I am doing the 200 fly for the first time. RUH OH!!!
Former Member
It's gonna be next weekend on April 1 at the 2012 Pacific Masters SCY Champs in Moraga, CA.
Please help me out! What do I do? What's the best strategy? My 100 fly PB is 1:04.2, but my in-season time is currently at 1:08.86.
I will also be doing the 200 back and ***. I haven't done the 200 *** in ages. The last time I did it (Jan '11) was absolutely horrible- I got a 3:17 when my 100 time at the same meet was 1:29. My 100 time has since gone down to 1:17. I just really, really want to go under 3 minutes in the event. What do you guys think will help?
As for the 200 back, my PB in that event is a 2:31.72 from a taper meet last July. My converted scy time from a meet close to that one is about a 2:47, but I'm getting down pretty close, in the 100 at least, to my taper time at this stroke. Last month, I went 1:09.6, which was just a second off my taper time of 1:08.6.
All suggestions, strategies, condolences... are welcome! If I don't survive, James Thornton gets to have all my posts.
200 Fly:
Take it out relaxed, I'd say approx. 3-4 seconds slower than your 100 time, just to be conservative. From the start of the race, pick a breathing pattern and stick with it. This is one way I keep myself from thinking about other things (like ouchy). I try to maintain a 2 up, 1 down breathing cycle throughout the race. I find that if I go to breathing every stroke, my body position starts to get more and more vertical as the race goes on. That stroke with head down helps to maintain my hips up at the surface.
As for the 200 *** and 200 Back:
Build them. I did this last December in SCM and actually had some fun doing it. I took them out EXTREMELY slow, and built each one. My 200 *** actually ended up being my fastest of the season that way as well! Good enough for a TT. :)
And remember that in backstroke, it's very leg driven, so the legs will hurt for sure. I personally think the 200 Back is one of the hardest events out there when done correctly.
Good luck, and hopefully the 200 Fly is near the beginning of the event order for you. I usually get stuck doing it near the end of most meets. :bouncing:
200 Fly:
Take it out relaxed, I'd say approx. 3-4 seconds slower than your 100 time, just to be conservative. From the start of the race, pick a breathing pattern and stick with it. This is one way I keep myself from thinking about other things (like ouchy). I try to maintain a 2 up, 1 down breathing cycle throughout the race. I find that if I go to breathing every stroke, my body position starts to get more and more vertical as the race goes on. That stroke with head down helps to maintain my hips up at the surface.
As for the 200 *** and 200 Back:
Build them. I did this last December in SCM and actually had some fun doing it. I took them out EXTREMELY slow, and built each one. My 200 *** actually ended up being my fastest of the season that way as well! Good enough for a TT. :)
And remember that in backstroke, it's very leg driven, so the legs will hurt for sure. I personally think the 200 Back is one of the hardest events out there when done correctly.
Good luck, and hopefully the 200 Fly is near the beginning of the event order for you. I usually get stuck doing it near the end of most meets. :bouncing:
