What is Your Race Story?
Now that you are familiar with the requirements and steps involved with fast swimming from an intellectual and literal perspective, it is important to develop your strategic, sensory, and subliminal plan. I refer to this plan as the RACE STORY.
It has been well-documented from Race Analysis that at the highest levels of competitions, the athlete that wins the race, is the one that slows down the least. In other words, in the last 15 – 20 meters of the race, the winning athlete doesn’t suddenly pull away with an amazing burst of speed, they are able to maintain the highest velocity longer, and use their internal willpower and grit to manage the internal pain and emotional chaos all the way to the finish.
So, from a strategic perspective, the swimmer must arrive at the “moment of truth” point with +/- 15 meters to go, through their athleticism, quality of movement, breathing, start, transitions, and optimal distribution of energy to have the opportunity to use their innate will to win! Obviously, this involves establishing performance outcome goals at the start of the season along with great coaching, committed and mindful training, nutrition, and recovery.
Many coaches, including myself, have given advice to our swimmers on racing strategies. Generally, we will lay out a race strategy according to the pool dimensions. “Ok, first 50 is ‘easy speed’, second 50 is ‘build’, third 50 is ‘increase tempo and kick, fourth 50 is ‘race’!” This is an example of a good starting point for developing swimmers to understand the importance of a race plan and execution. However, from a metabolic (how the body uses energy) and physiological perspective, the chemical and physical changes that occur in the swimmer don’t match up to the pool’s architecture.
When we set out to write a story or screen play, we should begin with a general outline and then add the details. Here is my suggestion for a Race Story outline:
Let it Happen. Trust all your exquisite quality of movement awareness development and training. Carry the speed from your start into your underwater and surface transitions through those first stroke cycles. Resist the temptation to create forceful movements. Instead, use rhythm and pay attention to your breathing – particularly exhaling and what you notice is working well for you. You will be traveling fast! Increase your body energy (elasticity and tone) going into your turns… Depending on the distance of the race, this may be the first 30 – 75 yards of the race…Adjust accordingly.
Help it out. Whatever got your attention from above, amplify the sensations and keep it going!
Make it happen. A trained athlete is capable of maximum exertion for about 35 – 45 seconds. While maintaining quality of movement, this is the chapter of your story where you must make your move and use all your physical capacities to bring you to the last segment: the “climax!” (15 meters to go.)
Manage the chaos. In this final chapter, most likely you and your brain are having many conversations about how tired you are or how much it hurts along with emotions, etc. Rehearse these conversations in practice and have confidence you will get to the wall first!
Obviously, this is a general example, but I hope you get the idea. You can take your outline and begin to add details that include vivid images and sensations that will make your story compelling and successful. You are the director of your race!
Here is a linear representation of a 200-yard race story. This will help you to determine and see where each chapter of your story unfolds:
-→ -→ -→ -→
Let It Happen Help it Out Make it Happen Manage
Start ~ 70 yards ~ 50 yards ~ 65 yards. ~15 yards Finish!
-→. -→ -→ -→.
