I was discussing seed times with a friend and we had different ideas about what a seed time was. I thought a seed time was supposed to be a result from a prior race while he thought one could enter whatever one wanted and it was legitimate to adjust the seed time, for example to add a couple seconds so that he would be sure to beat it. On further thought there is the question of what previous time one should enter (if "should" enters into it), I have been entering my best time. Is there a general policy or ethic or does anything go?
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Any time I've given seed times, I've never been asked for the sanctioned meet at which I did them. I could put in whatever time I wanted. (Otherwise, how would I give a seed time for an event I've never swum before? Or for a SCM or LCM event that I've only previously done SCY?)
This, of course, differes from QUALIFYING times, which should be verified!
It seems to me that adding a few seconds to one's seed time just so you can "be sure to beat it" is counter-productive. I want to be in a heat with people who will be doing a close time (or even a slightly faster time) than I will be doing so that I get the best competitive push. If I'm in a heat that has all slower swimmers (which could happen if I bloat my seed time), I won't have someone next to me pushing me along to my max potential. And I wouldn't want to shave time from my seed time because I could end up in a heat with 5 other people who will smoke me, and that could be demoralizing and may detract from my potential performance.
Speaking of seeding, just a few day ago I was contemplating (for no obvious reason) how various meets I've attended have been seeded. Some take the top 6 times and put them together in one heat. Others take the two best times and place them in lanes 3 and 4 of the first heat, and then take the next two best times and place them in lanes 3 and 4 of the next heat, and so on, so that the top swimmers always swim next to their closest peers. (Otherwise seeds 3 and 4 are in lanes 2 and 5 and are relatively out of eyeshot from each other.)
Anyone have preferences/dislikes for heat-seeding?
Any time I've given seed times, I've never been asked for the sanctioned meet at which I did them. I could put in whatever time I wanted. (Otherwise, how would I give a seed time for an event I've never swum before? Or for a SCM or LCM event that I've only previously done SCY?)
This, of course, differes from QUALIFYING times, which should be verified!
It seems to me that adding a few seconds to one's seed time just so you can "be sure to beat it" is counter-productive. I want to be in a heat with people who will be doing a close time (or even a slightly faster time) than I will be doing so that I get the best competitive push. If I'm in a heat that has all slower swimmers (which could happen if I bloat my seed time), I won't have someone next to me pushing me along to my max potential. And I wouldn't want to shave time from my seed time because I could end up in a heat with 5 other people who will smoke me, and that could be demoralizing and may detract from my potential performance.
Speaking of seeding, just a few day ago I was contemplating (for no obvious reason) how various meets I've attended have been seeded. Some take the top 6 times and put them together in one heat. Others take the two best times and place them in lanes 3 and 4 of the first heat, and then take the next two best times and place them in lanes 3 and 4 of the next heat, and so on, so that the top swimmers always swim next to their closest peers. (Otherwise seeds 3 and 4 are in lanes 2 and 5 and are relatively out of eyeshot from each other.)
Anyone have preferences/dislikes for heat-seeding?
