I signed up for the Taiwan LCM Masters meet on the 20 - 21st of next month. Here's the link for anyone who is interested (and who can read Chinese): www.masterswim.org.tw/new-9.htm. I've entered the 50,100 and 200 Free and the 50 and 100 Fly.
I can already smell the chlorine, hear the starter's pistol and feel the butterflies in my stomach! Come to think of it they probably don't have starter's pistols anymore. It is probably all electronic.
I haven't even got there and already I am starting to have all sorts of doubts. Have I entered too many events? Am I fit enough? My starts and turns are apalling. Are they going to hold up? The last time I, literally, stood on a starting block was 24 years ago. The pool I train in doesn't even have them!
I have never completed a legal 100m Fly either. Well not in competition anyway and I have only recently started to incorporate fly into my training!
Actually I am more worried about the 200m free though. I never used to swim that competitively either and it will be my first event. I am worried it is going to tire me out for the rest of the events and I won't perform at my best.
Anyway despite all my worries I am actually really excited and now have even more of a purpose when training.
Syd
Congrats on getting up the courage to enter! Enjoy the experience!
I am not a fast swimmer at all, but I have entered some meets and set my own goals, not worrying about how fast others will be, and it's great to just give it a try, find out what I can do and what I want to work on for next time. And there have been several "next times"! As you'll find, I'm sure! A master's coach I used to work with headed his workout sheets, "Do the best that you can do. Don't worry about what others are doing." It's kept me together in countless races, not only swimming but running as well!
I have to confess, I don't even use the start blocks. A swimmer friend told me that one could start in the water, and so I have done that and have seen others do so as well--or just dove off the side of the pool, not the blocks. Now my "next time goal" is to start off the block. (I know I probably have looked wimpy starting in water, but so be it... It was a step forward for me to even enter, and I wasn't going to worry what it looked like to others.)
But whatever start or events you choose, may it all be fun!
Congrats on getting up the courage to enter! Enjoy the experience!
I am not a fast swimmer at all, but I have entered some meets and set my own goals, not worrying about how fast others will be, and it's great to just give it a try, find out what I can do and what I want to work on for next time. And there have been several "next times"! As you'll find, I'm sure! A master's coach I used to work with headed his workout sheets, "Do the best that you can do. Don't worry about what others are doing." It's kept me together in countless races, not only swimming but running as well!
I have to confess, I don't even use the start blocks. A swimmer friend told me that one could start in the water, and so I have done that and have seen others do so as well--or just dove off the side of the pool, not the blocks. Now my "next time goal" is to start off the block. (I know I probably have looked wimpy starting in water, but so be it... It was a step forward for me to even enter, and I wasn't going to worry what it looked like to others.)
But whatever start or events you choose, may it all be fun!
