. Came back in a 32.65 for a 1:01.40. However, I still came first in my age group and beat the meet record which was a soft 1:03.93.
I also won the 50 m Free in a time of 27.64 also beating the meet record of 28.33.
So, all in all, I wasn't dissatisfied but I know I can do better and I know I need to train harder and not go out partying the night before. At least I set some times that I can set about improving on now.
Thanks for everyone's advice.:)
Syd
