Ok, here's my background. I'm, training for USMS NATS in Washignton. Training has been going well and I've been pleased with my meet performances thus far. However, I just swam a meet yesterday as my last meet before I taper for nats. Well, to ensure a good meet I rested two days prior, something I never do going into a meet. At the meet I swam a half a second slower in all my 50's and a full second slower in my 100 fly based on all previous meets. I actually swam A 100 fly in practice last week that was much faster then my race at this meet.
I don't understand, I should have swum faster then other meets this year because I rested going into it. Other meets I swam a hard workout the night before. Could anyone please share any insight into this phenomenon. I have now suffered a huge blow to my confidence going into nationals.
There could have been a lot of factors that determine your slightly slower times.
There is a point in resting where your body goes into shock because it's not working as hard. It seems that's what your body was doing.
How was your meet preparation? In addition to resting in the water, were you taking care of yourself out of the pool?
Take it in stride. Don't change anything. I've had meets like this, and you can still learn from it. How was your technique? Did you have good starts and turns?
My opinion is you shouldn't swim a meet that close to your taper meet. So, now that you've blown that, don't sweat it! I agree with Jeff. Sometimes weird things happen when you are partially rested. I usually swim my final meet about a month out from my taper meet and typically swim pretty slow. I've learned that my performance at that meet really has no bearing on how I'll swim the following month and don't let it worry me. For example, I've improved my 500 free time by up to 20 seconds. Last summer I swam my 400 IM almost 20 seconds faster at Worlds then I did at a meet around July 4th.
There are two ways to deal with this. One is to let it be a blow to your confidence and two it is to trust your training and give you extra incentive and determination to do well at Nats!!
I swam the lead off of an 800 free relay three weeks ago and went 2:01. I also swam the 200 free and went 2:02. This past weekend I swam a 200 free in a meet and "hit the wall" at 100 yards and wound up with a 2:08!!!!! I was bummed out for a little while until I decided that my conditioning was good three weeks ago so there is no reason for it not to be good now. It just made me more determined to take care of my body, taper well, eat well, REST WELL and do well at Federal Way.
Hang in there, you will do fine.
Glenn Gruber
I hope your right Jeff. You definitely have much more meets experience than I do so, your insight gives me great hope. I did have good starts and turns however, I didn't have a "feel" for the water like I usually do and I had not slept well this past week. I hope this was just body shock as you said.
I will continue to train hard today and tomorrow and then go into my taper as planned.
Thanks again,
I had a similar experience this year leading up to my taper (started yesterday). I live and train at 9000 feet and compete in Denver at 5280. A week after our state meet in Denver I flew to Santa Clarita to swim, where I should have gotten 3-5% improvement. Instead, all my times were routinely 2 seconds slower than the week before in Denver. In a 50, for crying out loud?
As Jeff said, this has happened before and, although it was very disturbing, I trust my training. I believe good things will happen in Seattle!
I think your right Nelson I should have passed on this meet. Thank you all for your input. I'm going to take your advice and just forget this meet ever happened and just focus on Washington.
Thanks again,
You're at the end of your training period. Even with that two day rest, your body is exhausted. :whiteflag:
Meets like these, although you want to do well, they are essentially a weelend-long lactic acid set. And probably the last one you'll do before nationals. Use it to practice your race strategery and then go kick some rear in Seattle!
