My apologies up front for asking a question that has been asked on various different threads over the past couple of years I have been in USMS. I don't remember the responses, however, and can't seem to find the answers in my searches.
Here's the deal: I started as a breaststroker and only competed in the three breaststroke events as a newbie. Seven months later, however, I competed in a pentathlon and found I really enjoyed racing the stroke sprints and 100 IM. Last year, I ended up winning my age group and felt even more encouraged to continue working on my other strokes.
Recently, I attempted an easy 400 IM in workout to see if I could swim a 100 fly without pausing at the walls. I came in at 7:24 :cane:, but it wasn't the worst in my age group in the rankings! :D
Today, after my usual three day post-meet bout of insomnia, I thought, what the heck, I'll try it again. (Yes, I AM crazy!) Again, I took the fly out very easy with the intent of surviving without rescue. My time ended up 7:16, now placing me 56 out of 71 in my age group; still low, but improved. :wiggle: So, now, I'm thinking of giving it some real effort and see where I can go with this...
50 breaststroke is my best event, followed by 100 breaststroke. After that is 50 free and 100 IM. Don't even ask where my 200 breaststroke rates... :bitching: But, my 400 IM, with some effort, will have it beat soon enough.
As a six day per week swimmer on pace to beat my goal of 400 miles for the year, how would you recommend I plan my swim week out to train 400 IM without losing breaststroke speed? I average 3,000 yards per workout and currently dedicate Mondays and Fridays to Allen's breaststroke sets or Ande's sprint IM sets that he wrote up for me. Saturday is my recovery day. September thru May, I train in a challenging coached adult program and swim 3,500 - 3,800yards; a mix of speed, endurance, etc.
Any advice or suggestions would be most appreciated! (Oh, and, by the way, I am working up to swimming 400m IM and 200yd fly, too.) :afraid:I hope to swim 400IM at Dixie Zone Championships, in August, and see where it goes from there. :worms:
So, Forumites, what do you think? What would be your advice for determining whether I am best suited for sprints or distance? /QUOTE]
I'll second That Guy's advice, but stop after 4 words ...
Train everything, swim anything
... and just encourage you to mix and match events every season. Naturally, you'll want to pick different focal events as you approach your taper meet, but I think you should play around with any and all events as much as possible.
Well, except for the 2,000 fly ... that's just :afraid:
I have discovered that, with some practice at it, I am decent at the 50 backstroke, though I am not really a sprinter. Who knew? :dunno:
That is because when done correctly, a 50 back, in short course, has about 15 or so yards of actual backstroking. This can be about 6-8 strokes per length after the 15M SDKing and the rollover for the turn. Faster SDKer, faster 50. I could try to revive my SDK legs, but at this moment it would take more effort than I'm willing to give. Hey, at least I'm honest. :D
Elaine, I agree that you should try every stroke and event at every distance, to find out where your skills lie. You may find that you're a sprint breaststroker, but more of a distance swimmer in another stroke or event. Try 'em all, because (to borrow a phrase) you never know unless you go.
IM is a good training emphasis since it works all the strokes and muscles and maxes you out aerobically.
I agree with Ande's caution against sloppy fly. While you've really proven something to yourself with the ultra-fly, I would revert now to the traditional race distances for fly and IM and try to really hone your fly technique (finding and holding your ideal stroke count throughout). Bottom line: anything resembling geezer fly can make it harder to eventually get to your best potential racing fly style.
Rock bottom line: be proud, you're stretching your abilities into uncharted aqua incognita.
UPDATE:
Since my last post, I swam my first open water meet and swam a back-to-back (about 5 minutes rest) 3K (1:01) and 1K (20min.). I absolutely loved it! :bliss:
A few weeks later, I swam at Dixie Zone Championships and posted this in another thread: U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums - View Single Post - Swim happy
And, this is where I am at now:
My husband timed me today on my first 1650 and recorded my 100 splits:
1:27, 3:02 (1:35), 4:36 (1:34), 6:10 (1:34), 7:47 (1:37), 9:22 1:35), 10:57 (1:35), 12:34 1:37), 14:09 (1:35), 15:46 (1:35), 17:20 (1:34), 18:55 (1:35), 20:31 (1:36), 22:08 (1:37), 23:45 (1:37), 25:17 (1:32), 26:04 (:44).
For comparison, here are some other recent practice race times from our pool:
8/13/12- 1650 = 26:04
7/22/12- 1,000yd = 16:08
7/29/12- 500yd = 7:39
8/4/12- 400m = 6:42
8/5/12- 800m = 13:45
I recently visited the "dark side"; Patrick Brundage's animal lane, to see what he makes of all this. My coach thinks I am better suited for distance events; especially after swimming 2,000 yards of continuous fly with fairly even splits. (No, this wasn't done at a coached workout!). Patrick said this about it, "Case closed. You're already officially an animal."
I can just hear it now; 'Geek saying, "I told you so..." :rolleyes:
I have my own version of the check-off challenge: To swim every event at least once, in competition, while I'm still in this age group (that is, before I age up).
This time around, I'm going to get it done for all the SCY events, even if I have to clench my teeth and enter a 50 *** in the last possible meet. When I age up, my new challenge will be to swim all events at least once in all of SCY, SCM, and LCM. Yes, that means 50 *** at least 3 times in the next five years. Ugh!
:lmao:I hear people complaining about 200 *** all the time (including me, a breaststroker), but I have never heard anybody that adverse to the 50! I laugh, because that is the only event I make NQT's in.
You have a good breaststroke, Swimosaur. I'm betting you will do just fine. :cheerleader:
Your check-off challenge is a great idea! Following your model, I checked off a whole bunch of events in Greenville (LCM), as well as Auburn (SCY), last February!
50s are not legitimate events. The 200 *** is awesome because it gives non participants a lot of rest at USMS meets. At kid's meets it is the event in which time ceases to move forward.
50s are not legitimate events. The 200 *** is awesome because it gives non participants a lot of rest at USMS meets. At kid's meets it is the event in which time ceases to move forward.
As I heard said about Age Group meets "If I had one day to live,I'd spend it at an age group meet,those things never end."
Breaststroke :eek: + Sprint :eek: = Who thought this would be a good idea? :bitching:
I used to say the same thing about brute squad events, but now I'm hooked! :banana: Who knows, Swimosaur; perhaps it will be "Trading Places" for us and you will become a sprinter, as I cross further and further over to the dark side. :bolt:
