The day before a swim meet is a time for you to relax, eat well, enjoy yourself, get plenty of sleep and visualize swimming your best. Pack your gear in your swim bag so you don't get stressed trying to remember everything the morning of the meet. Good preparation the day before the meet gives you a better chance of swimming well.
Relax
Don't climb a mountain or play basketball for two hours the day before a meet. Instead, read a book or go to a movie. Take the dog for a walk. Visit with your friends. Listen to music. Watch TV or go to the mall. Your training is complete, so enjoy the rare day off from training.
Pack
As the iSport website says, it's much less stressful to pack up your gear the day before the meet. Start with the essentials -- two swimsuits, caps and sets of goggles. Also pack a warm-up suit, three or four towels, healthy snacks and your water bottle. Consider any extras you might want or need, such as money for the snack bar, a chair to sit on and entertainment such as music or video games. If you will be outside in the sun, take sunscreen. If you will be indoors at an air-conditioned pool or outside on a cold day, take warm clothes. As for items you can't pack until the morning, such as lunch, make a list and set it on the swim bag.
Food
Assuming you have been eating a healthy diet leading up to the meet, continue to do so the day before and eat a big high-carbohydrate dinner with some lean protein. Don't stuff yourself, but don't let nerves get in the way of eating a nutritious meal that will fuel your body for the meet. A favorite pasta dish with whole grain pasta, vegetables, fruit and angel food cake for dessert is an example of a good choice. So is chili with beans and lean meat, corn bread, vegetables and fresh berries with ice cream.
Sleep
Get plenty of sleep. In fact, one or two extra hours of sleep the day before the meet is a good idea. Some recent studies find that athletes who get extra sleep before competition perform better. A study at the University of Stanford found that athletes who got 10 hours of sleep per night over a five- to seven-week period were able to sprint faster, react more quickly and shoot better. While some extra sleep the night before a meet might not be enough time to make up a sleep deficit, the extra slumber can't hurt and might help.
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