most feared event

RE: most feared event

Former Member — Thu, 13 Feb 2014 12:47:42 GMT

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 laughed SO hard at this, truer words have never been spoken!! I do like the 200 *** though, it's fun and mental game ;)

RE: most feared event

That Guy — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 04:31:55 GMT

We have an animal meet every year with either the 200 IM,100 fly and 500 free,or the 400 IM,200 fly and 1000 free.I entered the longer events a few years ago.There was about 10 min rest between events as I recall,but it may have been a little longer. I swam the 400 IM to finish and felt tired but OK after it.I was most afraid of the 200 fly so I went out very slowly,but as I got into a rhythm I felt stronger and actually negative split.I figured the 1000 would be OK as I envisioned it as an easy swim.I hadn't counted on how much the fly took out of me and by the 150 I was noticing getting my arms out of the water was getting harder with each stroke.I have no plans to enter that meet again any time soon. That meet also offers the 50 fly-100 IM-200 free grouping for the fearful. A couple years ago, there was a LCM pentathlon meet where jaadams1 and I both entered the long distance group of events (200 of each stroke and the 400 IM). It was a small meet and the breaks between events were short. "Those two are really dumb." - possibly said by Allen Stark while we were swimming

RE: most feared event

Allen Stark — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 10:53:48 GMT

RE: most feared event

habu987 — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 06:04:53 GMT

The hardest meet I ever did back in the day (for three years in a row) was one that was called an iron man meet. 400 IM, 200 fly, 200 back, 200 ***, 200 free, and 500 free, in that order. It was terrible, and by the time I got to the 200 and 500 free, I was so dead that my times were about what I'd swum when I was 12. Now that I'm training for the 200 fly and 400 IM after a many year hiatus from those events, it doesn't sound *quite* as horrifying, but still, that's a meet I could only do spread out over a weekend, not spread out over ~4 hours like back then. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I747 using Tapatalk

RE: most feared event

That Guy — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 10:18:14 GMT

My college coach had a meeting before a dual meet and asked everyone to think of a number between 1 and 10,000. I was the second person he asked for the number and when I told him, he exclaimed that I had guessed it exactly. My prize was swimming the 1,000 - 200 fly and 500. I never did figure out what I did to deserve that - and he never told me. I did that combo of events enough times that I eventually figured out the secret of how to swim it.

RE: most feared event

no200fly — Thu, 06 Feb 2014 04:48:11 GMT

in college dual meets i was "allowed" do to the trio of hell 1000 200 fly 500 all in what...3hrs seems like a lot of beer always followed that night....for the carbs...for the carbs!!! My college coach had a meeting before a dual meet and asked everyone to think of a number between 1 and 10,000. I was the second person he asked for the number and when I told him, he exclaimed that I had guessed it exactly. My prize was swimming the 1,000 - 200 fly and 500. I never did figure out what I did to deserve that - and he never told me.

RE: most feared event

Former Member — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 16:09:36 GMT

Right now? Breaststroke. Ever since I strained my MCL back in the spring, I'm really tentative with the kick. I did all the PT and strengthening stuff, but I don't think there's anything on land that really corresponds to the motion you get on the kick. The event that frustrates me the most is the 200 free for the same reasons as pwb's. Of the three choices, I would least like to do the 200 fly but as Swimosaur says, as long as I don't have to try to swim it fast.

RE: most feared event

Swimosaur — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:45:19 GMT

When I swim fly, it always has to be fast to maintain momentum and keep my arms above the surface of the water. It requires such massive amounts of energy that it exhausts me after 50 m. Swimming fly fast is like that. Swimming fly far is a different problem. Swimming a 200 fly -- or a 1650 fly for that matter, I've done both -- is a parlor trick. As long as you're content to swim it not too terribly fast, you can finish it legally, gracefully, and comfortably. I'm convinced that most masters swimmers, which is to say, nearly all masters swimmers, could swim a 200 fly quite easily, if they learned the trick. Here's a clue Here's another (admittedly, not a parlor trick!) Swimming freestyle fast is not the same thing as swimming freestyle far. Also fly.

RE: most feared event

joel schmaltz — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 09:00:33 GMT

As said before, this site needs a "like" or "favorite" button. My vote is the 200 fly both for pain and fear. The anxiety behind the blocks for any of the three can be exhausting. There is no finding your happy place. This thread has been a good read.

RE: most feared event

Former Member — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 08:51:46 GMT

Without a shadow of doubt: the 200 fly, long course. I fear it so much I have never swum it, ever. In fact, I have never completed a legal 100 fly, either. I remember my father persuading me to enter it against my better judgement when I was a kid. I got to the 150 m mark and my arms just wouldn't come out of the water. I completed the event doing one arm fly. It was exhausting and humiliating. Have never tried it again since. I am still in fear of being unable to complete it. I couldn't possibly imagine attempting a 200 fly. It would be like climbing Mount Everest. For me there is no easy fly. When I swim fly, it always has to be fast to maintain momentum and keep my arms above the surface of the water. It requires such massive amounts of energy that it exhausts me after 50 m.

RE: most feared event

Patrick W. Brundage — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 03:11:38 GMT

RE: most feared event

sunruh — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 02:08:17 GMT

in college dual meets i was "allowed" do to the trio of hell 1000 200 fly 500 all in what...3hrs seems like a lot of beer always followed that night....for the carbs...for the carbs!!!

