Okay, I think I've finally figured this out.
If I suck at sprinting on land, the same will hold true in water, so I'll be bad at the 50, 100, 200 and 400. (Though the 400 is borderline sprinting).
If I'm a distance runner, I should be okay with the 800 and up.
But...I shouldn't stop doing sprint workouts because they help so much (like during my sophomore track season, my event was the 2 mile, but I could nail the 200 yard sprint faster than any of the distance runners).
I think I got that right...of course, swimming takes more out of you...that whole, holding your breath thing.
Its interesting, but my running coach used to make me do some sprints while holding my breathe. He'd pace me at breathing out every other time my left foot would hit the ground. Then we'd speed up and he'd make me breath every third left foot, then every fourth.
My swim coach has me do the same thing, mostly at the END of the hour (!), by breathing every 3rd for a 50, then every 5th for a 50, then every 7th for a 50, then every 9th for a 50, then one length underwater.
In both instances, my lung capacity got better!
Originally posted by SwiminONandON
Not to completely debunk your theory but I am a distance runner. (Though it did take a long time to become one.) And I am a sprinter in the pool for sure. Maybe eventually I'll become better at distance like I did with running. I still have the pace yourself issue with distance swimming. I either go out too hard to take it too easy. I can't seem to find that happy medium.
Yes, but I'm willing to bet you're better at sprinting on land. Anyone can run distance-Flo Jo, for instance, ran a 5k, though her time was subpar but collegiate standards. You can be taught to do anything, but won't necessarily be good at it.
I suck at sprinting in the pool. I go out way too fast and have nothing left for the second 25. The way things are looking, I'll probably wind up doing 200, 400 or 800 IMs.
Originally posted by mjtyson
Its interesting, but my running coach used to make me do some sprints while holding my breathe. He'd pace me at breathing out every other time my left foot would hit the ground. Then we'd speed up and he'd make me breath every third left foot, then every fourth.
My swim coach has me do the same thing, mostly at the END of the hour (!), by breathing every 3rd for a 50, then every 5th for a 50, then every 7th for a 50, then every 9th for a 50, then one length underwater.
In both instances, my lung capacity got better!
I must keep that in mind. I have big issues trying to breathe properly during 50s. I usually do an entire 25 on one breath and die on the way back. I also have fairly bad asthma (though controlled), so anything that increases lung capacity works for me.
Not to completely debunk your theory but I am a distance runner. (Though it did take a long time to become one.) And I am a sprinter in the pool for sure. Maybe eventually I'll become better at distance like I did with running. I still have the pace yourself issue with distance swimming. I either go out too hard to take it too easy. I can't seem to find that happy medium.
I was actually theorizing out loud. I used to be a runner before the knees gave in (at 18!), and I knew a fair deal about the sport, so I applied that knowledge to swimming, and converted distances.
I may be entirely wrong of course. If I am, I'd like to be enlightened...
Actually I've become a very good distance runner ... marathons and all. It's hard to compare sprinting and distance running as they are almost two different sports ...
I wonder if sprinters would fair better in distance events than distance athletes (swimmers or runners) would in sprint events any thoughts?
Arthur Lydiard had some basic tests he'd do to determine what your best distance was as a runner. I do not have the info in front of me right now, but based on how you'd do he could tell you which distance would work best for you. I am not sure if there is a similar test you could do to determine your best distance for swimming.
But beyond all that, I'd think that any form of distance training would probably include some sprints and speed work. I know that both Arthur Lydiard and Jack Daniels have marathoners do some sprints for their training programs. They of course also include intervals.
Originally posted by Dave60625
Arthur Lydiard had some basic tests he'd do to determine what your best distance was as a runner.
Lydiard once said that his test for marathoners was shining a flashlight in one ear and if light came out the other ear, the person was a marathoner.
-LBJ
