After a long rest

I've definitely had meets where I was disappointed and high expectations. Just last June, I had trained really hard for Zones in hopes of getting the 50 fly WR long course. I fell sick right before the meet and wasn't recovered when it happened. When you spend as much time and energy training as any of us do, it's not hard to feel disappointment. I promise that you will feel better about your times in a couple days. They are really fast. And you haven't been at this masters thing all that long. I agree with the last commenters as well that perhaps you weren't adequately tapered. It seemed like you were doing power racks and best average sets too close to your meet. And I seem to remember you doing 7 x 100 kicks close to the meet when it may have been better to rest your legs. It takes awhile to get the hang of how much to taper given X training. You have really ramped it up and may have needed more rest. You'll figure it all out. And I agree with Patrick that should try another taper before Worlds.

in all distances man!

Originally Posted by The Fortress

I promise that you will feel better about your times in a couple days. They are really fast.

Agreed. It always sucks when you don't meet your goals, but those are some nice swims. All are faster than what you swam last year in Indy with the possible exception of the 50, correct? So it's a step forward. It may not be the step forward you were looking forward, but it's a step forward all the same.

Originally Posted by knelson

Agreed. It always sucks when you don't meet your goals, but those are some nice swims. All are faster than what you swam last year in Indy with the possible exception of the 50, correct? So it's a step forward. It may not be the step forward you were looking forward, but it's a step forward all the same.

Stewart, I am 99.9% sure we can all commiserate with you. I had this exact experience with swims back at the 2010 Nationals where I had trained so much harder and more consistently than in 2009 and either dropped miniscule amounts of time, added a bit or, in the case of the 200 IM and 100 free, totally bombed. I really let it get to my head and, despite actually winning my first ever event at Nationals, I walked away disappointed. It took some time, but I eventually put those swims into perspective and have grown to have more respect for and happiness from that meet -- and I took away some lessons that I've since used.

Probably the biggest thing I learned was to enjoy the experience more, focus on the racing and let the times be. Don't get me wrong, I still have some expectations of times I want to achieve, but they are not as hard-coded in my mind as they were when I went into the 2010 Nationals (e.g., I was really, fully expecting to hit my 'BHAG' times in this post - http://forums.usms.org/entry.php?976...b-the-Ambition). So, by the time 2012 rolled around and I was swimming, for example, the 500 and really wanted to go sub 4:50, I was more focused on enjoying a fabulous racing experience and just letting the clock chips fall where they did. I didn't set a stupidly fast goal and, if you care to read about it, thoroughly enjoyed the race (one of my most fun of my career) despite not going under 4:50 and not winning it -- http://forums.usms.org/entry.php?221...-always-enough.

One of the great things about Masters is that you have literally a lifetime of seasons ahead of you and, with the mix of SCM, SCY, LCM and open water, so many opportunities to try out different approaches and options for self-redemption, so to speak.

Originally Posted by The Fortress

I've definitely had meets where I was disappointed and high expectations. Just last June, I had trained really hard for Zones in hopes of getting the 50 fly WR long course. I fell sick right before the meet and wasn't recovered when it happened. When you spend as much time and energy training as any of us do, it's not hard to feel disappointment. I promise that you will feel better about your times in a couple days. They are really fast. And you haven't been at this masters thing all that long.

Thankyou Fort. I am feeling better already and now want to focus on what I need to alter and I definately have a few ideas already.

Originally Posted by The Fortress

I agree with the last commenters as well that perhaps you weren't adequately tapered. It seemed like you were doing power racks and best average sets too close to your meet. And I seem to remember you doing 7 x 100 kicks close to the meet when it may have been better to rest your legs. It takes awhile to get the hang of how much to taper given X training. You have really ramped it up and may have needed more rest. You'll figure it all out. And I agree with Patrick that should try another taper before Worlds.

I definitely think I ramped up my training which in itself I don't think was bad and I feel stronger generally than I have since I got back in. I think my taper is part of the problem but I also think I should have had more of a gap between my training camp and my taper. I swam almost as quick in November in the shorter events completely unrested as I did tapered and shaved. As I increased my training yardage and intensity I lost speed. I don't think I had enough of a gap between this big push and my taper. I also did not really have a quality phase and this was pushed into my taper. My coach asked me to take a look at what we did and decide what I thought worked and what did not. We will meet next week and discuss what to change.

Originally Posted by __steve__

in all distances man!

Thanks Steve

Originally Posted by knelson

Agreed. It always sucks when you don't meet your goals, but those are some nice swims. All are faster than what you swam last year in Indy with the possible exception of the 50, correct? So it's a step forward. It may not be the step forward you were looking forward, but it's a step forward all the same.

Yes you are right Kirk. In Indy I had only been back in training 4 months and in the pool 7 months after being out for 20+ years. I swam .3 slower in the 50 and .5 slower in the 100 unrested in November and based on my training speed was hoping and anticipating a much quicker meet. That all said you are right I need to take a step back and recognize that it's forward momentum and one step towards my larger yearly goal. Thank you for the encouragement.

Originally Posted by pwb

Stewart, I am 99.9% sure we can all commiserate with you. I had this exact experience with swims back at the 2010 Nationals where I had trained so much harder and more consistently than in 2009 and either dropped miniscule amounts of time, added a bit or, in the case of the 200 IM and 100 free, totally bombed. I really let it get to my head and, despite actually winning my first ever event at Nationals, I walked away disappointed. It took some time, but I eventually put those swims into perspective and have grown to have more respect for and happiness from that meet -- and I took away some lessons that I've since used.

Probably the biggest thing I learned was to enjoy the experience more, focus on the racing and let the times be. Don't get me wrong, I still have some expectations of times I want to achieve, but they are not as hard-coded in my mind as they were when I went into the 2010 Nationals (e.g., I was really, fully expecting to hit my 'BHAG' times in this post - http://forums.usms.org/entry.php?976...b-the-Ambition). So, by the time 2012 rolled around and I was swimming, for example, the 500 and really wanted to go sub 4:50, I was more focused on enjoying a fabulous racing experience and just letting the clock chips fall where they did. I didn't set a stupidly fast goal and, if you care to read about it, thoroughly enjoyed the race (one of my most fun of my career) despite not going under 4:50 and not winning it -- http://forums.usms.org/entry.php?221...-always-enough.

One of the great things about Masters is that you have literally a lifetime of seasons ahead of you and, with the mix of SCM, SCY, LCM and open water, so many opportunities to try out different approaches and options for self-redemption, so to speak.

Its a double edged sword with me, I love goals and do everything I can to achieve them, if I make them I don't celebrate and I am always onto the next goal, however if I miss a goal I spend days and days analyzing and postulating on what I did wrong. I am never happy! I believe a number of us are wired similarly on this forum.

That said the first go around I lost my love for the sport because I lost sight of enjoying the journey and need to keep reminding myself that the journey is more important than the result in the big picture. I may need reminding from time to time and appreciate the help.

Originally Posted by StewartACarroll

Its a double edged sword with me, I love goals and do everything I can to achieve them, if I make them I don't celebrate and I am always onto the next goal, however if I miss a goal I spend days and days analyzing and postulating on what I did wrong. I am never happy! I believe a number of us are wired similarly on this forum.

Always celebrate and savor a great meet! They don't happen all the time and there are always roadblocks in life. Celebrate when you can! I've definitely learned to do this over time.

Originally Posted by StewartACarroll

I am never happy! I believe a number of us are wired similarly on this forum.

For me I'd say I'm very rarely really happy [with my swims].