RE: most feared event

Bill Sive — Wed, 05 Feb 2014 01:14:30 GMT

Hmmm, most feared. Do not feel I really fear any of these swims on an individual basis. How about an actual event like the Brute Challenge? 200Fly, 400IM, 1650FR. I missed the Brute Challenge in 2013 because I thought I had an extra month to complete it. However, I did complete the Brute Challenge in 2012, and 2011. I spoke with the coach at Davis Aquatics Masters, he stated "its all in the pacing." There is also the Ironman Postal Pentathalon: 200Fly, 200Back, 200Breast, 200Free, 400IM. I completed this for the last three years. I get a little anxious when I begin these events. I take a big breath then just go. This Saturday I will be completing the 400IM and 200IM in the same day. Event #2, and Event #9. Plus three other events in the same meet. I'm not sure why I chose these events, but choose them I did. Oh joy!? ------ I changed my mind. Doing the 400 IM, or 200 Fly as LCM's is challenging.

RE: most feared event

aztimm — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 10:33:24 GMT

Most feared? Anything with *** stroke. LOL! I feel like I come to a complete stop on that stroke. I admire all of y'all who can do it and do it well. You don't have to be able to do it well to finish, simply complete it. I'm guessing perhaps 20% of the people from any masters group I've ever swum with can even physically/legally finish a 200 fly. But most could legally finish (eventually) anything else.

RE: most feared event

flystorms — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 08:48:02 GMT

Most feared? Anything with *** stroke. LOL! I feel like I come to a complete stop on that stroke. I admire all of y'all who can do it and do it well.

RE: most feared event

isobel — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 03:57:03 GMT

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! I agree. The one hour swim is brutal. And you think (I think) that it should somehow mean something. That a 200 free after the one hour swim should be a piece of cake. still I hope the East Coast trounces the West Coast (much as we have utmost respect for the brawn of the West) but after this year I do not care I swear I have done my share of one hour swims for the East Coast this year marked my 12th. Barf. I can't figure out how to race anything, but I'm guessing that unless I could do slo-mo fly for 200 meters or yards, if I had to race it, I would actually die. And it's not the way I want to go. So I would say the 200 fly. In fact, I'll vote for it. izzzzz-o-belllll who today, even though I went to my happy place (pool), feels like this (hmm, little mad face went up by my title; well that's how I feel; please send cake).

RE: most feared event

sunruh — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 03:37:45 GMT

i know that feeling all too well chris. i workout with an olympic breaststroker (and multi time ncaa champion). so i asked him to look at my breaststroke. his analysis - just dont 4 guys passed me on the breaststroke leg of the 100im in greensboro. yes, it just 25yds. there is slow. there is an hourglass. there is a calendar. and then there is my breaststroke.

RE: most feared event

Chris Stevenson — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 03:32:54 GMT

Then you have never seen me swim the 200 breaststroke. Coaches use to ask my coach what drills I did for breaststroke, so they could take them out of their practices. I could make you look good. After racing Jeff Roddin in the 400 IM, some people asked "Who was that breaststroker in the lane next to you?" Breaststroke is perhaps his worst stroke. After first seeing me swim breaststroke, NOVA head coach Geoff Brown said "I remember when people used to swim breaststroke that way."

RE: most feared event

Beards247 — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 03:15:18 GMT

Definitely the 1650. It is excruciating. I liken it to peeling your own skin back with one of those old sardine can openers. Next on the list is the 200 Fly, and the only reason it's second is b/c its shorter. True there's the risk of drowning when your core implodes on itself, but hey it's over quicker - not as bad as the 1650. 400 IM is almost easy compared to those to juggernauts of pain. Survive the fly, hang on in the backstroke, ***=rest, and free is a walk in the park. But what I most fear is not being able to swim any of them :bed: Any day I can make it through a set or a swim is a good day :cane:

RE: most feared event

Beards247 — Mon, 03 Feb 2014 02:54:12 GMT

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. This is fun and I'll reply soon, but your list makes me smile; my favorite event is the 200 free for exactly the reasons you it frustrates you (sprint v mid-distance). Not sure what it says about me, but this whole thread underscores that old cliche... different strokes for different folks : ).

RE: most feared event

Former Member — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 16:24:33 GMT

i dont think i can alter the poll to include all events. next thread i have a feeling 200 fly would still win a poll that included all events

RE: most feared event

Former Member — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 16:17:23 GMT

200 fly in my case, as i have never swam it. 400 IM yards only twice in my life, once in H.S. once in Masters. as i progress in years and it becomes unrealistic to match old masters times, I try to branch out into different events. unfortunately I am running out of events and 200 fly is one of the few remaining options

RE: most feared event

ullahe — Sun, 02 Feb 2014 03:02:02 GMT

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. Thank you all for making me laugh so hard I almost cried. My non-swimming husband couldn't figure out why these posts are so funny. As a sprint freestyler all these events sound like living hell to me, which is why I generally avoid them altogether. Hats off to all of you who are braver than me. But I agree with the 200 free. It's got a serious identity problem and no matter how you approach it it causes substantial pain. During the 50, the pain doesn't start until the race is 95% done, during the 100, the pain starts at the 75 - all expected and planned for. The 200 is a different animal. It's so hard to avoid taking it out too hard and then spending 100 to 150 yards thrashing about in utter panic and exhaustion or taking it out too slowly and feeling reasonably good until you see the lousy time on the score board.

RE: most feared event

orca1946 — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 12:30:09 GMT

And yet --- this is what I have had the best finishes in doing! I just take what others shy away from.

RE: most feared event

StewartACarroll — Sat, 01 Feb 2014 10:46:01 GMT

Fear = 200 Fly Pain = 200 Free