ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT SWIMMING

Preparation before a swimming gala and how to eat

Important equipment required for a gala, what not to forget:

1. A towel

2. Log book

3.    Racing  swimming costume / trunks  and a spare costume trunks

4.   Two pairs of Swimming Goggles (1 for spare)

5.     Club swimming hat and a spare (In case your other one rips)

6.    Club  T-Shirt to wear on poolside (looks good and keeps you warm)

7.    Two drinks (an energy drink and a bottle of water etc)

8.   Drag shorts for the warm up

9. Flip flops or crocs (keeps your feet warm before your race)

10. A pen (To write your race numbers down on your hand)

Getting to the swimming pool location:

If you are going to a new lesuire centre you have never been to then it is a good idea to print off a map or put in the post code in your sat nav if you have one. Before any gala you should find out how long it will take to arrive there. Also you should leave a little bit earlier in order to get there promptly on time and get a seat in the spectators audience for your parents / guests, and if there are any traffic problems you can still get there on time.

Also make sure you have a contact telephone number for your swimming coach or swim club rep, so you can contact them if there are any problems or delays.

You might want to take a CD or your MP3 player for the car journey aswell, so you can listen to your favourite songs and get G’d up for the gala. I would recommend up beat songs to really get you in the mood and zone!

Prepare:

Remember to take some money or change with you for the entry fee and lockers etc….

Bring your flip flops/Crocs to your competition and wear then throughout your time on poolside.

Meals and food you should eat leadind upto and on your gala day

What you eat before and during a competition can have a large impact on your overall performance. Make sure that your final meal before the competition is finished at least two hours before the competition is due to start. Exactly what you eat is not important as long as it is high in carbohydrate and low in fat. Having a meal based around rice, pasta or potato is a good way of filling up with carbohydrate, providing the amounts of fat (e.g. sauce or butter) eaten are small.

Once you have completed your competition warm-up you will need to replenish the carbohydrates you have lost by drinking diluted juices, squashes or sports drinks. You should not eat anything unless you have at least an hour before you are due to race. Between races you should continue to take additional carbohydrates in liquid form and only eat if you have more than an hour to spare before you next have to swim. If you do have time to eat then a very light snack of bananas, dried fruit, popcorn, jelly cubes, or muesli bars is most appropriate. Crisps or other such snacks….!

Before your race:

This may sound silly but is true, 10 minites before your race you should make sure you go to the toilet/restroom. I don’t think I need to explain why.

Before you start your race make sure you do a few stretches also keep your self moving (sitting down will not help!) jumping up and down helps too. Drink lots of fluid (it make all the difference in your race). Wear your t-shirt and crocs until it is your race, then take them off and leave then nearby and out of the way (sometimes their are chairs you can put your stuff on.) It is important you keep warm.

Food you should eat leading to the run-up to your gala

You may not believe it, but the last few meals before a swimming race make all the difference in how well you will perform.

Firstly, it’s not as simple as “Eat spaghetti the night before a gala and you will be able to swim a PB!”

Carbo-loading needs to take place several days before your event, at least three days prior to competition. Pastas, breads, cereals, etc. can be incorporated into your diet more than usual, although be careful not to add or increase your intake of cream sauces, butter, or milk with those items.

A common mistake people make when carbo-loading is that they stop eating vegetables, fruits, and proteins. Pasta carbo-loading is fine, but not at the expense of other nutritional supplements that are vital to giving you your best performance ever.

Be careful the night immediately before a race – you may want to lay off the tomato sauce (tomatoes contain acid that can give you an upset stomach).

Steamed or microwaved vegetables are essential to peak performance, but don’t forget they are also a good source for carbohydrates. However, vegetables take longer to digest than simple grain-based carbohydrates like bread and cereal.

Uncooked vegetables are definitely not recommended. Stay away from broccoli, carrots, corn, and other “hard” vegetables in favor of watery ones like salad, zucchini, squash, and asparagus. They will pass through your system, supply you with carbohydrates and nutrients that you need, and not weigh you down.

What to Drink
Orange juice and milk are fine with any healthy breakfast, but are best avoided 24 hours before you compete. Much better to stick with boring old water as your fluid intake in the day before you race; you don’t need the extra calories or acidic side effects of a fruit juice (no matter how healthy it is), nor the hard-to-digest side effects of dairy products.

With pure water, you stay hydrated without additional calories, and there will be no unexpected side effects that a fruit juice, dairy product, or soda could provide.

Snack time
Pretzels are a fine carbohydrate, provided that they are unsalted (salt causes your body to retain water, leaving you bloated and heavy).

Dried fruits, although they sound natural and healthy, are bad because they pack plenty of calories and, once consumed, they absorb water and expand to their full size (so just a few dried apricots can bloat you).

Light is Right
The morning of your event, it is best to eat light. Avoid a Juicy Lucy type full English breakfast and go for half a bagel, half a banana and a glass of water.

A light breakfast, such as a bowl of cereal and a banana, or an energy bar if you’re swimming a morning event.

If you’re swimming in the afternoon, eat a big breakfast and a light lunch.

Two hours before the event, bananas, crackers, and plain toast with no butter in modest amounts are good food. The best foods are pasta, cereals, bagels, breads, fruits, and vegetables. These are out of the stomach in two hours, therefore should not be eaten more than three hours before swimming or they could override the energy in time for the race. Bananas are great because they have potassium which makes you more resistant to fatigue.

Actually, it’s best not to change your diet too drastically in the days before you race. Increase your carbohydrate load slightly while maintaining a healthy intake of protein, and stay away from dairy products and highly acidic fruits.

Twenty-four hours before your event, I suggest drinking water for fluid intake and having a light meal at dinnertime the night before consisting of grain-based carbohydrates, soft vegetables, and light protein (chicken, fish). The morning of your race: water, half a bagel, and half a banana should be enough to provide sustenance and optimum performance without weighing you down.

The most important thing to remember for an age group swimmer is calories, young teens will need more than any other age group in excess of over 2,000 per day. On race day there are a few things you should do and a few things you shouldn’t do.
Race day is about fueling the muscles between races and of course hydration.
Take and eat small amounts of lots of different things, do not rely on just 2 or 3 things to eat.
If you are racing early then stick to a small breakfast, if you are racing later then a bigger breakfast is fine.
Breakfast = Porridge, toast with peanut butter spread is good or just plain toast and fruit juice.
Things to eat between races are fruit & veggies.
Protein will help to keep your sugar levels stable, which is good against the feelings of hunger and stops moods swings. Cheese sticks, nuts, yogurt drinks or hard boiled eggs for example.
Carbs will help fuel the muscles, but you have simple carbs like 100% juice, apple juice, fresh or dried fruit, or veggie sticks. Complex carbs are things like crackers, unsweetened dry cereal, pita or other breads.
DON’T eat sweets, they are not as effective as people will tell you, and can totally unsettle your sugar levels.
Be careful of fibre, you may have a low tolerance to it which can upset your tummy, when nerves are already not helping if you know
Drink little and often, if you wait till you are thirsty then it’s already too late.

After your race:

Put on your t-shirt and crocs in order to warm yourself up again and take deep breaths.

Thanks. Holly xx

Here is one of my race videos: