By Grace Nordquist, Swimming World College Intern.
There have been articles written on what to pack for training trip, how to survive training trip and our favorite things about training trip, but what about what happens when we come back from training trip?
While it is hard work, training trip is also like a mini vacation. It’s a chance to get away from campus and the same pool you basically live at day in and day out. But after training trip is over, we’re left tired and sore to head back to an often colder location. Here are some tips to keep your mindset in the game when you come back from training trip.
Appreciate Your Time
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While it stinks you have to leave the palm trees and breeze to go back to the same view that might not be as tropical, be thankful for the time you had. Not all teams get to go to a new destination to train, so consider yourself fortunate if your team did. Instead of thinking, “Man I wish we could stay here longer,” reflect on your time with gratitude.
A great way to document your time is to look back on pictures you took on the trip. You might’ve forgotten a simple moment that made you smile, and a picture could spark that memory. You might even put them together into a short video, photo album, or a photo book.
Make a Count-Down
Courtesy: Grace Nordquist
Maybe it feels like the season is dragging on. Now that you’re back from training trip, you’re really not feeling like training at this intensity much longer. If you could, you’d fast-forward to taper. If that’s you, make a count-down to your big meet, whether that’s conference or nationals, etc. Seeing how few days are really left in the season – especially compared to how many you’ve already done – might help.
If you’re a senior, these are the last days of your swimming career (unless you’re one of the few planning on continuing by going pro). Let that sink in. After all the hard work and years put in, all that’s left is a double-digit number until they’re all just memories. If that doesn’t make the amount of days feel fewer, I’m not sure what will.
Even if you’re not a senior, think about when you won’t be swimming anymore. If you’re a freshman, it might seem far away. But one day you’ll look back and wish you were swimming, even if that means the hard end-of-season training.
Keep Your Goals In Mind
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It’s easy to get distracted or want to simply be done. The older swimmers get the more this seems to be true. All the tear on one’s body eventually catches up. While it’s easy to feel this way, keep your goals in mind.
Your goals should be driving you to keep going. If not, you may want to think of some new ones. It might be a certain time you’ve been wanting to get, a record you want to break, or a spot on the podium at your big meet. During the end of the season, finish the training goal-driven and determined.
Get Back on Schedule
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Over break you might’ve slept in later than usual or took naps more than you normally could. On training trip, your training schedule may also have been different than what you’re used to. It’s important to get back into the schedule you’re used to before classes start back up.
Even if you get back only a few days before break is over, try to get up at the time you normally would for class and eat your meals at their typical times. This is also a good time to purchase books for next semester, review your schedule and write down what your days will look like. Getting your mind set for school to pick up again will make the shock of going from your training trip location, back to campus, and back to school an easier transition.
Change Things Up
Photo Courtesy: Grace Nordquist
While you’re back to the same old campus, room and pool, that doesn’t mean everything has to be the way it was before. If your room has been set up the same all year, this is a great opportunity to change things up. Moving your bed to a different angle, shifting your desk, or hanging up a new decoration are great ways to make your same room feel new. This might sound silly or basic, but it’s amazing what a new setup can do for your attitude.
If there has been some clutter in your room, this is a great time to get organized. It’s a new year and new semester, so you can go through last semester’s things and get rid of things you don’t need. Getting organized is a good way to make your stress level decrease.
How do you get back on track when returning from training trip?
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.