On February 20, I'm hoping to go to my first swim meet......ever! :eek: I swam on the team when I was younger, but I never competed. I'm incredibly nervous already and I have no idea what to expect because I have never been to a meet before. I swam with my friend who is a coach, and I have what seems like a lot of work to do on my strokes. How realistic is it that I be ready by February? Obviously I won't be at the top of the field, but I'm hoping to at least not make a fool out of myself. But what I really want to know is what to expect. How do I train, and how do I taper? When do I start tapering? Do I even need to taper? Any good pre-meet workout ideas? Any thing that anyone can suggest would be helpful!!! Thanx a bunch!!
~Kyra
Parents
Former Member
Hey Kyra!
First, my advice for food, etc. Second, swim meet review!
Okay, food the night before, I'd stick with stuff you like, that's not too heavy (no fast food, nothing really salty, nothing real heavy, like cream sauces or anything), but whatever you like to eat. Pasta's good, or peanut butter sandwiches, or cereal or whatever. Popcorn is also a favorite over here.
On the day of the meet, pack a pair of sweats you can put on between events, and an extra towel, so when you go to change at the end of the meet, your towel isn't soaking wet and yucky. Foodwise, I usually pack bagels, granola bars, some gatorade, things like that. Drink plenty of water, but if your meet's going to last awhile, take some carbs with you. Protein's less important, carbs more, because carbs get absorbed as energy more quickly than protein.
For my swim meet, things didn't go exactly as planned, lol. Five of us were planning to go; two backed out, because it was cold as Alaska the day of the meet. So three of us went, and I ended up being in four events (the 25 free, 50 back, 200 free, and 25 ***). The meet went incredibly fast, because a lot of people didn't show up. I didn't get much time between my events, but I did drop a second in my 25 free, 2 full seconds in my 50 back, and then I literally got two heats of the 50 back to rest before my 200 free. Didn't feel so hot after that race. ASthma kicked in a little, and I scratched the last event. But I swam .5 under my seeded time for the 200, so I call it a fair day.
It was a lot of fun though. You'll really have a blast, Kyra! Especially if you see people there you know, or have met on here. Jeremy and Dennis, the guys who went with me to Allegheny Valley, made the meet very fun for me (would have been fun anyway, but these guys are hilarious).
Anyway, that's a long enough post (I'm turning into Guvnah!), so I'll sign off for now.
Slainte,
Steph
Hey Kyra!
First, my advice for food, etc. Second, swim meet review!
Okay, food the night before, I'd stick with stuff you like, that's not too heavy (no fast food, nothing really salty, nothing real heavy, like cream sauces or anything), but whatever you like to eat. Pasta's good, or peanut butter sandwiches, or cereal or whatever. Popcorn is also a favorite over here.
On the day of the meet, pack a pair of sweats you can put on between events, and an extra towel, so when you go to change at the end of the meet, your towel isn't soaking wet and yucky. Foodwise, I usually pack bagels, granola bars, some gatorade, things like that. Drink plenty of water, but if your meet's going to last awhile, take some carbs with you. Protein's less important, carbs more, because carbs get absorbed as energy more quickly than protein.
For my swim meet, things didn't go exactly as planned, lol. Five of us were planning to go; two backed out, because it was cold as Alaska the day of the meet. So three of us went, and I ended up being in four events (the 25 free, 50 back, 200 free, and 25 ***). The meet went incredibly fast, because a lot of people didn't show up. I didn't get much time between my events, but I did drop a second in my 25 free, 2 full seconds in my 50 back, and then I literally got two heats of the 50 back to rest before my 200 free. Didn't feel so hot after that race. ASthma kicked in a little, and I scratched the last event. But I swam .5 under my seeded time for the 200, so I call it a fair day.
It was a lot of fun though. You'll really have a blast, Kyra! Especially if you see people there you know, or have met on here. Jeremy and Dennis, the guys who went with me to Allegheny Valley, made the meet very fun for me (would have been fun anyway, but these guys are hilarious).
Anyway, that's a long enough post (I'm turning into Guvnah!), so I'll sign off for now.
Slainte,
Steph
