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
Freestylers should not have an issue... they are the only stroke where the rules come down to:
Stay off the bottom
Touch the wall at each end
Don't forget the 15m rule. I have seen someone DQ'd swimming breaststroke during a freestyle race because the swimmer's whole body went under (as the breaststroke rules permit) during the last 10m of a length.
You may not care, as long as the swim gives you the information you need. After all, even if you do not DQ it will go down in your USMS Permanent Record as a meh 500 rather than as a fantastic 400IM + 100EZ. I have a lot of 50s and 100s "free" in the USMS database that are really 50s and 100s backstroke. Just let others know, and no one will mind that you get what you want out of the swim.
Freestylers should not have an issue... they are the only stroke where the rules come down to:
Stay off the bottom
Touch the wall at each end
Don't forget the 15m rule. I have seen someone DQ'd swimming breaststroke during a freestyle race because the swimmer's whole body went under (as the breaststroke rules permit) during the last 10m of a length.
You may not care, as long as the swim gives you the information you need. After all, even if you do not DQ it will go down in your USMS Permanent Record as a meh 500 rather than as a fantastic 400IM + 100EZ. I have a lot of 50s and 100s "free" in the USMS database that are really 50s and 100s backstroke. Just let others know, and no one will mind that you get what you want out of the swim.
