Got my first chance ever to practice starts off a block this morning. Are the goggles supposed to hang freely from my neck as a result? I tightened, I tucked, I squeezed with my arms. Short of super glue, how do I keep my goggles in place?
While I'm at it, any other general tips for learning starts? No track blocks, but is a track start still fastest?
I like the bungee cord goggle straps for racing. They let me tighten the heck out of my goggles. I've only lost my goggles twice during a race. Once was on a relay start, and I'm sure my head was lifted. The other time was when I double capped for a 1500 SCM race. I had never double capped before, and my goggles flipped up (I don't double cap anymore, but tried it for this race as my then 16 year old son recommended it). As it was a 1500, I stopped at the 25 and fixed my goggles. The two seconds I lost I'm sure I more than made up for during the next 1475 meters. Moral of the story -- if you're going to change anything, try a couple of practice starts before your race!
I'm curious... Why do you think the double cap is what caused the problem? I find using two caps helps; especially if I pull one of the caps over the top of my goggles. (At Auburn, I forgot that last step, so my goggles flipped down on me.)
I like the bungee cord goggle straps for racing. They let me tighten the heck out of my goggles. I've only lost my goggles twice during a race. Once was on a relay start, and I'm sure my head was lifted. The other time was when I double capped for a 1500 SCM race. I had never double capped before, and my goggles flipped up (I don't double cap anymore, but tried it for this race as my then 16 year old son recommended it). As it was a 1500, I stopped at the 25 and fixed my goggles. The two seconds I lost I'm sure I more than made up for during the next 1475 meters. Moral of the story -- if you're going to change anything, try a couple of practice starts before your race!
I'm curious... Why do you think the double cap is what caused the problem? I find using two caps helps; especially if I pull one of the caps over the top of my goggles. (At Auburn, I forgot that last step, so my goggles flipped down on me.)
