The meet is three weeks away, and I can already feel it, that familiar flutter when I picture myself lining up with the other swimmers. The 200m freestyle in this competition has been circled on my calendar for months, and suddenly it’s close enough to taste. My lane mates keep asking if I’m nervous. The truth? There’s always an edge of nerves, but it comes with something steadier underneath: a kind of calm determination that shows up right when I need it.

If you’re reading this during race week or trying to sleep the night before your heat, I get you. The 200 free is a strange, beautiful event, it asks for power, control, and endurance, and it demands all three at the right moments. I want to share the routines and small mindset shifts that help me turn that pre-race adrenaline into something useful, so that when the whistle blows, I’m stepping up ready to deliver the race I know I can swim

How do I prepare for a 200m freestyle?

Preparation for a 200 isn’t just about logging metres. It’s about showing up consistently and making sure you arrive at race day sharp, not drained. Trust your training. The backbone of confidence is consistency. The mornings you turn up tired. The sessions where your kick feels flat. The days you go anyway that’s the work that makes the race possible. I maintain my regular training load right up to race week; the difference is that I double down on looking after myself after each session. Hydration, stretching, proper meals, small things that make a big difference.

Sharpen, don't reinvent. Race week is not the time to redesign how you swim. I keep sessions familiar, stay in my normal rhythm, and focus on feeling good in the water rather than chasing volume or intensity. One or two purposeful efforts remind my body what speed feels like, but nothing that leaves me drained.

Arrive fresh. I don’t taper heavily for a 200, but I do protect the things that matter: sleep, recovery, and managing the rest of life so I’m not carrying unnecessary stress into the pool. Feeling prepared isn’t about being perfect, it’s about knowing you’ve given your mind and body every chance to perform.

Is it normal to feel nervous before a swim meet?

Completely. Anyone who claims they never get nervous is either hiding it or hasn’t pushed themselves enough. The 200m freestyle, especially, brings a very particular kind of nerves — the mix of excitement, pressure, and anticipation that reminds you this race matters.

For me, the nerves hit when you’re lining up with the other swimmers. There’s that quick surge of adrenaline, the little jolt that tightens your focus and makes you suddenly aware that

it’s almost your turn. But once I step onto the block and the whistle goes, something shifts. The noise fades, everything narrows, and a calm settles in, not because the nerves disappear, but because they finally have somewhere to go.

The 200 free sits in an awkward middle ground. Too long to sprint mindlessly, too short to ease into. Make the wrong choice early and you feel it immediately. That’s why it brings up the usual swimmer worries:

• What if I go out too fast and die?

• What if I’m too cautious and regret it?

• What if the last length looks messy?

• What if my mind blanks on the block?

But here’s what I’ve learned: nerves aren’t a sign of doubt, they’re a sign of investment. They mean you care about the race you’re about to swim. Once the gun goes and you take the first few strokes, the nerves settle and your body takes over. The goal isn’t to avoid nerves; it’s to let them sharpen you, not overwhelm you.

How can I calm my nerves before racing?

While we can't eliminate pre-race anxiety completely (nor should we want to), we can develop simple routines that help us feel more grounded and in control when those nerves peak.

Find a breathing reset. A few slow breaths before stepping up, nothing dramatic, just enough to remind my body I’m ready, not overwhelmed.

Choose an anchor phrase. Mine is often something like “hit the water clean” or “strong tempo”. Short cues that keep my brain from spiralling into the what-ifs.

Focus on process, not outcome. Times matter, but they don’t help you swim in the moment. A clear picture of how I want the race to feel is far more grounding than obsessing over splits.

Visualise success but keep it simple.

Picture the start, the clean push off the block, the first strokes settling into a rhythm that feels powerful and controlled. The more familiar that feeling becomes, the easier it is to step into it when the gun goes. The more familiar the feeling becomes in your mind, the more accessible it is in reality.

What should I do the week before a swim race?

Race week isn't about cramming in extra training or proving your fitness. It's about reducing chaos and increasing confidence. Here's how I approach it:

Keep sessions familiar. This isn't the week to try a completely new set or dramatically change your routine. Stick with what your body knows. Trust the patterns you've established over months of training.

Practice "race mood" moments. Include a few short, strong efforts in your training, but follow them with plenty of rest. The goal isn't to exhaust yourself, it's to remind your body what speed feels like and to practise being comfortable with discomfort for brief periods. These moments build confidence without depleting you.

Protect your sleep. This might be the single most important thing you can do. Aim for consistent bedtimes and give yourself permission to prioritise rest over social commitments or late-night scrolling. If you're normally a seven-hour sleeper, try for eight. Your body needs time to recover and consolidate all that training.

Don't test new gear. Keep using the goggles, cap, and suit you're familiar with. The pool on race day will provide enough novelty without adding equipment surprises.

Manage life stress where possible. I know we can't pause our entire lives for a swim meet, but where you have control, try to keep the week calmer. Say no to a few extra commitments. Give yourself buffer time for getting places. Small reductions in daily stress compound into a much steadier nervous system by race day.

What should I eat before a 200m freestyle race?

Nutrition doesn't need to be complicated, but it does need to be intentional and familiar. The golden rule: don't experiment on race day.

The day before your race, focus on easily digestible carbohydrates paired with some lean protein. Pasta, rice, bread, potatoes, these are your friends. Add some chicken, fish, or plant-based protein if that sits well with you. Avoid anything overly spicy, rich, or unfamiliar. This is not the time to try that new restaurant everyone's been recommending.

Race morning should include a solid meal a few hours before you swim. Something like porridge with banana, toast with peanut butter and honey, or a bagel with cream cheese gives you sustained energy without sitting heavily in your stomach. If your race is early and you can't face a full meal, a light snack like a banana, an energy bar, or some toast still provides fuel.

