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
My first master's meet (just this past January) I was so nervous before my first event (the 200 free) I wanted to scratch. I was still nervous on the blocks but as soon as I was actually swimming I was fine. My nerves decreased with every event. This past meet I was much less nervous until I had to swim the 200 IM (which again I thought about scratching - not seriously but I was freaked out) I knew once I got through the fly I'd be OK on the back die a little on the *** and be ok on the free.
I had a coach once tell me that if you weren't nervous it meant that you didn't care. Nerves give you adrenaline and energy. Remember it's OK to make mistakes, have bad races, even DQ. All of those things happen at EVERY level. People DQ at the Olympics, and even Michael Phelps and Jenny Thompson have had bad races.
Just have fun. As long as you have fun everything else will work out!
My first master's meet (just this past January) I was so nervous before my first event (the 200 free) I wanted to scratch. I was still nervous on the blocks but as soon as I was actually swimming I was fine. My nerves decreased with every event. This past meet I was much less nervous until I had to swim the 200 IM (which again I thought about scratching - not seriously but I was freaked out) I knew once I got through the fly I'd be OK on the back die a little on the *** and be ok on the free.
I had a coach once tell me that if you weren't nervous it meant that you didn't care. Nerves give you adrenaline and energy. Remember it's OK to make mistakes, have bad races, even DQ. All of those things happen at EVERY level. People DQ at the Olympics, and even Michael Phelps and Jenny Thompson have had bad races.
Just have fun. As long as you have fun everything else will work out!
