If you compare your best times for the various events of a stroke, where does the biggest drop-off occure? Is this different for a sprinter compared to a swimmer of a distance persuasion?
I noticed that there was little difference between my speed for the 800 free compared with my best 1500. In fact, my two best 800s are splits from my best 1500s.
So I decided to take a closer look:
Freestyle Masters PB, SCM:
50: 26.87 (100 m= 53.74)
100: 58.06 (58.06), drop-off=8.0 %
200: 2:05.61 (1:02.81), drop-off 8.2 %
400: 4:27.56 (1:06.89) drop-off 6.5 %
800: 9:19.13 (1:09.89) drop-off 4.5 %
1500: 17:31.38 (1:10.09) drop-off 0.3 %
How would you analyze this? I would think that my 200 is sub standard (biggest drop-off), and so is my 800 (no faster than 1500). There's a lot of variables, of course; was I shaved and tapered for all these swims, what kind of suit did I wear, was it early or late in the meet etc.
For the shorter swims, the drop-off is more substancial than for the longer swims. Is this due to my slow-twitch dominance or is it general? Could it have something to do with the different energy systems?
Freestyle with all its events was the most interesting subject, but of course I checked the other strokes too. Not all to my surprise there was a discrepancy between butterfly and backstroke drop-offs, from 100 to 200 my speed dropped by 2.6 % (backstroke :)) and 18.0 % (butterfly :afraid:).
Cool, I'll use any excuse to crunch some numbers. I'll see your number crunching and raise you a chart!
3798
Ledecky's is a mix of LCM (200, 400, 800) and SCY (1650). I used some of Kirk's numbers as well for Ledecky and Yang. Y-axis is time/100m (had to convert Kirk's and mine). Hope nobody minds the comparison.
I'll see your number crunching and raise you a chart!
Love it!
Looks like an error in Katie Ledecky's 100 number. I don't think she can swim a 50 second 100 meter free :)
Love it!
Looks like an error in Katie Ledecky's 100 number. I don't think she can swim a 50 second 100 meter free :)
Ok... fixed it. You should have seen some of the numbers you had on the first revision.
I'll see your number crunching and raise you a chart!
Awesome, Peter, AWESOME! :bow:
Although I'll spare y'all my number crunching and charts, my coach declared me a distance swimmer instead of a sprinter when:
1. I swam 900 yards of continuous butterfly and said I could have kept going, because I felt better at the end of the swim.
And, again:
2. After I negative split my 2,000 fly two weeks later.
And, again:
3. When I returned from a 3K open water swim and happily jumped right back in with the 1K group and negative split that race over my previous 1K segments.
And, again:
4. After I negative split my 400m and 800m free at Greenville.
And, again:
5. After I negative split my 1,000 fly on Wednesday.
Every Tuesday/Thursday when I train with my coach in the next lane, he says the same thing when I get stronger as the session progresses. I think I get it now: I'm not a sprinter, after all. :sad: :cry:
I'm pretty well convinced if you negative split a long swim and feel better after the halfway point than you did during the first half, you are a distance swimmer, rather than a sprinter*. It took awhile for me to own that new "distance swimmer" label, but I am determined to own it. There's no going back now! :ohyeah:
*Exception for me: Breaststroke! But, that's due to medical issues (thoracic outlet syndrome)/ past surgery that makes breaststroke increasingly difficult to swim, as the distance progresses. I am toast at the 150 mark! :afraid:
Eelbilly, do you have a recent timed 25 from the block?
If so let me guess just to see how close - 12.7
I actually laughed when I read this. In our national Masters championships in March, we compete in the 25 free (it is not an official, 'medal', event). My team likes to be prepared, so we've already filled in the entry forms. I took a look at what other swimmers did in the 25 last year, compared their 50 and 100 times to mine, and entered with a time of 12.75 :D.
But this will be my first 25, and I haven't a recent from practice or anything. I can't remember excactly from the 80s, but the best I remember is 12.3.
I'll be sure to report my results!
Cool, I'll use any excuse to crunch some numbers.
:applaud: :agree:!
Additionally, my 1650 pace is 22.8% slower than my 100 pace.
My 1500 pace is 20.7 % slower than my 100 pace. I should probably stick to the longer events, but the 100 free is THE event; the yardstick. I've got to know my time for the 100 free, shaved and tapered, at least once a year even if it conflicts with 'better' events.
I have no idea what these numbers means without more data points. Of course we'll never get to see a sprinters numbers because they refuse to swim anything longer than a 200! :)
I consider myself a drop dead sprinter these days and have also done some distance recently (for a bet):
SCM free
-----------
25m (first 25 of a 50)- 11.4
50m - 24.3
100- 54.1
200- 2:01.8
400- 4:25
800- 9:21
Not sure what the % drop offs are, but that 800 was horrendous. Just horrendous.
I consider myself a drop dead sprinter these days and have also done some distance recently (for a bet):
SCM free
-----------
25m (first 25 of a 50)- 11.4
50m - 24.3
100- 54.1
200- 2:01.8
400- 4:25
800- 9:21
Not sure what the % drop offs are, but that 800 was horrendous. Just horrendous.
25m -11.4 (=100 pace 45.6)
50m - 24.3 (=48.6) - 6.6 %
100 - 54.1 (=54.1) - 11.3 %
200 - 2:01.8 (=1:00.9) - 12.6 %
400 - 4:25 (=1:06.25) - 8.8 %
800 - 9:21 (1:10.13) - 5.8 %
I must say, there are some good swims on this list. It looks like the big fade is from 50 to 100 and 200. The 400 and 800 hold up quite good, comparatively.
The times I do on my best events, you do on your worst events, for a bet. Ouch. No skipping practice this Christmas!
More specifically, for 2012 SCM free
50 - 26th out of 197
100 - 13th out of 153
200 - 7th out of 91
400 - 6th out of 75
800 - 4th out of 49
1500 - 4th out of 56
Didnt have coffee before in the first post
