FunDay: How Would You Choose a Race Walk-up Song?
It’s once again Friday FunDay at Swimming World and let’s take a deeper look into a fun topic for most swimmers: Music.
Whether in the ready room or on deck, or in the car or just about anywhere, many swimmers use music to pump them up before a race or a meet.
The majority of swimmers have headphones on, some not playing anything, some playing an epic song to motivate them.
But what if you are allowed to pick the pump-up song for everyone on the speakers at the pool?
In a lot of meets, from USA meets to high school conference championships or state meets, the top seed in each event can pick the entry song.
So what do you pick? Do you pick the same song that you would have on your headphones before a race?
At a recent Michigan high school state meet, the songs played varied from the Spice Girls to AC/DC and everything in between. That is the case at all kinds of meets.
If it were me, I would change it up if I got to choose.
Not only would I pick something that could pump me up, but I would pick something that might throw other swimmers off.
And not throw myself off.
I love all kinds of music and have this discussion with swimmers often. I would probably throw in something classical just to make others think. Who knows, it could be enough to get someone of their game.
Too dancy and I might feel like dancing. Too dark and it might lose focus. Too light and it will definitely lose focus.
I would choose a fanfare from opera Turandot by Giacomo Puccini. Start the following link at 47:47 and play for a minute and a half and it will get your juices flowing.
It might get enough swimmers to be thinking about why you chose this one, and give you and advantage.
Of course, that is just me.
Dancing might work for you, or light and fun, or darkness, or rap, or jazzy or the theme from “Rocky.”
Either way, it is music, it is fun and it can inspire.
What song would you choose for your walkout?
As long as I don’t hear Taylor Swift right before I race, I’m good!