An Inside Look At Swimmer Emotions on Race Day

An Inside Look At Swimmer Emotions on Race Day

You are awakened in the morning’s early hours by an alarm blaring for you to get up and prepare for today’s swim meet.

“Oh man, I wish I could sleep in today.”

Though it would be nice to sleep in a little longer, you know you have to get up and start getting ready for your meet.

“This is tortuous, but I must leave on time to make it.”

To get to the meet in time for warmups and make it through the entire day, you convince yourself to go to the kitchen and eat breakfast.

“Maybe I can have breakfast in bed because the kitchen is so far away.”

After eating breakfast, you gather all the swim gear you’ll need for the meet, including your suit, cap, and goggles, and rush for the pool.

“Let’s go. I feel like everyone’s there already. I’m going to be late!”

You arrive at the pool and immediately go to the locker room to change into your practice suit because you must start stretching for warmups.

“Where’s my suit? I know I packed it in my bag somewhere.”

When you’re done with your stretching warmup, it’s time to find a lane for warmups before the pool gets too crowded.

“I need to find an open lane. Maybe I can fit into that small space between 200 other swimmers.”

You know that warmups are always crowded, and you are not looking forward to cramming into a lane with 30 other swimmers.

“I’m so not looking forward to getting kicked in the face again.”

You jump in the pool and start to warm up so that you’ll be ready for your races later in the meet.

“Why is the water always so cold?”

Your lane is starting to get crowded, and you find yourself waiting on the wall so that you can find a break between swimmers to finish your warmup.

“Come on. I only have a 100 left to swim!”

You finally decide that you’ve warmed up enough and exit the pool onto a nice open pool deck because all the swimmers are warming up in the pool.

“I wish my warmup lane was this empty.”

You return to your swim bag to change into your suit and head to the locker room.

“Now it’s time for the fun part.”

You can wear tech suits for this meet, so luckily you brought one.

“I want to get some best times today.”

It’s always a struggle to put on a suit when you’re not fully dry, and you prepare to spend the next 30 minutes in the locker room just getting your suit on.

“I can’t wait to cram my body into a tight tech suit.”

When you finally finish putting your suit on, you leave the locker room and head back to where your team is sitting.

“I am so excited about racing today!”

You know your first event is coming up, so you look at the heat sheet and hop back into the pool to warm up for your race.

“I have to warm up a little more and test out my suit.”

When you exit the pool, you go behind the blocks and start your pre-race routine.

“I have to go super fast to win my race!”

You hear the whistle blow to signal the swimmers to get on the blocks.

“I have been training literally forever, and I’m so ready!”

You hear the starter say, “Take your mark,” and then the BEEEP!

“I’m going to win!”

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