{"id":235396,"date":"2017-01-02T06:30:54","date_gmt":"2017-01-02T13:30:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=235396"},"modified":"2017-01-02T06:32:22","modified_gmt":"2017-01-02T13:32:22","slug":"5-tips-on-how-to-survive-training-trip","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/5-tips-on-how-to-survive-training-trip\/","title":{"rendered":"5 Tips on How To Survive Training Trips"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Natalia Kaczor, Swimming World College Intern<\/em><\/p>\n

With winter vacations in full swing, many college swim teams are taking training trips to areas with\u00a0warmer weather. This is the pinnacle of training for many teams, often composed of doubles and tough practices every day. Even though the training is grueling, being somewhere other than training on campus makes the week special. Here are five tips on how to survive these grueling training trips:<\/p>\n

1. Stay hydrated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"drinks-water-hydration-usa-swimming-nationals-2015\"

Photo Courtesy: Sue Borst<\/p><\/div>\n

This one may seem like a no-brainer, but drinking enough water is crucial to surviving the long week, especially while training outdoors in the heat and sun. Water helps you refuel and speed up recovery after a hard practice. You can find some hydration tips from the NCAA here.<\/a><\/p>\n

2. Eat nutritiously.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"vegetables-food-masahiro-ihara\"

Photo Courtesy: Masahiro Ihara<\/p><\/div>\n

Refueling after every workout will help you maintain good performance in practice for the week. Make sure to eat your proteins and carbs, but don’t forget fruits and veggies. If you’re traveling to a different country, you may want to bring granola bars, boxed pasta, or any snacks that you know\u00a0you like,\u00a0just in case the diet of that country isn’t the same one you’re used to.<\/p>\n

3. Stay out of the sun.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"outdoor-swim-pool\"

Photo Courtesy: Emily Messina<\/p><\/div>\n

Being in the sun drains your energy! You need as much energy as you can to push yourself at each practice, so don’t set yourself back before you even jump into the pool. If you’re not a firm believer in using sunscreen, you may want to check out some reasons to use sunscreen<\/a>.<\/p>\n

4. Get enough sleep.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"hawaii-sleep\"

Photo Courtesy: Sophie Allen<\/p><\/div>\n

Sleep, sleep, and more sleep! This is one of the most important things your body needs to replenish energy for each day of swimming. Although you may be tempted to stay up late and hang out with your teammates, you should be conscious of getting enough rest, especially if you are traveling to a place in a different timezone than where your school is.<\/p>\n

5. Have fun!<\/strong><\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: Rachel Lanam<\/p><\/div>\n

Take in the whole experience! Everyone is going to be tired and sore, especially with a week full of doubles training. Share a laugh with your teammates, go out for a team dinner, take lots of pictures, and be thankful for the opportunity to train hard. The memories from training trips are sure to last a lifetime, especially if you turn them into a team video.<\/p>\n