The secret to a rewarding 200 fly in long course, especially as a Masters swimmer, is to loaf-cruise-sleep-through the first three laps, use that third turn for all the air you can grab, and then build the last 50. Honestly, the only good 200 LCM flys I have ever swum (and my fastest times) were swum with this strategy. In addition to removing a lot of the pain typically associated with this event, you finish looking so strong (and passing other swimmers who have 'gone vertical') that it almost doesn't matter what your time is!
Hah! That's my plan of attack for the 200 LCM fly. But even loaf-cruise-sleeping through the first three laps, I'm sure my heart rate will be nearly maxed out after the 100 and my lungs will be screaming, begging me to stop!
You must have a warped sense of fear to have put the top two greatest events in this list and one that easily makes the top 10 list. Alas, I could not participate in your poll.
I think if you want an accurate poll, you should include all events.
My top 3 most feared events would be:
200 free - ain't nobody know how to swim this godforsaken mess that can't decide if it's a sprint or a mid-distance race. SCY, SCM or LCM -- no matter which way you cut it, this race is hard, unfathomable and unbeatable.
50 free - screw up the start, turn, breakout, or, heck, even breathe one too many times and your race is shot. But, hey, even if you remove the turn in long course, this event also sucks as, after about the 30 meter mark, when you've taken your allotted one breath, your vision starts to fade into the tunnel and, in the midst of your hypoxic haze, you swear you start talking with ghosts of swimmers past.
200 long course *** stroke - If I can't swim at least 60% of my breaststroke via underwater pullouts, there's gonna be ugliness.
I agree the 200 free for me is the most painful and most difficult event. I think partly because it just hurts so much, but unlike the 200 fly, the field is also really deep.
200 fly -
25 Yards: This isn't so bad. Long and smooth. Relaxed. I've trained for this.
50 Yards: Am I going out too fast? Or am I just awesome? Banking on "awesome."
75 Yards: Slow it down, bucko. Slowwww it down. Easy there. Ah, there we go. Let's start breathing every stroke. Michael Phelps does it. I can do it, too.
100 Yards: ****.
125 Yards: **** ****.
150 Yards: **** damn ass **** damn aaaaarggggggggggg.
175 Yards: And suddenly the pain is gone. There is no pain. Instead, a gentle feeling, like swaying trees in a soft cool wind. There is light there, just ahead. Light at the end of a long, dark tunnel. It is calling to me. It sweetly coos my name, "Hey there. Come here. There's no pain where we are." Siren song mistresses are singing, and I am lost in a vortex of my own euphoria. I see my great-grandfather there. And Harry Carey, he's there too. I can see lush palm trees and golden buildings and emerald-green pools of Jell-O. Rainbows and bunnies and everyone there wears an Olympic gold medal. Waterfalls of singing goldfish and beautiful Sports Illustrated Swimsuit models play harps and giggle together and lightly toss pillows, playfully, waving me closer, smiling, beckoning... The light is brighter now, they are laughing, cheering for me, whispering, "Almost there... almost there..." I slowly float away from my body, float away, laughing at that struggling, silly little boy swimming a 200 butterfly, hitting his last turn, blacking out, but I'm happier now, happier than I've ever been, because the pain is going away, there is no pain, there is only light, bright, white light, and slowly.... I float away.....
195 Yards: AWEOF@*@(%( oIHEF OE38@*(*#%(#%*(&%hjdsifa #FHFGOI ewohwefa @(*%)#%(jifjiajaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AOIWEJFOIWEF 2309@(%)&%@)**!*!!*@*@$(%(%@)
200 Yards: That wasn't so bad.
Meters is an entirely different event.
i think every race has its own uniqueness/pain
a 50 free can hurt like he77 as soon as you touch the wall for about 5mins or so.
a 1650 can hurt with an ache for hours and hours.
Sunruh, excellent funny post! I would add my secret mind trick techniques: Think about your big toe (either foot, not both feet, or else it takes too much brainpower) and then you won't feel the pain. Don't wear goggles! If you can't see it, you can't feel the pain. And last, you can contemplate whether you want to resort to butterfrog kick. Just the fact that you could.....well, it takes the mind off of the pain!
