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Training for First Meet - How to Select Event?

R2RVD

Greetings, all!

I joined US Masters Swimmers in April 2025, and have aspirations of participating in a swim meet by Summer 2026. So far I've been focusing on technique, consistency, and endurance (never swam seriously before joining), but I'm trying to give myself definable goals for the meet.

My husband is getting into running, and it feels like for runners there's a logical progression of doing a 5k, then 10k, then 10 miler, half marathon, full marathon, etc. Does something like this exist in swimming, specifically with the distance aspect?

My favorite strokes are free and breaststroke, so my plan is to train for those heats, but I don't know if it makes sense to do the 50 meter or a longer distance as a first timer. Could anyone share some advice about which distance makes the most sense to sign up for?

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    There is an easy way to "learn" what your events are and in some ways this is MUST do at some point in your training - true all out efforts in practice -- I am not talking about 12x50 alternate easy and sprint - that's bogus in terms of real all effort. After warm up ... and maybe you can recruit your husband to time you - do an all out 50 - everything there is ... rest as long as you want after -- a week later ... do the same for a 100 which is very different for your body. 

  • 0 in reply to Erik Hochstein

    This is really good advice. Try some different events in practice. Like Erik says, not as part of a set. Instead warm up, then swim the event like it's the only thing you are going to do that day. Now if it's a 100 or 200, I don't mean go flat out from the start, I mean swim the even as smart as you possibly can, aiming for the fastest possible time. Obviously if it's 200, that's not gonna happen by sprinting the first 50 and dog paddling while gasping for breath for the remaining 150. You will for sure mess up the pacing some, but after you have tried some events a few times, you will get an idea of what you like best. Most of all though, try stuff and have fun. If you have never raced before, you are sure to be able to whittle your times down, which is extremely satisfying.

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  • 0 in reply to Erik Hochstein

    This is really good advice. Try some different events in practice. Like Erik says, not as part of a set. Instead warm up, then swim the event like it's the only thing you are going to do that day. Now if it's a 100 or 200, I don't mean go flat out from the start, I mean swim the even as smart as you possibly can, aiming for the fastest possible time. Obviously if it's 200, that's not gonna happen by sprinting the first 50 and dog paddling while gasping for breath for the remaining 150. You will for sure mess up the pacing some, but after you have tried some events a few times, you will get an idea of what you like best. Most of all though, try stuff and have fun. If you have never raced before, you are sure to be able to whittle your times down, which is extremely satisfying.

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