Timing matters. Aim to finish your main meal about two to three hours before you expect to race. If you're swimming later in the meet, bring light snacks, bananas, energy bars, crackers, to keep your energy steady without feeling overfull. Listen to your body's hunger cues, but don't wait until you're ravenous or lightheaded.

Stay hydrated, but don't overdo it in the hour before racing. Sip water consistently throughout the day leading up to your event. If you're nervous and forgetting to drink, set reminders. Being well-hydrated helps everything from your muscle function to your focus.

What to avoid: Don't suddenly change your eating patterns because you read something online. Don't skip breakfast because you're nervous. Don't load up on sugary foods thinking you need "quick energy", they'll spike your blood sugar and potentially make you feel worse. Stick with what you know works for training days.

What is a good warm-up for a 200m freestyle?

A good warm-up gets you to the blocks feeling loose, switched on, and ready to hit race pace without draining your energy. For a 200 free, it’s about easing into movement, activating the right muscles, and giving your body a few reminders of speed.Start gently. Get your heart rate up gradually with some easy swimming. This could be a mix of freestyle and other strokes, whatever feels natural to your body. The goal is to transition from standing around to moving smoothly through the water.

Loosen key areas. A short kick set using both strokes warms up the hips and gets my breathing pattern settled so it doesn’t feel sudden when the race starts.

Add a bit of feel. If there’s room, I include a small amount of pull work, nothing heavy, just enough to feel my catch and connection in the water. Include a handful of race-pace efforts. Depending on time and how crowded warm-up lanes are, I usually do two or three short race-pace efforts. If blocks are available, one of these is often a fast 25 from the dive. These quick bursts remind my body what speed feels like without tiring me out.

Finish feeling sharp, not tired.

A few easy metres or gentle stretching at the end helps everything settle so I’m warm, loose, and mentally ready. A warm-up that feels familiar is always the one that gets you into performance mode most naturally.

What should I focus on during the race?

When you're in the middle of a 200m freestyle, overthinking is your enemy. Instead of trying to monitor every technical detail or calculate splits, trust simple cues that help you swim well when your brain is flooded with adrenaline and effort.

First 50: A powerful start with clean execution. This opening 50 is about setting up the race, not blowing it open. I focus on a strong, powerful start, clean dive, sharp breakout, long strokes, and a steady kick. It’s assertive but controlled, the kind of speed that feels confident rather than frantic. The aim is to establish rhythm early while keeping everything technically sharp.

Middle 100: Settle into tempo, breathe consistently, and nail the turns.

Once the race settles, I lock into the things that keep my pace honest:

· consistent kick tempo,

· breathing every 3 to stay balanced,

· and strong, efficient turns with maximum push-off/underwater work.

This is the part of the race where efficiency matters most. Holding length and trusting your rhythm does more for speed than trying to muscle through it. Let your technique carry you rather than chasing the clock.

Final 50: Fast kick, full reach, and commitment. This is where the race really happens. Everything will hurt. Your lungs will burn, your arms will feel heavy, and your brain will suggest several excellent reasons why you should ease off just a little. This is the moment you've been training for. Hold your form even when it's excruciating. Keep your head down and commit to every stroke until you touch the wall. The swimmers who medal are often the ones who suffer just slightly more willingly than everyone else in that last length.

What does it feel like when you're doing it right? Hard, but rhythmic. Your breathing is heavy but steady. Your stroke still feels like your stroke, just pushed to its upper edge. It’s the feeling of controlled challenge, not chaos.

What do I do after the race?

The moment you touch the wall, whatever time is on the board, you've done something significant. You've faced nerves, pushed your body, and completed a race that many people would never have the courage to attempt.

Cool down gently. I always head straight to the cool-down pool for an easy 200–400m. Just relaxed full-stroke, letting the legs switch down and the heart rate settle. Whether you hit a PB, were just off it, or feel like the race got away from you, the cool-down is non-negotiable. It helps flush out the effort and gives you a few quiet minutes to process what just happened.

Reflect, but keep it simple. Times matter, of course swimmers live by PBs. But staring at the board won’t teach you much on its own. I think about three things:

· What felt good?

· What would I tweak next time?

· Did anything surprise me?

Those questions help you learn from the race, whether it was a breakthrough swim or one that stung a little.

Celebrate showing up. Chasing PBs takes early mornings, tired legs, and choosing the pool over a hundred easier options. Whether you smashed your best time, matched it, or missed it — you still showed up and raced. That counts.

Once you're home and recovered, take some time to care for your swim gear properly. Rinse everything well, let it dry completely, and pack it away knowing you've got another race in your future whenever you're ready.

You're More Ready Than You Think

Standing behind the blocks before a 200m freestyle will probably always feel a bit nerve-wracking, and honestly, that's how it should be. But preparation isn't about eliminating fear it's about building confidence that you can handle whatever the race brings.

Trust your training. Keep your race week simple and familiar. Fuel your body with foods you know work. Warm up in a way that feels like yours. When you dive in, focus on the feel of good swimming rather than perfection. And when you touch the wall, no matter the time, acknowledge that you did the thing.

The gear you trust removes one more stressor from race day. When you know your goggles won't leak and your cap fits securely, you're free to focus on what really matters: swimming with courage and purpose.

See you at the blocks. You've got this.

About the Author: Sarah Mitchell is a swimmer who competes regularly across the UK. When she's not in the pool four to six times a week, she writes about the real experiences of club swimmers, the nerves, the small victories, and the joy of chasing personal bests alongside supportive lane mates.