I would like some input from people who have actually swum the 1000 & 1650 on the same day in a meet. It looks like there are people out there who do it seemingly successfully (by looking at their times) but I wonder if they regretted this decision a bit. Or trained specifically with that intent. The only thing I could think of to prep for this might be doubles in the pool once or twice a week. Or were they able to successfully nap between the events. See, I'd like to swim the 1000 at Nats but I'm basically shot to high heaven after that event anyways. I just barely meet the Qualifying time in both for my age group, so that's not a deterrent. So, I'm considering potentially "stupid" things. And I can't decide whether I should be talked into or out of doing both. What do you have for me? Advice? Warnings to heed? Help me fully inform my decision.
If your best events are distance, go ahead and do it. I don't believe you can do both in the same day with any quality. Both have a sort of emotional trauma so combining them in one day adds to the pain. I know when I have a person next to me for instance in the 1650 that has already done the 1000, I know (and he knows) when it comes down to the wire who is going to be sent home crying like a baby.:) Good luck.
I did the 1650 and 1000 last year in San Antonio, setting personal bests in both. So that was a positive experience for me. I'm planning on doing both again in Greensboro next month. I think I would prefer having the 1650 first and then the 1000 like it was in San Antonio. But this year the 1000 is first and then the 1650, so I guess I'll find out which order I prefer :)
I do a lot of open water swims and have many times doubled a 1-mile and 2-mile swim in both orders. Whichever one you do first will definitely feel better and be the better swim. But with distance swimming, it's easier to pace yourself appropriately and still put up a very respectable time in the second event. At least that's been my experience. Painful? Yes! But pain is welcomed by distance swimmers, right?
Only bit of advice I'd give is to make sure you re-hydrate and refuel between the events. Whatever your recovery drink of choice is, be sure to use it and perhaps get a few other calories in your body from a food source that you know you swim well on. There should be sufficient time between the two swims that you can drink, eat, rest and recover fairly well to be ready for the 1650 later in the day. I say do it!
I don't believe you can do both in the same day with any quality.
you can, but ONLY if your name is Jeff Erwin.
and pretty sure he won both last time in greensboro as well
I've done it 6 times now. The easiest has clearly been when I did it for the 2012 nationals, although I was exhausted after the 1650. In that instance I did my best ever time for each of the events. There was plenty of break between them to recover.
Now the other 5 times I've done it, I've had less than an hour between the two events, with the 1650 being first and then the 1000. In each of these, the 1000 has been worse than by 1000 split in the 1650. So there has been some effect.
In the end, I'd say you'll be fine to do both at Greensboro. There will be plenty of time to rest between events.
I've done both at many Nationals. I don't do doubles or anything extra to prep for them; however, I don't do much of a taper since between the two races and warming up/cooling down I end up swimming about 5000yds. Most of the time that I've done both events, I've been sore but not unbearably so. I recommend signing up for a massage between and after the races. I always swim the maximum 6 events and have still been able to have good performances in my events the rest of the meet.
Several years ago, I did the 1000 and 1650 double at Y nationals and then a few weeks later at Masters Nationals. I don't think that I would do the double again at Masters Nationals because I will do the same time in my 1000 split of my 1650.
Thank you so much for all the great comments!
I did it. I registered for the 1000 & the 1650 and to add insult to injury, the 500 Free the next morning. :afraid:
I had a chance to go back to the pool a second time yesterday and actually had a better afternoon practice than morning practice despite the morning being hard. So, I think I'll be ok that first day.
I may not hit any PBs in that 1650 but I'm ok with that. And so far, I've only been able to swim my 500 after being wiped anyways, so that time will probably hold up fine - it's only a second faster than my split from my 1000!
I've never really considered myself a distance swimmer but I do tend to be able to hold a fairly consistent pace for 30 minutes of continuous swimming before I tank. Might as well give it a shot, see what I can do. Won't know unless I try.
