The day before the race!

Dealing with the anxiety

This is my second race in open waters in Costa Rica. And it will be the first race at sea since the first was in Laguna Los Juncos at the Hotel Los Lagos, in the region of the Arenal volcano. That time, in the month of november 2015, I swam 700m to debut after only one month of training. Now, the proof will be in the sea and twice that distance: 1500m but I have trained three to four times a week since the first race usually swimming from 1500 to 2000m in each workout. Feeling anxiety is normal for any athlete no matter how much he is experienced. But some actions can help soften the feeling on the day before the race.

1- Rest!

Don't take risks on the day before the race. On Saturdays I usually swim with two groups on Tamarindo beach. One at 7:30am and the other at 9:00am. 1500m with each group on average. But as many of these athletes will compete tomorrow, today we did not train. I slept a little more then I'm used to and did not do physical activity. 2- Yoga

A good stretch with breaths combined with body movements helps relax and loosen tensions. The mind also quiets down and it increases focus decreasing the anxiety. Clarity and flexibility greatly help to improve the performance in the water. If you do not practice yoga, do the stretching that you already know and enjoy deep breathing during exercise. 3- Hydrate!

One of the main reasons for cramps is lack of hydration. So we should drink plenty of water on the day before the race. 4 Eat light food!

It's good to consume carbohydrates the day before to have energy during swimming. Avoid very heavy and fatty food and if it is possible do not consume red meat to prevent digestive problems that can cause discomfort. Try to eat a light breakfast with fruits, carbohydrates like whoats or even bread and if possible take some other snack for a possible starvation before the race. A cereal bar or a fruit for example. Don't swim with an empty estomach. You could feel fatigue.

5-Study the race course!

Knowing the route we have to swim makes us feel confident and helps start putting together a strategy, program a route and find some reference points to guide us along the way. Orientation is fundamental. Any correction on a open waters race is gonna be fatal for wasting time. 6- Sleep early!

The day before the event must be scheduled to end early. We need a good night of sleep before the race.

7. Breathe!

During the race we have many distractions, people everywhere and movement in the water. Still we need to breathe. We should oxygenate the brain and remember the technique that we practice. The more we breath, more fuel we will have to swim. Breathing is fundamental! 8. Get there early!

To acclimatise, observe points of reference, to warm up, let your things somewhere safe to avoid extra worries, see the route, the starting place of the race, eat some fruit or snack in case we feel hungry before competition... for these reasons, it pays of to get there early! At the least one hour before. 9. Warm up!

Stretch, do a warm up, a light jog, go into the water to feel the temperature and swim a little... warm up can make the difference in your race! 10- Think positive!

Remember the practices, the technique, the breathing, know that there were weeks or months of preparation, think positive and swim your best! Have FUN!!!

#openwaters #aguasabiertas #oceanswimmer #playahermosa #guanacaste #costarica #justkeepswimming