OK…three days to Nationals, my first. I’ve trained really hard for eight months and done all the right stuff: high yardage with a good mix of endurance, sprint, and race-pace training. I also have been running and doing some strength training. This past week I’ve cut out the running and weights and I’m doing light swim workouts working on starts, turns, finishes and pacing.
It’s taper time and I am going CRAZY!!! I’m not sleeping well, I want to eat too much, and this morning I was seriously considering going out in the yard and pulling out trees! (Now, that’s nuts!) How do I keep my head together during this critical time! I need advice on how to handle the psychological aspects of tapering!!
:confused:
Youv'e done everything you need to do to be ready for the meet! Now is the most imoportant time in your preparation for Nationals.......REST.
Nothing you do now in the pool before the meet will make you any faster. It's there, your body is ready. Give it a chance to rest, rest, rest.
Read, listen to music do whatever. And enjoy the fact that your body is fit and tuned and ready to go.
Good luck, you will do well!:)
Glenn
Focus and channel your extra energy into the swim. Visualize your races and just try to hold back the excitement until the days of your swims. There is a danger of creating and burning too much adrenaline leading up to Nats and thus making you feel fatigued once you get there. So, just try to relax, rest and focus. Good Luck!
becky
You've laid the foundation
trust your taper
3 days out you shouldn't do much in or out of the pool
just some easy swimming, a few drills and a little speed work
resist the temptation to do something stupid
if you can't fall asleep just lay in bed
take it easy and save your energy for your swim
as far as keeping your head together
write a script of what you need to focus on
relax, be confident, swim smart,
good luck,
ande
you'll find more at
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
Originally posted by Hawaiiwoman
OK…three days to Nationals, my first. I’ve trained really hard for eight months and done all the right stuff: high yardage with a good mix of endurance, sprint, and race-pace training. I also have been running and doing some strength training. This past week I’ve cut out the running and weights and I’m doing light swim workouts working on starts, turns, finishes and pacing.
It’s taper time and I am going CRAZY!!! I’m not sleeping well, I want to eat too much, and this morning I was seriously considering going out in the yard and pulling out trees! (Now, that’s nuts!)
How do I keep my head together during this critical time!
I need advice on how to handle the psychological aspects of tapering!!
:confused:
great tip
just don't pull a muscle or an all nighter.
ande
Originally posted by Leonard Jansen
Studies have shown that "intimate relations" don't compromise athletic performance, so now would be a good time to frighten a significant other half to death by unleashing some pent-up energy. Note that anything along those lines requiring circus skills probably IS detrimental to athletic performance, however.
-LBJ
Originally posted by Leonard Jansen
Studies have shown that "intimate relations" don't compromise athletic performance, so now would be a good time to frighten a significant other half to death by unleashing some pent-up energy
Originally posted by ande
just don't pull a muscle
Did you really have to hang a meatball like this out over the plate, ande? :D
Originally posted by Hawaiiwoman
It’s taper time and I am going CRAZY!!! I’m not sleeping well, I want to eat too much, and this morning I was seriously considering going out in the yard and pulling out trees!
That was one thing my previous coaches emphasized: you will have more energy during the taper, but you need to make sure you don't become too active (otherwise you've just compromised your taper).
This sounds like a good time to work on stretching, (consciously) relaxing, and visualizing your race (which will help calm down the nerves).
Sleep, sleep, sleep.
And one more thing: SLEEP!
Rest is very important. You need to store up that nervous energy for the meet. But don't sleep too much. You'll throw off your body rhythm.
Good luck at nationals.
Studies have shown that "intimate relations" don't compromise athletic performance, so now would be a good time to frighten a significant other half to death by unleashing some pent-up energy. Note that anything along those lines requiring circus skills probably IS detrimental to athletic performance, however.
-LBJ
Thanks to all of you for the great tapering tips and the expressions of support! I used many of them, and (hmmmm) modified one (Leonard, Ande). I’m off to the airport feeling good: strong, rested…ready!
I’ll post an update, once the meet is over.
Aloha, -Becky
“Success is never final and failure never fatal. It's courage that counts.”
- George F. Tilton