The 50 free does hurt way too much, you have about 15 seconds grace period until the pain sets in. And then you need to take a nap.
The 1650 hurts my brain at about the 150, which is where I lost count. And then it's so painful for me to count and convert the numbers to cumulative yardage, which is how I count. Perhaps why I miscount.
I just finished my first 200 fly ever at the end of December (SCY). I have to admit I was scared to do it and that I hung on the walls far longer than I should have. But I agree with That Guy; the 200 LCM fly seems terrifying to me at this point. At least with short course you can hang on the walls and recover. LCM there's no where to hide! I'm planning on trying my first 200 LCM fly this summer. And every time I think about it, I already am getting butterflies in my stomach!
Hanging on the walls just proves you know the rule book! You can hang, blow your nose, fix a wedge, count backwards from 10, and then push off and it's still legal!
On a completely unrelated note, my daughter tried to use venus flytraps in her science experiment! It was Do venus flytraps grow better with a bug diet or a traditional plant diet? Unfortunately, the flytraps got all black leaves and died. So we had to quickly switch to plan B and do something with hydroponics, entitled, Hydroponics are (for) People! With a picture of Charleton Heston as Moses yelling it.
Hanging on the walls just proves you know the rule book! You can hang, blow your nose, fix a wedge, count backwards from 10, and then push off and it's still legal!
Hah, yes indeed! I made sure to ask the officials before the swim to ensure it was legal :blush:
On a completely unrelated note, my daughter tried to use venus flytraps in her science experiment! It was Do venus flytraps grow better with a bug diet or a traditional plant diet? Unfortunately, the flytraps got all black leaves and died.
Aww, that's unfortunate! They're very sensitive to minerals in their soil and water, so they may have gotten mineral burn and died. They're actually quite easy plants to grow as long as a few strict rules of care are followed. They're also incredibly fun and amazing plants!
I didn't vote, because I have no fear of either of those events, and I have "raced" them all. I say "raced," because my times weren't exactly lightning speed- especially my 200 fly. :cane: Having swum a non-stop 2000 fly, I know I can swim 200 fly with no problem. Racing 200 fly is another story. :agree: The key for me is using pwb's race strategy to make sure the piano doesn't come crashing down on my back! :bolt:
I fear having to race someone for 20 or so minutes straight, so I chose the 1650. I think in the 200 fly and 400 IM sound interesting and challenging but there is just nothing appealing to me about racing freestyle for long distances in a pool.
And my most feared event is the hour swim, but it wasn't an option. I'll be happy if I never do *that* again!
While the 400 IM and the 1650 are very tough events,when you start them you know you will finish eventually, and that if you do everything technically right, you won't be DQ'd.In the 200 fly it is quite possible to mess your pacing up enough that you don't have the energy to recover your arms legally.
Oh. My. Goodness. The only reason the 200 fly beats out the 400 IM in horribleness is because in the 400 IM you at least can flop on your back after the 100 fly. Going more than 37.5 yds fly is challenging for me, and to be avoided. I think you should have had an option like A&B
You must have a warped sense of fear to have put the top two greatest events in this list and one that easily makes the top 10 list. Alas, I could not participate in your poll.
I think if you want an accurate poll, you should include all events.
My top 3 most feared events would be:
200 free - ain't nobody know how to swim this godforsaken mess that can't decide if it's a sprint or a mid-distance race. SCY, SCM or LCM -- no matter which way you cut it, this race is hard, unfathomable and unbeatable.
50 free - screw up the start, turn, breakout, or, heck, even breathe one too many times and your race is shot. But, hey, even if you remove the turn in long course, this event also sucks as, after about the 30 meter mark, when you've taken your allotted one breath, your vision starts to fade into the tunnel and, in the midst of your hypoxic haze, you swear you start talking with ghosts of swimmers past.
200 long course *** stroke - If I can't swim at least 60% of my breaststroke via underwater pullouts, there's gonna be ugliness.
