Jim--
Here's a poll idea for you to consider. During Nationals at Cleveland, I got a lot of conflicting "pacing" advice. I think everyone hopes to swim that flawless race--go out fast enough so as to not get behind and dig yourself an insurmountable hole; but save enough so you don't completely die on the way back.
The extremes of the philosophy boil down to those who:
1) like to save themselves for a strong finish
vs. those who:
2) like to blast off in the beginning and hope to hang on.
This might be a bit of a simple poll, but I'd be interested to see which of these two extremes my fellow swimmers are more likely to side with. In my own case, it's clearly #1 (I negative split the 400 m at Nationals--2:28 for the first 200; 2:20 for the second..)
Others, such as possibly the amazing Greg Shaw, went out during the 200 butterfly in around a 1:05.5, but swam 50 seconds (of agony, it seemed) on the final 50.
I decided to try the "go all out" approach on my last event of the meet--the 100 free. You know you're in trouble when you're dying before you hit the first wall! The last 20 meters reminded me of Xeno's Paradox. Anyhow, I've decided to stick with my original philosophy, i.e., #1 above in everything save 50s.
What do other people think? And does this change with age?
Originally posted by jim thornton
...
The extremes of the philosophy boil down to those who:
1) like to save themselves for a strong finish
vs. those who:
2) like to blast off in the beginning and hope to hang on.
...
What do other people think?
...
I am a proponent of 2).
One of the best races I had had, was a 800 meter free in a 25 meter pool, August 1st., 1991, for a time of 10:33.21.
I split: :32 at 50, 1:10 at 100, 2:32 at 200;
the next 200 was a 2:38, the third 200 was a 2:41, and the last was a 2:42.
If I try 1), I feel being locked in the pace I started with, and cannot descend.
At the Olympic level, the current world record holder for 1500 meter free, Grant Hackett (Aus), and the previous one, Kieren Perkins (Aus) are proponents of 2) like me, while Erik Vendt (US) -coached by Shubert who trained Goodell- is proponent of 1).
Originally posted by jim thornton
...
And does this change with age?
I think I lost speed and endurance, but my philosophy is the same.
Originally posted by jim thornton
...
The extremes of the philosophy boil down to those who:
1) like to save themselves for a strong finish
vs. those who:
2) like to blast off in the beginning and hope to hang on.
...
What do other people think?
...
I am a proponent of 2).
One of the best races I had had, was a 800 meter free in a 25 meter pool, August 1st., 1991, for a time of 10:33.21.
I split: :32 at 50, 1:10 at 100, 2:32 at 200;
the next 200 was a 2:38, the third 200 was a 2:41, and the last was a 2:42.
If I try 1), I feel being locked in the pace I started with, and cannot descend.
At the Olympic level, the current world record holder for 1500 meter free, Grant Hackett (Aus), and the previous one, Kieren Perkins (Aus) are proponents of 2) like me, while Erik Vendt (US) -coached by Shubert who trained Goodell- is proponent of 1).
Originally posted by jim thornton
...
And does this change with age?
I think I lost speed and endurance, but my philosophy is the same.
