I am notorious in my own book for producing workout times that are sometimes -not always, but frequently- faster than my competition times, no matter the tapering for competition.
Today was such an example.
One and a half months ago, I switched to a new Masters program, and today without tapering it was asked of us to do a T30 in a 50 meters pool, meaning swimming the maximum distance one can cover during 30 minutes.
I went a faster split at 800 meters than my tapered 800 meters swam in competition in Cleveland two months ago.
Today at the 800 meters mark I split 11:31.
In Cleveland it was 11:45.xx.
My distance covered today was 2,040 meter in 30 minutes, for an average of 1:28.23 per 100 meters.
In Cleveland, my 11:45.xx over the smaller 800 meters, is an average of 1:28.13, barely faster than the one during today's T30.
The fastest swimmer in the workout today, was in my lane, swimming 2,450 meters, for an average of 1:13.06 per 100 meters.
Last December, in the Masters program where I was then, in a 50 meter pool again, I swam 16 x 100 meters leaving every 1:25, so I started hoping to succeed a sub 11:00 in 800 meters in August 2002 in Cleveland.
I guess doing lots of quality swims so that the body remembers at least one of them during competition, leading a peace of mind life allowing for these swims, and tapering well -including carying a feel good sentiment into competition-, they are part of a fragile balance to achieve, and to maintain:
it is 'getting into the zone'.
Parents
Former Member
Hi Ion,
I suspect you draft during your workouts, even if not intentionally. That fast swimmer in your lane passed you 4 times, if you hung at his feet for 25 m, that totals 100 m of drafting off of a fast swimmer, and will certainly improve your average time. Why don't you swim a T30 in a lane where you are the fastest swimmer and see if you get different results. My experience is that people get out of the way pretty easily and won't slow you down.
Otherwise, you need to work on your mental preparation. I read a quote by a famous swimming coach who said that if a swimmer did not go faster with a taper the cause was mental. You've asserted several times that you have done a proper taper, so I believe you.
I am the opposite extreme as you - if I take 10% off of my workout times (tapered, lots of rest, etc.) I get pretty close to my meet times. That's despite the fact that I hurt much more after the workout swim than the meet swim.
Hi Ion,
I suspect you draft during your workouts, even if not intentionally. That fast swimmer in your lane passed you 4 times, if you hung at his feet for 25 m, that totals 100 m of drafting off of a fast swimmer, and will certainly improve your average time. Why don't you swim a T30 in a lane where you are the fastest swimmer and see if you get different results. My experience is that people get out of the way pretty easily and won't slow you down.
Otherwise, you need to work on your mental preparation. I read a quote by a famous swimming coach who said that if a swimmer did not go faster with a taper the cause was mental. You've asserted several times that you have done a proper taper, so I believe you.
I am the opposite extreme as you - if I take 10% off of my workout times (tapered, lots of rest, etc.) I get pretty close to my meet times. That's despite the fact that I hurt much more after the workout swim than the meet swim.
