Those who have competed at Zones meets

I am considering doing a couple events at the Colonies Zone meet at Rutgers, but I have to admit to being a little concerned about the following: 1. I'm a slow swimmer, and while this has not stopped me from going into smaller, low-key meets, I don't know how it would work for a championship meet. The events I'm considering are the 100 and/or 200 free, and the best I've done in the 100 is something in the low 2 mins., for the 200, 4:21 or 4:22. I recently had a coach do a video analysis of my stroke and he made some very helpful suggestions, but of course I don't look for miracles by December 8. Obviously I want to improve on these times, but would I be totally out of my league in a Zone meet like this? Or are there others getting aroudn these same times (hey, it's okay if those others are 95... just don't want to be totally by myself in the pool as the officials look nervously from their watches to me and back). 2. I know I have to get past my anxiety about getting on the starting block--I've done some dives in practice but not recently... and when I did, I felt very uncomfortable, always afraid I'd slip. In past meets I've done either in-water starts or at most would dive off the side of the pool, but maybe that's kind of dorky for a championship meet. Not that I've ever let the dorkiness of a particular choice stop me if I feel it's the best choice for me... ;) But just in case I decide to try the starting block, do any of you have tips on (a) keeping the nerves under control and (b) getting a safe, not too awful looking dive? Coordination has never been one of my strengths, but I do want to be open to trying things that don't feel comfortable. Thanks for the input! btw, I'm going to meet with the above-mentioned coach for a few more sessions. He's terrific! Maybe I could ask him to talk me through some starts.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    FMIF Go for it. focus on having fun you'll enjoy it. Also I had meet anxiety for th first few meets. Imagine my "horror" when I went to NEM SCY last March--it is a huge meet. After the first dive where my goggles filled with water and I could barely swim the 200BR for lack of vision...all my nerves went away, because something "bad" had happened and you know what? I just got up and tried to do better on the next race. You'll do fine and a big meet cures "stagefright" quick. You will shrug off anything that goes according to "not the plan" but it makes a memory. Besides you kick ass on long OW swims so anyone swimming there would respect that. Plus you'll have forum friends to help you though anything odd that might occur. Go for it!
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    FMIF Go for it. focus on having fun you'll enjoy it. Also I had meet anxiety for th first few meets. Imagine my "horror" when I went to NEM SCY last March--it is a huge meet. After the first dive where my goggles filled with water and I could barely swim the 200BR for lack of vision...all my nerves went away, because something "bad" had happened and you know what? I just got up and tried to do better on the next race. You'll do fine and a big meet cures "stagefright" quick. You will shrug off anything that goes according to "not the plan" but it makes a memory. Besides you kick ass on long OW swims so anyone swimming there would respect that. Plus you'll have forum friends to help you though anything odd that might occur. Go for it!
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