Guildford gala report
This weekend produced mixed results, which was expected given that the group had their major performance peak at Winter Regionals two weeks ago. Many swimmers raced exceptionally well at Regionals, hitting season-best times and very close to taper form. As a result, Guildford naturally became more of a consolidation meet rather than a performance peak.
While not all races matched the standard of Regionals, the swimmers still showed excellent competitive habits, strong technique under fatigue, and good learning opportunities to carry into the next training block.
Challenges & Contributing Factors
1. Regionals peak still in the system
The athletes were very sharp for Regionals and produced huge swims. It’s normal that two weeks later the body is still adapting back to training volume, so speed was slightly dulled and race tempo wasn’t as snappy.
2. Mid-season training load creeping back in
The group has returned to near-normal training load while Guildford was only a partial taper. This contributed to some swimmers feeling flat on Day 2.
3. Execution under fatigue
A few races were lost in the final 25m, mainly aerobic capacity and timing under tiredness, which will naturally improve again as we move back into training rhythm. We will also address this with short lactate-tolerance sections and quality 25/50 finish work.
Training Focus Moving Forward
Starting Week 12 and beyond, we will aim for:
1. Aerobic base rebuild
To restore stamina and allow later speed progression.
2. Speed maintenance every week
Short, race-tempo work to keep them sharp.
3. Specific stroke and IM development
Especially for those targeting Counties and Winter Nationals.
4. Consistency in skills at high heart rate
Practicing turns, breakouts, and finishes under mild fatigue so they hold form late in races.
The Guildford meet was an important checkpoint rather than a peak meet.
Despite mixed times, the group demonstrated:
• strong technical ability
• resilience
• race maturity
• excellent attitude
This meet will help shape the next training block so that our swimmers are ready for Counties, Regionals, and Nationals later in the season.
The squad is progressing extremely well, and the long-term direction is exactly where it needs to be.
Thanks
Daniel
Head coach