Poolside chat - new year, new racing!

[Glittertwins]

Hope this works, am rubbish at this!

[Eccle80]

It works, thank you!

and thanks to you and Porseb too for your comments on the end of the last thread, maybe a general lie down/relax is better than a nap, I can definitely see being sluggish is a risk!

[Glittertwins]

Headphones and some music might work too? I remember one meet last year where he did just stretch out and snooze, got some funny looks from other swimmers walking past but I was close by

[itsgettingweird]

I think recovery after races and what to do in between is very swimmer centric.

I know it's different because my ds has a physical disability but a walk really wouldn't work for him (he can rarely walk after a race anyway 😂) but a lay down would help.

You do have to be very aware of heartbeat though and opportunities to get it back up to a desired level.

He wouldn't eat a large meal either even with 3 hours to go but would eat something protein heavy and some carrot.

I think the advantage of still being 12 is you have time to fiddle about with what works for your ds (although I get getting it wrong can have an affect I think it's more if you don't get it right you can try something g else next time)

[whereonthestair]

My DS is also a swimmer with a physical disability who can't walk at all. He is also 13. He has just started doing longer distances and for him he eats something and then largely sits and reads, but we are also still learning.

[Hellocatshome]

Thanks for the new thread @Glittertwins

Tomorrow is DS's first pre school morning session. Its also his first day back at school after the Christmas hols. So he has 2 hours in the morning, then school then 2 hours more and 1 hour gym after school. I dont know who I feel more sorry for him or me 🙈

[itsgettingweird]

Welcome to my world hello 😂😂

Hope it all goes well. It's gets easier after a few times. I actually find it easier doing 4am alarms a 4 weekdays because it means I also go to bed every night at 9pm!

It's harder when it's just once/twice a week. (IMO!)

[Glittertwins]

I'll be up at the same time tomorrow, hoping I don't have to scrape ice off the windscreen!

[Hellocatshome]

@itsgettingweird

Welcome to my world hello 😂😂

Hope it all goes well. It's gets easier after a few times. I actually find it easier doing 4am alarms a 4 weekdays because it means I also go to bed every night at 9pm!

It's harder when it's just once/twice a week. (IMO!)

This is just once a fortnight! But I do have the other son to take to early shift for his apprenticeship every other week so between them I think I'll just get used to being shattered and drink lots of caffeine.

[itsgettingweird]

Don't do the caffeine! I have 1 caffeinated drink in my flask first thing (I walk 5.5k whilst ds swims and then have porridge and coffee when finished). I drink decaf the rest of the time.

Otherwise I couldn't then sleep properly that evening 😂😂 admittedly I'm then up early again but since switching to decaf after 6.30am I've found mornings easier 🤷‍♀️🧐

Oh and I don't eat after 6pm or eat any carbs after then either and that helps. I find otherwise I'm sluggish 🤔🤷‍♀️😂

[Glittertwins]

I'm usually ok on tea but I don't have any until I get home again.

[Teateaandmoretea]

Just marking. Dd1 if she swam 800 at a gala would claim exhaustion for 2 weeks after. Not sure that helps though 😂😂

She did the 1k at the open water regionals and omg 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Glittertwins]

Was it painful listening to the complaints???

[Hellocatshome]

@Teateaandmoretea

Just marking. Dd1 if she swam 800 at a gala would claim exhaustion for 2 weeks after. Not sure that helps though 😂😂

She did the 1k at the open water regionals and omg 🤦🏻‍♀️

Haha I think you either like distance or you dont. DS claims that he doesnt but then swims increasingly longer distances, doesnt stop him complaining about it though.

Thanks for the tips re caffeine and the early morning. I have only just walked in the door after work and picking DS up from evening training. I think I am dead.

[itsgettingweird]

That's a late swim session in the evening when they do a morning.

Swim sessions are 5-7 for us am and pm and if they have gym they stay until 8. However our 2 evening gym sessions are the night before a non swim day and the night before not needing to get up until 5am as weekend training!

I'd struggle to stay awake to collect after 8pm!!! We are home by 8.20pm even on gym days and I'm whacked then 😂

[Glittertwins]

We tend to miss the midweek early morning session as it's too much with school as well. At least there are two of us doing the ferrying about which is a big help.

[Porseb]

@Eccle80

It works, thank you!

and thanks to you and Porseb too for your comments on the end of the last thread, maybe a general lie down/relax is better than a nap, I can definitely see being sluggish is a risk!

Thought this might be useful - he talks about importance of sleep as recovery as a distance swimmer.

swimswam.com/behind-the-scenes-of-daniel-wiffens-scm-800-free-wr-i-was-throwing-up-from-2-am-to-6-am/

[itsgettingweird]

And he's certainly shown us all he knows what he's doing

[Glittertwins]

Think I'll remind a certain person about this as he got quite pally with the Wiffens at a meet last year!

[Glittertwins]

I'd rather he go straight to bed after training rather than watching tv until we realise where he is!

[itsgettingweird]

Ds tends to go to bed quite well as he's knackered 😂

Watches insta videos but goes to sleep well and has Wednesday off so doesn't wake up until 10am ish as he doesn't work that day either 🤨

[Eccle80]

Thanks Porseb that’s an interesting read!

[Madcats]

Thank you for the new thread and good luck to everybody about to swim Counties.

Millfield's pool (plant room) is not expected to be fixed for a few more weeks..... I'm not holding my breath that they will be able to simply shift racing back by a month. It is such a shame for the children just embarking on their swim journey (DD doesn't seem to be overly bothered).

[Eccle80]

That is a shame, are they just waiting it for to be fixed and rescheduling your counties rather than moving counties elsewhere?

[itsgettingweird]

I was going to aka the same.

Because for those who counties is there target meet it's a missed opportunity and for those chasing regional qualifying times is there another meet they can do?

[Madcats]

I am not close enough to county race admin to opine on what options have been investigated.

It is tricky when a sizeable % of age 12+ competitors are based at the school that hosts, I suppose, but I am surprised that they couldn't relocate some events.

Whatever happens, I am predicting a mad scrap for open meet places from Feb-Easter. Get your spring open meet entries in early (otherwise us yokels might get in first!)!