this thread is here for us to share tid bits of wisdom about swimming
stuff like
get your cap wet before you put it on.
keep your racing suit dry before you race.
Don't warm up in your racing suit
don't breathe on the last stroke into a turn
or your first stroke out of a turn
ande
Beware the taper grumpys!
When Pat and I went to SC nationals in AZ in 1994 (my first nationals I think, unless Santa Clara had one in 1993- then it was my second) we "stayed" together in the hotel (for shame, we weren't married until 1995, but that's another story!) Pat didn't want to do anything or go anywhere, except the first day there we went to the movies (no races that day).
The closer the 400 IM came the grumpier he got. Not even grumpy per se, just very "focused" he would later say. He gets very intense at Nationals I learned that year. After he broke his finger during warm up for the 400 IM I thought "Oh, God, taper grumpy and now a broken finger 5 minutes before his race!" He swam the 400IM, won, and was much happier! And after my 400 IM, the last heat/event of the meet, our team had the best time playing sand volleyball at the bar down the street from the pool, and getting ridiculously drunk! A really fun time. Only to be outdone by Ft. Lauderdale the next year!
I have come to call this little period of time at Nationals "the taper grumpys". And now that I understand it I don't take it personally.
We used to do this when I ran track to play with our opponents' heads. Just before the start, loudly say "I'm so tired." "Tired" will be the last thing they are thinking as the race starts. :D
Brilliant! :dedhorse: I am using that one... :banana:
Correct Splitting makes a world of difference.
Novices think the best way to race is to
go as hard as you can for as long as you can.
BUT that is the sure fire way to:
die a needless death in a race
poorly split your event, and
not produce your best possible time
For sprinters, almost all out is generally the way to go
what you pick up on the back end is way worth
what you give up on the front end
even split everything in practice
Practice suits should be loose,
Racing suits should be tight,
loose swim suit fabric means water can get trapped between the fabric and your skin. Water is weight.
Bring extra contacts to meets.
Bring extra fastskins to meets. They might rip.
Bring a timeline to figure out how much time you can waste and when to caffeinate.
Don't swim back to back events if you're a sprinter.
Go to a meet where you know people. It's more fun.
Try to avoid lanes with bare walls. Sandbag if you must.
Get your main competition to tie it up for you because your hands are too shakey to tie it up. My best phyc job ever.
make sure your suit is tied before getting on the blocks
