I realize this question is niave, please go easy on me! :)
I don't have a background in competitive swimming and one of the things that confuses me is the contradiction between racing your own optimal pace and racing against the other swimmers in the pool. It seems like swimming with your own optimal pacing should always be your best option. The only exception I can think of is for a slower swimmer to use tactics which attempt to get a faster swimmer to blow their race. This doesn't seem to fit in with the general principles of masters swimming, so why do the higher level competitions seem to cater to it by seeding by other than time?
Someone once told me the English word "competition" comes from the Greek word which means "to elevate," in that the competition elevates each competitor to a higher level. This is very true for myself, I find I can put in a good swim at a time trial on my own but never a great swim as in a meet.
Someone once told me the English word "competition" comes from the Greek word which means "to elevate," in that the competition elevates each competitor to a higher level. This is very true for myself, I find I can put in a good swim at a time trial on my own but never a great swim as in a meet.
