Advice about signing up for my first swim meet

My first Masters coach said Zones can actually be a decent place for a "first meet" as there are more participants and more liklihood that you will have somebody about your speed to race against; and there will be more time between events so you can recharge. Slow people go to meets too. It's not just newbies or old people or those with disabilities. Some of us are just ... slow. Very few people give a rat's *** about your times, how many points you earned, what medals/ribbons you got. Those are for you to enjoy. It's not always about being the first to the wall. Seeing an improvement in my "masters" best times is more fun than beating somebody while doing a sub-par swim.

As everyone else says, just go for it! At my very first masters meet, I was nervous and thought I swam really slow as I was comparing myself with my age-group times. However everyone I met was so supportive and thought I'd done great and convinced me that I was starting a fresh chapter. Now I menatlly reset my PRs after each life event (yeah, yeah its still nice to get close to all time PRs and is a long term goal, but I don't beat myself up about it). Some people I know reset when they age up. Get the experience and enjoy it. Be the best you can be with what you've got right now :)

Most of all - have fun. Most swimmers will not even look at your time, maybe your coach.

January 2011 was officially my fourth month back in the water after a 25 year lay-off and I decided to compete in a Masters Swim Meet. I had some of the same concerns that you have except that at that time I was swimming unattached and didn't know a single person associated with Michigan Masters swimming. I can tell you a couple of things: 1. You'll probably be faster than you think, and if you aren't, absolutely no one will laugh at or snicker at you. 2. If the swim meet is anything like the two meets I've now been to, everyone will be very friendly and help you understand anything you don't understand. 3. If you're anything like me, racing will get back in to your blood and you won't be able to get enough of it. I would disagree slightly with one of the earlier posts that told you to sign up for as many events as possible to see which ones you like. I would say sign up for whatever makes you comfortable and be prepared to be much more fatigued than you would ever expect from a few short races, I was. My last bit of advice would be to make sure you swim a nice easy workout the day after the meet. I swam my first meet, skipped workout for three days, and my muscles were so full of lactic acid they hardly moved. By the way, next week I'm headed to my third meet of 2011. Good luck!!!!

Reading all of the posts above should be proof enough that Masters swimmers are good people. Compete and enjoy.

All these posters are right on the money, and as far as the relays, you never know what strategy you might fit into. For our association meet I have teammates who pour over all the possible combinations of swimmers to place us in the age groups where we have the best chance of scoring points, you might be surprized how you fit in! A relay needs four swimmers and you just might be the key to placing a team in a soft age group. So don't be afraid of signing up for relays, they are a blast. My mantra has always been: Any Relay any time any where.

Okay, I will sign up for the Colonies Zone SCY very soon - not sure what events I will do yet. But, I am nervous about the forward starts - how many people really do it with the push off the wall? I have never even tried the starting blocks or from the deck. You guys have been giving great advice so far! :) There will be quite a few people there doing wall starts. Zones is a big meet but don't let that worry you. It's a fun meet, too. And I look forward to meeting you there.

I have never even tried the starting blocks or from the deck. I never dove from the block either a little over a year ago. Just make sure your hands are locked to each other before entry. If you practice beforehand on your own (off block or even side of pool), make sure it is deep enough and someone is nearby.

Okay, I will sign up for the Colonies Zone SCY very soon - not sure what events I will do yet. But, I am nervous about the forward starts - how many people really do it with the push off the wall? I have never even tried the starting blocks or from the deck. You guys have been giving great advice so far! :)

I just swam my first meet last week. I entered a 50 back, 100 back, and 100 IM. It was my first meet ever. I was amazed how encouraging everyone was. I've been going to weekly practices for maybe 3 months. Nothing bad happened, I found myself swimming "against" men and women because it was a smaller meet, I guess- meaning we were in the same heat, so no one knew my age as they watched me. All I got was encouragement, praise, from folks on other teams and my own. Any good Masters team would welcome a new competitor, it appears. I actually didn't pay attention to my times, just entered the experience of competing. I likely was last in all 3 races and could care less- once the results are posted, I'll have times to include for my next meet. Best of all I learned a ton, you will too. Because of very recent eye surgery I started all my races in the pool, since I'm not doctor-cleared to dive from a platform. It was legal- slower, but no losing my goggles. Deck entries- sign up the same day for more events. 3 in 1 day was fine for me. No watches allowed during a race. Etc.