I guess some background information may help you in answering my question. Hello, my name is Alex and I am quickly approaching my last year of high school swimming. Last high school season I finished my 200 yard free with my best time of 2:12.17 (not that stellar I know :cry: ) However I did end up getting second place overall. Now next high school season I'm ranked first in the 200 yard free, but there's always room for improvement. I would LOVE to get the school record (1:55.45) by may 2012 but that's pushing it I think. So how do you swim a 200 free?
Last 200 yard free I swam I got a time of 2:17.09 I tried breathing every 4 the whole race and it really tired me out.
I believe my next strategy is going to be
1st 25 - go 99% breathing every 4
75 - 500 pace breathing every 2
50 - going 100% breathing every 6
50 - anything I got left
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I'm not quite sure why a 400 feels more like a 200 than a 100, either. It seems that if you use all your energy in ~50 seconds, you'd be dead faster swimming rather than running. Thus a 400 should feel more like a 200. Good question.
I did track for one year. I did very well in the 400. I was actually in the state tournament for it. The 200F, never mastered to my standards haha. In my coach's words "Why are you so bad at the 200" haha. I guess I have a goal now.
I've done both at a high level and still run collegiately. A good rule of thumb that's always worked for me is to just multiply the swimming distance by 4 and that's a pretty good comparison, especially on the shorter distance end. The 800 is usually run by just getting through the first 500 as quickly but easily as possible, then you're all out for 300 meters. It's still a glorified sprint, very similar in tactics and effort to a hard 200 swim. As for the systems used, it's a pretty even aerobic/anaerobic mix, which is always what I felt necessary for the 200 swim.
I'm not quite sure why a 400 feels more like a 200 than a 100, either. It seems that if you use all your energy in ~50 seconds, you'd be dead faster swimming rather than running. Thus a 400 should feel more like a 200. Good question.
I did track for one year. I did very well in the 400. I was actually in the state tournament for it. The 200F, never mastered to my standards haha. In my coach's words "Why are you so bad at the 200" haha. I guess I have a goal now.
I've done both at a high level and still run collegiately. A good rule of thumb that's always worked for me is to just multiply the swimming distance by 4 and that's a pretty good comparison, especially on the shorter distance end. The 800 is usually run by just getting through the first 500 as quickly but easily as possible, then you're all out for 300 meters. It's still a glorified sprint, very similar in tactics and effort to a hard 200 swim. As for the systems used, it's a pretty even aerobic/anaerobic mix, which is always what I felt necessary for the 200 swim.
