I am new to swimming just started swimming seriously last year (I'm 33). I have never competed. I decided to join USMS and try a meet this year just to give myself something to work towards. I find the rules a bit overwhelming and I'm not fast at all. I just got my front crawl lap under 1 minute. I practice 1 hour 3 times per week. I have taken a few classes including a TI based class which really helped me.
My question is, at my age and with my experience how should I prepare to go to my first meet? Not just skill wise but to learn the rules and not make a total fool out of myself. :) Also, how friendly are the local or regional meets? Will my team be upset if I come in last? How competitive is it really?
Thank you!
Originally posted by msgrupp
Aside from that--make sure you have a good pair of goggles that don't leak and you have learned how to drive into the pool without losing the goggles!
This is great advice! You see a lot of people end up with their goggles down around their mouths during Masters meets. Most people aren't exactly doing a lot of starts from the blocks during practice. I think goggles tend to come off when people don't dunk their heads enough. Your eyes should probably be looking toward the bottom of the pool, and definitely not at the far end of the pool, when you enter the water.
It will take you some experience to learn how to properly pace your races. It you're swimming all fairly short events (say 100 yards/meters or less), make sure you start out close to "all out." You'll be disppointed if finish the race and think you still have lots of energy. On the other hand, if you die a little at the end at least you know you gave it your all, and you'll have a better idea of what to do next time.
Good luck and have fun! Don't sweat the rules too much. Heck if you do something wrong and get DQed, big deal. You'll learn from it and do it right the next time.
Originally posted by msgrupp
Aside from that--make sure you have a good pair of goggles that don't leak and you have learned how to drive into the pool without losing the goggles!
This is great advice! You see a lot of people end up with their goggles down around their mouths during Masters meets. Most people aren't exactly doing a lot of starts from the blocks during practice. I think goggles tend to come off when people don't dunk their heads enough. Your eyes should probably be looking toward the bottom of the pool, and definitely not at the far end of the pool, when you enter the water.
It will take you some experience to learn how to properly pace your races. It you're swimming all fairly short events (say 100 yards/meters or less), make sure you start out close to "all out." You'll be disppointed if finish the race and think you still have lots of energy. On the other hand, if you die a little at the end at least you know you gave it your all, and you'll have a better idea of what to do next time.
Good luck and have fun! Don't sweat the rules too much. Heck if you do something wrong and get DQed, big deal. You'll learn from it and do it right the next time.
