Eek!!

Count me in for EEK! too, Kyra....I'm attending my first meet January 23rd..... as far as tapering, since it's just a regular season meet, I wouldn't worry about tapering...if you swim for a team (can't remember at the moment if you do, chlorine's clogging my thinking spouts), you can check with your coach about workouts or something like that..... I can recommend some food ideas though, that will help you feel less *sluggish* I think is the word I'm looking for..... Stick to some carbby foods for a couple nights before, plus a little bit of protein (that old pasta rumor is still in effect).....for the meet, plenty of water, plus your favorite sports drink or whatever you prefer is good, plus some old fashioned bagels or carrot sticks or healthy things like that won't do you wrong. If you're really H-E-hockey sticks bent on tapering before the meet, or you're afraid you'll look foolish, you can stick to freestyle, and do a little mini taper the week before the meet. Remember, Kyra: It's your first meet. Baby steps, darlin'! Just go, and enjoy it, and enjoy hanging out with other people who love swimming as much as you do! I'll be rooting for you! ~Steph~ (Eeek partner in crime!)

Here's a couple of thoughts: (1) work on starts and turns between now and then. They can mean several seconds in even a short race. (2) if this is a mid-season meet (as opposed to the end of the season championships) you might only taper a day or so before the meet. Tapering means backing off yardage and spending some workout time on starts and turns and stroke mechanics. (3) check out the schedule of events so you know what day and what time you expect to swim. If I recall typically medley relays and the 1650 were the first day as well as some other events. That could have changed or my memory could be bad (after 20 years). Have a great time. Meets are fun. Good luck.

Do you have any ideas about how to work on starts? The pool I swim at doesn't have blocks so how can I practice diving off the wall for block diving? ~Kyra

I'll second the notion about trying out some starts -- even if it's only at warm-ups the day of the meet. If you've never started from a block before, be prepared for how high above the water you feel as you are standing on the block. The taller you are, the higher it will seem -- even though the block is only 24 inches high or so. You could stand on the steps at your house about the same height up and look down, and it won't seem like anything out of the ordinary, but for some reason when you get on that block at the pool and see it, especially for the first time, it might feel like you are standing on the high dive! Don't worry about doing any technique for the block-start the first meet. Just be sure you can do it so that when you get up there when it's your event, you'll have the confidence knowing that you've done it before. (And be sure your goggles will stay on!) If you can't get it to work for you in warm-ups, try a start standing on the edge of the pool next to the block during warm-ups. If that works, then let the meet officials know that's what you'll be doing. And if even that doesn't work for you, then follow the previous advice and do your start from in the water pushing off from the wall. It's OK to do that. First meet? Don't worry about your times (and don't even waste any cycles on worrying about tapering.) Just get in there and do what you would do in your workouts. That will give you a base line from which you will look to improve at subsequent meets. And don't forget to have fun!

Originally posted by Seagurl51 Do you have any ideas about how to work on starts? The pool I swim at doesn't have blocks so how can I practice diving off the wall for block diving? If you have any doubts, you can start from the water. (Just let the referee know before the race that you are doing a wall-push, and ask what you should do.) During the warm-up before the meet, most of the time one or two lanes will be designated as sprint lanes. Start from the block, swim the length, then get out and walk back. (Sprint lanes are like 1-way streets.) This is your chance to practice starts, especially if your coach is on hand for advice.

Originally posted by Guvnah You could stand on the steps at your house about the same height up and look down, and it won't seem like anything out of the ordinary, but for some reason when you get on that block at the pool and see it, especially for the first time, it might feel like you are standing on the high dive! Don't worry about doing any technique for the block-start the first meet. Just be sure you can do it so that when you get up there when it's your event, you'll have the confidence knowing that you've done it before. (And be sure your goggles will stay on!) I have stood on the edge of my coffee table and practiced my grab and track starts (it helps with the height thing too). I just jumped off rather than dive, but have considered stacking up mattresses (sp) so that I could actually dive off. :) Any suggestions for making goggles stay on? I can dive off the wall and usually they stay on, but I'm kinda worried that from a block they won't. And how about backstroke starts? How different is it to start from a block then the wall? I'm hoping it will be easier because I can't seem to get good height off the wall. ~Kyra

This is somewhat of a stupid question...and I mean no offense to anyone by it. How many people that go to meets are younger? and how many of them/you are slow? I'm only 18 and I'm pretty slow (37 sec. for 50 yds free). So I'm kinda worried about making a fool out of myself. :( ~Kyra

Originally posted by Seagurl51 This is somewhat of a stupid question...and I mean no offense to anyone by it. How many people that go to meets are younger? and how many of them/you are slow? I'm only 18 and I'm pretty slow (37 sec. for 50 yds free). So I'm kinda worried about making a fool out of myself. :( ~Kyra Please. Stop. Anyone who is jumping off her coffee table into bed mattresses and telling the world about it on this site has no need to worry about looking foolish at a swim meet. :D You will be fine. Tell everyone you meet that this is your first swim meet and you are assured of getting the loudest applause at the end of your heats. Guvnah is right about the apparent startling height from a block. If you can find a pool with blocks before the meet, try them out a couple times. But don't sweat it if you can't; the same water waits for you at the end. If you can find some blocks to start from, envision diving into a hoolahoop and not letting your feet hit the front side of the hoop as you go in. This exercise will keep you from piking and your feet hitting the water at the same time your hands hit, which doesn't hurt but tends to stop you rather than send you coursing through the water to your first official win. Good luck and stop worrying.

Originally posted by Seagurl51 How many people that go to meets are younger? and how many of them/you are slow? I'm only 18 and I'm pretty slow (37 sec. for 50 yds free). So I'm kinda worried about making a fool out of myself. :( One thing I'll guarantee is you won't make a fool out of yourself. A typical masters meet has competitors of all ages and all abilities. We all know everyone there is doing there best, whatever that may be. And 37 seconds for a 50 free is in no way slow.

Being younger you are accustomed to competitions where everyone watches each other and then talks about each other afterward. At masters meets everyone is there to do their own race. Well most folks are anyway. They don't really snicker or anything. If there is another meet coming up, drive to it and watch. Or volunteer to help. It would be a good way to see what a meet is like.