How many of you have gone to a meet, without a lot of proper prep for the meet? Maybe it was a lack of training time, less than focused training for any meet, maybe you have been swimming a lot but no real speed or race specific training during your practice?
What were your expectations going in? Did you worry too much about times or just go to do some racing and swim the best that you can?
I am thinking of FINALLY doing some meets. Found a low key one in a few weeks. I swim 4500-5000 about 5-6x a week. The practices are mix of aerobic swims, a lot of drill work to fix some flaws on my free/back and high intensity kick sets. Not done a lot/any speed work in months but I figure if I don't suck it up soon and just start racing, it may not happen for a long time to come.
Any feedback would be great.
Former Member
Swimming a meet with less than ideal preparation? I think that covers most every meet I have attended.
LOL...I think this one is the one that pushed me over the edge. Alright, thanks ya'll. Guess my biggest fear is been embarrassing myself racing...but what the hell...go have fun and I might be surprised by how much fun i have and how i do.
Thanks!
I am so happy that someone started this thread because this is exactly what I am deciding to do now.
I am recovering after surgery--and trying to get back into shape (not as slowly as my doctor would like though, what does she know about me :shakeshead:)
My whole thing that has kept me out of meets and probably swimming in general the past 8 years has been the fear of trying to swim and having to cope with not being as fast as I was in high school and college. I realize that my body is a lot different now, that my life is a lot different now, but I am still having a difficult time getting off my butt and just doing a meet.
What sort of things did you all go through when deciding to go back? I will do it, I know I will, I am just scared.
Best advice I received about times is that you should toss out the ones you did in a different age group. Really. It makes keeping perspective much easier. Very few of us train as many yards as we did when we were in high school and college - I think my shoulders would fall off if I did. I am swimming now to stay in shape, to hang out with my swimming buddies, and going to meets helps keep me motivated and working hard in practice. I did tell my husband after my first meet that I felt like I was working too hard to be swimming so slow - but I've improved close to every meet and am now much faster than I was at my first meet. But you need to go have a first meet - you will meet some of the nicest folks and it will be fun. And it will be the fastest you have swam at your current age.
Do it soon. You will not regret it.
--mj
How many of you have gone to a meet, without a lot of proper prep for the meet? Maybe it was a lack of training time, less than focused training for any meet, maybe you have been swimming a lot but no real speed or race specific training during your practice?
What were your expectations going in? Did you worry too much about times or just go to do some racing and swim the best that you can?
I am thinking of FINALLY doing some meets. Found a low key one in a few weeks. I swim 4500-5000 about 5-6x a week. The practices are mix of aerobic swims, a lot of drill work to fix some flaws on my free/back and high intensity kick sets. Not done a lot/any speed work in months but I figure if I don't suck it up soon and just start racing, it may not happen for a long time to come.
Any feedback would be great.
John,
Get your butt to the meet. I started back in Sep 07 after a loooong layoff and my first meet was 5 weeks after I started back. So get out there and swim. Meet great folks, have fun.
Best advice I received about times is that you should toss out the ones you did in a different age group. Really. It makes keeping perspective much easier. Very few of us train as many yards as we did when we were in high school and college - I think my shoulders would fall off if I did. I am swimming now to stay in shape, to hang out with my swimming buddies, and going to meets helps keep me motivated and working hard in practice. I did tell my husband after my first meet that I felt like I was working too hard to be swimming so slow - but I've improved close to every meet and am now much faster than I was at my first meet. But you need to go have a first meet - you will meet some of the nicest folks and it will be fun. And it will be the fastest you have swam at your current age.
Do it soon. You will not regret it.
--mj
Thanks for the perspective and the encouragement.
I never swam competitively growing up. Actually, I really didn't swim until I joined a masters group 2 years ago. So I can say I've never been race ready at a meet.:drown:
I've swum at 2 meets: one I was totally alone and one I met some Formites. Both were great! Yes, I was DFL, but I still had fun and met some truly great people (and Jim Thornton). :banana: :drink:
Just kidding Jim, I liked your article in Men's Health. :D
Yeah, yuk it up...I still have the "backstroke" video...
See John - Nothing to fear. You embarrass yourself, but noone remembers. :rofl:
Come to zones this spring.:)
Nope, no one remembers but hey we've got it on video so no one NEEDS to remember :angel:
Yeah, John, come to Zones and see how my swim-once-a-week-for-two-months taper works out in the 200 free and 200 IM. :drown:
