it's about time!

Former Member
Former Member
One of the very last posts of 2001 was from me on New Year's Eve. I don't remember whether the title was mine or the administrator who decided that it was a sub topic of something remotely connected with the subject that I was proposing. But, no matter. Since the change of format this week to the new system, I don't know how to check it out or whether or not it makes any difference. However, after two weeks of no response of any kind and since it was my prerogative, being my birthday, the rare one that is divisable by both sevenses and elevenses, I went back to the subject to give it a boost, hoping that someone would give it some kind of notice. But, alas... With Ground Hog's (or is it s'?) Day looming around the next corner I'm very much determined to thrust the subject forward a third time in the hope that it will get some serious attention. And it is about time whatever way you choose to take the title. I don't remember everything I wrote the first two times but I'll simply make the proposal without any but the barest essential elaboration. As soon as possible post all swimming times in seconds only! Eliminate the use of minutes, or hours entirely. Having just yesterday having competed in the National Championship Event, The Hour Swim, (a Mail-in Event) I could consent to keeping the title. But for all listing and taking of times it would be 100% beneficial to use seconds only. The only reason to oppose the notion that I can think of would be related to the existing hardware. But transpositions would be easily done until the mass of the hardware is ready to conform on its own. My guess being that the computer timing systems would need only a nudge to adapt. Sprinters, of course, wouldn't understand what I'm talking about. But all swimmers who have a use for splits in their calculations run into stumbling blocks, not to mention common errors, that are bound to creep in whenever minutes become part of the results. I have one other helpful suggestion to make on the subject, and because of the opportunity, why not... If Splits, for example, of a 200 or a 1500 were listed in reverse order, it would be infinitely easier and more instructive to see their value and significance.
Parents
  • Doug, Our coach Bill White wrote an Excel spread sheet program that works great. It allows you to enter a 100 time and then cranks out what this pace would translate to in any event you want to figure--1000, 1650, 3000, you name it. It also works in reverse. You enter your final time for the 1650, 3000, what have you, and it will automatically calculate your 100 pace. If you would like, I can ask Bill to e-mail this to you. If someone out there is web-savvy, they may be able to post it somewhere on the web so that anyone who wants to can take advantage of this. I don't know if you ever saw the discussion I started a year or two ago on "age-related decline in swimming times", but one guy eventually posted a great idiot proof formula that has proven, to me at least, very fun to play around with. Check this out: http://n3times.com/swimtimes/ I think it would be great if USMS came up with a one-stop "conversion utitility" address that would add this age conversion program, the 100 pace/distance conversion program, the meters to yards conversion, plus any other formulae the math wizzards in our ranks could think up. Anyhow, let me know if you want Bill's spreadsheet.
Reply
  • Doug, Our coach Bill White wrote an Excel spread sheet program that works great. It allows you to enter a 100 time and then cranks out what this pace would translate to in any event you want to figure--1000, 1650, 3000, you name it. It also works in reverse. You enter your final time for the 1650, 3000, what have you, and it will automatically calculate your 100 pace. If you would like, I can ask Bill to e-mail this to you. If someone out there is web-savvy, they may be able to post it somewhere on the web so that anyone who wants to can take advantage of this. I don't know if you ever saw the discussion I started a year or two ago on "age-related decline in swimming times", but one guy eventually posted a great idiot proof formula that has proven, to me at least, very fun to play around with. Check this out: http://n3times.com/swimtimes/ I think it would be great if USMS came up with a one-stop "conversion utitility" address that would add this age conversion program, the 100 pace/distance conversion program, the meters to yards conversion, plus any other formulae the math wizzards in our ranks could think up. Anyhow, let me know if you want Bill's spreadsheet.
Children
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