RACE DAY

🏊🏽On race day the number one rule is “don’t do anything different.  No new energy drink, no massage if it has not been part of your training, no new foods.  Stick to the plan!  It all boils down to your checklist that  if followed will set you up for a great meet!  Let’s go through your checklist;

 

• Pack your bags 🛍(the night before)
• 2 pairs of goggles 
• 2 or more MAKO caps
• Sweats and shirts 👕for on the deck
• 2 towels 
• Water 💧
• Snacks (pasta, cereal bars, unsalted nuts, dry cereal (without the word frosted) bananas, apples prepared vegetables such as cucumbers, and celery

Try to eat something small right after warm down.  It is important to keep your tanks at least 3/4 full.  If you let it get down near empty it takes longer to recover and this would not be good if it happens on the first day, could set up along weekend.

 

Race day presents other challenges because swimmers will have to warm up and down multiple times, the start of the session and before each event. You need to gauge your warm-up.  The intensity should be high enough to warm the body and get the blood flowing, but not so hard to allow fatigue to set in.  Conditions are rarely perfect at meets, things will happen. Some times it may seem that you are in a fish bowl with parents, teammates, coaches and most of all your competition watching you.  Don’t get lost in what is happening around you, STAY IN THE PRESENT as you step up on the blocks and STICK TO YOUR PLAN📝. 

 

In Water🏊🏼‍♀️ Warm up

What are we trying to do during the warm up session?  We are trying to wake up your body, raise your heart rate a little, warm your body and basically getting your body ready for what you are going to ask it to do which is to RACE!

• Start with Moderate 200-400 swim (10 and under 200/ 11-12 300/ 13-14 400)
• Several high intensity interval swims 4x50 free descend @50-1:00
• Some kicking 200-300 followed by 3x50 kick descend
• Some drill 50’s 8-12 50”s (drill swim)
• Some fast 25’s (stroke build fast free)
• Couple of starts followed by low intensity cool down (100-150)

The main warm up should be done about 30 minutes prior to start of meet.  Yes if your not the first event you will need a second warm up which should be shorter and done early enough to allow you about 10-15 minutes before you step onto the blocks.  This warm up should look like this;

• 2-3 50’s to get the blood flowing
• 4-6 fast 25’s free with about 30 seconds in between to get your ♥️ rate up and than get warm and go to the blocks

 

The 10 and unders probably will not need the second warm up because their turn around will be very quick, but it is important to warm down after your race and stay warm.

At the end of the day your warm down is VERY IMPORTANT.  It will help start the recovery process immediately and the longer the meet goes on the more you need, especially on that last day.  I know you don’t like it but  do not jeopardize yourself and skip it.  FOLLOW THE PLAN!

 

Next up reviewing the races and cue words.

 

MIKE