This is somewhat related to the “eat or not before swimming in early morning thread”--though my question is about competition rather than training. I did a search of the forums and couldn’t find an answer. First a little background. I am not a morning person. If I could (i.e., if work and life and everything else didn’t intervene), I’d probably go to sleep at 1 and wake at 9. By choice, I generally swim at noon with my master’s group.
Because of scheduling conflicts, on Monday and Tuesday of this week, I woke up really early (for me), didn’t sleep much or well, then went to the pool to swim. OMG was that a horrible experience. On both days, I could not warm up or get comfortable in the water or get my body to loosen up. I nearly got out after 1000 yards, and I usually never want to get out before I’ve finished the planned workout. More to the point of my question, I was also about 4 seconds per 100 slower than I would have been at noon, based on perceived effort. And I’ve noticed the same crappy feeling pretty much every time I swim in the early morning.
So, I’m looking ahead to this summer, and to one open water swim in particular, though my question has more to do with time of day than to venue. This open water swim is designed for early birds. It starts at 8:30--but it starts on an island. Which means that you have to take the 6:30 ferry over, then wait around for the start. Which in turn means that I have to get up really early (for me), and that I do not sleep much or well. When I have done this swim in the past, the feeling has usually been more like the morning swims than the noon ones (though, of course, there is more adrenaline, etc. flowing during a race).
Anyone else have a similar experience? Does anyone have any advice about how to get to a place where an early morning competition doesn’t automatically mean a handicap? Aside, that is, from some crazy idea like changing all of my regular workout times to the early morning.
I'm guessing most folks will tell you to "suck it up," with all due respect of course. :D
I won't. I hate people telling me to "suck it up" when I'm already a hard worker. I'm a notorious night owl. And I think my natural hours, if I could do so, would likewise be 1:00-9:0am or thereabouts. I train in the late morning and early afternoon (I'm happy with late afternoon or evenings too), though my swims usually start between 12-1. I never ever swim in the am. My team practice is at 9:00 on Sunday, and that is an effort for me with the drive there.
I struggle in competition with the early wake ups as well. Plus, I don't sleep well when I travel or at meets. I haven't found a good way around my natural proclivities. I sometimes try to find meets with later warm ups times. I have one in the afternoon coming up. :bow: At big meets, I just caffeine-ate a lot and hope for the best. If I can come late and skip the designated warm up, so much the better. But I guess I have grown accustomed to operating with very little sleep during multi-day meets. (And then the predictable post meet semi-collapse.)
I did an OW as part of a tri relay last year. I had to get up at 6:00 am. I'm sure it effected my swim. I guess you could do what funky fish suggests and occasionally try to train earlier. I haven't really tried to do this, though I've read many times that you swim fastest at the time your body is used to practicing fast. What I try to do is get max sleep leading up to the meet, so my body can stand the sleep deprivation -- and live on adrenline -- during the meet/race. Perhaps not the best solution, but with the discrimination against early birds, I'm not sure what else to recommend. That's one reason I like bigger meets that last all day long. There is somewhat more flexibility about when you get to the pool for warm up and there are always afternoon events.
Good luck.
I'm guessing most folks will tell you to "suck it up," with all due respect of course. :D
I won't. I hate people telling me to "suck it up" when I'm already a hard worker. I'm a notorious night owl. And I think my natural hours, if I could do so, would likewise be 1:00-9:0am or thereabouts. I train in the late morning and early afternoon (I'm happy with late afternoon or evenings too), though my swims usually start between 12-1. I never ever swim in the am. My team practice is at 9:00 on Sunday, and that is an effort for me with the drive there.
I struggle in competition with the early wake ups as well. Plus, I don't sleep well when I travel or at meets. I haven't found a good way around my natural proclivities. I sometimes try to find meets with later warm ups times. I have one in the afternoon coming up. :bow: At big meets, I just caffeine-ate a lot and hope for the best. If I can come late and skip the designated warm up, so much the better. But I guess I have grown accustomed to operating with very little sleep during multi-day meets. (And then the predictable post meet semi-collapse.)
I did an OW as part of a tri relay last year. I had to get up at 6:00 am. I'm sure it effected my swim. I guess you could do what funky fish suggests and occasionally try to train earlier. I haven't really tried to do this, though I've read many times that you swim fastest at the time your body is used to practicing fast. What I try to do is get max sleep leading up to the meet, so my body can stand the sleep deprivation -- and live on adrenline -- during the meet/race. Perhaps not the best solution, but with the discrimination against early birds, I'm not sure what else to recommend. That's one reason I like bigger meets that last all day long. There is somewhat more flexibility about when you get to the pool for warm up and there are always afternoon events.
Good luck.
