Am I alone in pursuing freestyle only?
I never understood/appreciated anything other than "swim as fast as you can from A to B".
I was a long time hard-core runner, and the different swimstrokes seems to me to be akin to running backwards or sideways. (Or....heaven forbid......Racewalking!!)
Why shouldn't swimming follow the same path as running? Ie No stroke rules. Just go from A to B in the water anyway you wish? As fast as you can.
School me! Kick my ass! In my newbieness I cannot understand anything other than "A to B in the water as fast as you can."
Why do we have these 4 different strokes? It seems like a beauty contest. (I expect to be crucified for such blasphemy.)
Educate me, USMS people. Help me understand why you would want to find a way to swim slower!! :)
Do you swim with a team & coach? If you only want to swim free then swim alone 'cuz our team coach requires all to learn 4 strokes.
Our team has Mon/Wed designated as "freestyle days" to accommodate some of the triathlete types and the real beginners. But I usually still mix it up a little on those days, and some people that prefer freestyle do that on stroke/IM days too. One of the advantages of usually having a lot of pool room.
8 minutes? That's not bad for a 400 IM in her age group......
Well, except that since it is USA Swimming and not Masters, her "age group" is Senior......as in 15 and up. :) But like I said, she is a complete joy. It is rare that "masters" age swimmers compete in any of the USA meets my kids do. A different team let a few of their masters swimmers compete in one of their meets in late 2017, but they opted not to let them do it, again. Those guys were all my age, though (mid 40's), and only did a couple of 100's. They were in the middle of their heats (albeit slow heats), so they didn't slow it down any. The one I mentioned that does the 400IM's slows down the USA meets. MOst of the slower senior girls are in the 5 minute range. Anyway, same context as what you experience - meet delays, but like I said, everyone loves this lady.
:lmao:
That reminds me of a meet I was at last year. One of my teammates (the slowest swimmer in her age group with the worst technique in the country), seems to enjoy entering all of the longest events, which has caused a tremendous delay in our meets. The official (who we consider a friend), casually walked by Bruce while he was officiating her event and said (while pointing to this swimmer), "That is why officials no longer use starting guns!" :D
I know that swimmer. It's a....challenge.....swimming at meets with them. Why do they like those long events??
I know that swimmer. It's a....challenge.....swimming at meets with them. Why do they like those long events??
We have a 93 year old in our LMSC that loves the long events. Kudos to him for still going for it, but a 10:00 400 IM is... not enjoyable to watch.
For our much slower long distance swimmers at our local meets, they will start in an outside lane in heat one.. The heat 2 will start before they finish, maybe heat 3.
We have a 93 year old in our LMSC that loves the long events. Kudos to him for still going for it, but a 10:00 400 IM is... not enjoyable to watch.
I'd applaud a 93 year old doing a 4IM. I've seen this swimmer take 16 minutes for a 4IM. Do that math....
For our much slower long distance swimmers at our local meets, they will start in an outside lane in heat one.. The heat 2 will start before they finish, maybe heat 3.
Yep--that's how they've handled this swimmer too. It's a bit startling at first--when they start a heat with someone still swimming, but everyone realizes the time saved. :-)
There is a USA Swimmer - NOT Masters - in her late 60's that participates in meets at one of the nicer pools my kids' team attends. She does 400IM's and 200 Fly in most meets. Takes her a while, right at 8 minutes on the IM, but I love it. Very nice lady. Several years ago, I got a picture with one of my kids with her.
