Swimming Race Day Preparation: The Complete 24-Hour Guide

By Conan Swinney, competitive swimmer.

After more than seven years of competitive swimming, I've raced at countless meets for different clubs and competed against swimmers of all levels across the country. One thing I've learned is that race-day preparation can make a huge difference to how confident and ready you feel when it's time to race.

While every swimmer is different, this guide covers the key parts of my own race-day routine and the habits that help me feel prepared when I step onto the blocks.

Months of training deserve the best possible preparation on race day. While fitness and technique are important, good preparation allows you to arrive at the pool feeling confident, organised and ready to perform. From eating the right foods to arriving with all of your equipment, this guide will walk through the key parts of my race-day routine.

The Night Before

What to Eat the Night Before a Race

The goal of your evening meal is to top up your energy stores without leaving you feeling heavy or uncomfortable. Focus on familiar foods that are rich in carbohydrates and moderate in protein.

Such as:

• Rice
• Pasta
• Potatoes
• Bread or rolls
• Chicken, turkey, fish, tofu
• Cooked vegetables
• Fruit

How Much Sleep Should You Get Before a Race?

Sleep is an incredibly important part of race-day preparation. While getting a good night's sleep before the event is beneficial, the quality and consistency of your sleep throughout the week leading up to the race is often even more important. Aim for 8–10 hours of sleep per night to give your body the best opportunity to recover and perform at its highest level.

It's also worth remembering that many athletes struggle to sleep the night before a big competition due to excitement or nerves. As long as you are resting and have slept well in the days beforehand, one poor night's sleep is unlikely to have a major impact on your performance. To maximise your chances of a good night's rest, try to avoid caffeine in the hours before bed and limit screen use for at least 30 minutes before you plan to sleep.

Night-Before Checklist

A night-before checklist is an important part of race preparation because it helps reduce stress and ensures that nothing essential is forgotten on race day. The morning of a competition can often feel rushed and nerve-racking, so having everything packed and ready the evening before allows you to focus on your performance rather than worrying about missing equipment.

So here is what I would plan to pack:

• Race suit
• Goggles (plus spare pair)
• Cap
• Towel
• Snacks
• Water bottle
• Meet info
• Change of clothes

You could also lay out your change of clothes in the morning if you often struggle leaving in time to ensure minimal interruptions and a continuous plan.

How to Hydrate Before a Swimming Race

Begin hydrating the days before your race.

• Sip water regularly rather than drinking large amounts at once.
• Check that your urine is a pale yellow colour.
• Avoid drinking excessive amounts immediately before racing.

Race Morning Routine

To help me stay organised and avoid unnecessary stress on race day, I follow a structured morning routine. Having a clear plan means I know exactly what I need to be doing at each stage of the morning, allowing me to focus on preparing mentally and physically for my race.

For a race at 10:00 AM my day plan would go something like this:

Race day starts at 7:00 AM when I wake up and begin getting ready for the day. Between 7:00 and 7:30 AM, I shower, get dressed, and make sure I am fully awake before eating breakfast until 8:00 AM.

What to Eat for Breakfast on Race Day

A simple, familiar breakfast would do. Race day is not the time to experiment, so stick to foods you know work well for you, such as:

• Cereal with milk
• Yogurt with fruit and granola
• Oatmeal with banana and honey
• Toast or a bagel with peanut butter

At 8:15 AM, I leave for the pool and arrive at around 8:30 AM. This gives me enough time to get settled and complete my pre-pool and stretches before my warm-up, which starts at 9:00 AM. If needed, I may have a light snack between 9:30 and 9:40 AM before my race.

Pre-Race Snacks

• Banana
• Small granola bar
• Rice cakes
• A few crackers or pretzels
• Small serving of fruit, try to avoid acidic fruits such as pineapple to avoid heartburn

By 10:00 AM, I am ready to step up and race.

What My Warm-Up Entails

Here is my basic structure for a race-day warm-up that can be easily tailored to your event. You do not have to follow this exactly, as every swimmer's race-day needs are different. The goal is simply to feel loose, comfortable in the water and ready to race.

• Easy swimming to loosen muscles (400–800m, depending on how you feel)
• You could include some backstroke to open shoulders and get comfortable in the water. I personally like to do a decent amount of backstroke in new pools if I have a backstroke race to get a feel for the ceiling, so I don’t feel out of place in a race
• Drill work (sculls, catch drills)
• Build swims increasing speed gradually
• Threshold effort, such as 100m freestyle, to increase heart rate to prepare for race-pace effort
• Race-pace efforts
• Starts, turns and finishes, familiarising yourself with the pool
• Swim-down to remove tension

Race Suit Advice

Have a shower on race morning. Clean skin makes it easier to put on a racing suit and can help you feel refreshed and awake before competition. Leave plenty of time to get your suit on, especially if you're wearing a technical racing suit.

Pre-Race Advice

Stay Focused on Your Own Race

One of the biggest mistakes swimmers make is focusing on the competition instead of their own performance. Avoid comparing yourself to other swimmers in the warm-up pool or marshalling area. Trust your training and focus on executing your race plan.

• Focus on your own lane
• Stick to your race strategy
• Ignore seed times
• Stay calm in marshalling
• Visualise your race before stepping onto the blocks

Common Race Day Mistakes to Avoid

• Arriving late
• Forgetting equipment
• Trying new foods
• Skipping warm-up
• Watching competitors too much
• Not bringing spare goggles
• Getting dehydrated

Final Thoughts

Race day should be about showing the work you've already done in training. By preparing properly the night before, fuelling your body correctly, staying hydrated and maintaining focus, you'll give yourself the best opportunity to perform at your highest level. Control what you can control, trust your training and enjoy the experience.

About the Author

After more than seven years in competitive swimming, I have competed at all levels of the sport across the UK. I am a Scottish National Junior Champion, a two-time British Championships qualifier, and have been selected for multiple national training teams. I enjoy sharing the lessons I've learned from racing and training to help other swimmers gain confidence and get the most out of their performances.