200 Butterfly Strategy advice?

I signed up for the 200 fly next Sunday and am wondering if anyone has some advice on how to swim this. My twin brother told me he swam it in college, and by the last length, he felt he was actually moving backwards. I'd like to avoid that if at all possible. To get into shape for this, I've been doing a lot of 25's fly with 10-15 seconds rest. I started doing 8 at a time and have worked my way up to 40. Yesterday, I did 20 x 25s then 10 x 50 on a minute. Questions: Pacing--reason would say to go out slow so you have something left for the second hundred, but I wonder if this is right. After all, you get tired either way, so maybe going out reasonably fast means you will end up with a better time (albeit a greater feeling of misery on the last length or two.) I'm not talking a sprint pace, but a reasonably fast clip. Or is this a recipe for disaster? Stroke mechanics--does the fly need to be modified for a 200--i.e., not pulling all the way through, gliding longer, hand entry a bit wider than usual, etc. I've read that some people can swim a continuous mile butterfly, and I wonder if they are swimming the same stroke I do. It's hard to imagine... I have only swum the 200 fly once--last year--and got a 2:30 on it. My 100 fly has improved this year (a 59.59 , the first time I've broken a minute since high school 31 years ago), and I am in better overall shape this year, so I am hoping to lower the 2:30 to at least a 2:25 (which would give me the Y age group record in our league.) Any advice from 200 flier veterans would be truly appeciated. Thanks in advance for your words of wisdom.
Parents
  • my 200 fly tips are breathe a lot concentrate on fast turns and great streamlines stay relaxed keep your hips up save your legs but most important take it way easier going out keep your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 50 splits closer together in that swim there was a 7 second difference between your 2nd and 4th 50 30.36 35.37 1:05.73 37.50 42.40 1:19.90 as an example you'd be way better off if you split your 200 fly 32 36 36 36 the other part of the equation is to do some hrd middle distance training and get in great shape. Ande I must admit I've swum some pretty horrendous 200 fly's in my day, like in 1981 I went 2:17 in the 200 LCM fly splitting it 1:00 1:17, that last 50 was truly agonizing In college I think I went 1:53 in the 200 y fly splitting it :53 1:00 I probably could have gone much faster, I was 48.8 in the 100 fly. for fun one season I may train some for the 200 fly enter a few meets and attempt to split it correctly. Originally posted by butterfly At the last swim meet, I had the following splits for the 200 fly: 30.36 35.37 37.50 42.40 I felt strong until I finished at the 150 mark, and then BAMP....I almost didn't finish, and I was completely out of breath. Any suggestions to improve it! My next meet is in 4 weeks. Thanks!
Reply
  • my 200 fly tips are breathe a lot concentrate on fast turns and great streamlines stay relaxed keep your hips up save your legs but most important take it way easier going out keep your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th 50 splits closer together in that swim there was a 7 second difference between your 2nd and 4th 50 30.36 35.37 1:05.73 37.50 42.40 1:19.90 as an example you'd be way better off if you split your 200 fly 32 36 36 36 the other part of the equation is to do some hrd middle distance training and get in great shape. Ande I must admit I've swum some pretty horrendous 200 fly's in my day, like in 1981 I went 2:17 in the 200 LCM fly splitting it 1:00 1:17, that last 50 was truly agonizing In college I think I went 1:53 in the 200 y fly splitting it :53 1:00 I probably could have gone much faster, I was 48.8 in the 100 fly. for fun one season I may train some for the 200 fly enter a few meets and attempt to split it correctly. Originally posted by butterfly At the last swim meet, I had the following splits for the 200 fly: 30.36 35.37 37.50 42.40 I felt strong until I finished at the 150 mark, and then BAMP....I almost didn't finish, and I was completely out of breath. Any suggestions to improve it! My next meet is in 4 weeks. Thanks!
Children
No Data