Is there a specific "rule" (unwritten or otherwise) regarding swimming non-freestyle in a freestyle event? I've entered myself in the 500 free at a meet tomorrow with the intent of doing a 400IM (there's no separate 400IM event at this meet). It's not going to be a "good" 400IM (in fact I'm sure it's going to be very, very bad), I don't need an official split time, I just want to check it off The List for my own personal check-off challenge before I get stuck having to do it long course.
Do I:
a) Inform someone at the check-in for the 500
b) Inform some other official (whom?)
c) Tell the other swimmers in my heat so they don't freak out when one guy is suddenly going out way too fast for a seven-minute 500, and butterfly at that
d) Just keep my mouth shut and do it
e) Some combination of the above
It is a freestyle event so the rules of freestyle apply and the time will count as a 500 free, unless you get out at the 400 in which case the swim won't count and you will be DQ'd.
Ok cool, that's what I thought.
1. Putting an unrealistic seed time and finishing well before or after your heat mates.
2. Getting out at the 400 simply because you can. Hit the wall at the 400 and then do an easy 100 to finish.
I seeded myself with seven minutes... the more I think about it, the more pessimistic I get (yes, sprinter whining), but I think it's realistic enough. My last (and only) 200IM was just under a 2:30, so I doubled that, added some padding for even more abominable breaststroke and tacked on another 1:30 for the last 100. If I go under 7, I'll be satisfied, and if not, well, all the more reason to never do it again :)
As long as you don’t violate freestyle rules, you can’t be DQ’ed for stroke infractions. E.g. you can legally 1-hand fly/*** turns, etc.
No worries there. I'm going to do everything as legally as possible.
Distance swimmers might hate you afterwards though because it messes up their "pace". Whatever that is. :P
Well, when they're lapping me while I'm swimming backstroke and breaststroke, they can feel really fast :)
It is a freestyle event so the rules of freestyle apply and the time will count as a 500 free, unless you get out at the 400 in which case the swim won't count and you will be DQ'd.
Ok cool, that's what I thought.
1. Putting an unrealistic seed time and finishing well before or after your heat mates.
2. Getting out at the 400 simply because you can. Hit the wall at the 400 and then do an easy 100 to finish.
I seeded myself with seven minutes... the more I think about it, the more pessimistic I get (yes, sprinter whining), but I think it's realistic enough. My last (and only) 200IM was just under a 2:30, so I doubled that, added some padding for even more abominable breaststroke and tacked on another 1:30 for the last 100. If I go under 7, I'll be satisfied, and if not, well, all the more reason to never do it again :)
As long as you don’t violate freestyle rules, you can’t be DQ’ed for stroke infractions. E.g. you can legally 1-hand fly/*** turns, etc.
No worries there. I'm going to do everything as legally as possible.
Distance swimmers might hate you afterwards though because it messes up their "pace". Whatever that is. :P
Well, when they're lapping me while I'm swimming backstroke and breaststroke, they can feel really fast :)
