I am a former distance runner and I'm trying to get into Modern Pentathlon. I have to swim a 200m Freestyle. I've been training for 3 months and I feel I've improved a lot. At first I couldn't do more than two 50yards without stopping. Now I can do 10x100yards in 1.17-1.18 with 30sec recovery. I also do 10X50 in 34-35 and 5x200 in 2.45-2.48. All this in a turbulent, filthy 25 yard pool!
I'm training on my own and I don't really know what I'm doing. I have a test in ten days consisting of a 200m freestyle and a 3000m run and I have to have a total score of 2400 points.
While my run is strong enough to get me 1400 points (I represented the US at 2 world championships), I have to swim at least a 2.30 for my 200 m to get the remaining 1000 points. I don't know what to expect! I don't know how I should pace myself through the 1st 50, how I'm supposed to feel on the 2nd, 3rd 50 etc.
Based on my workouts, can anyone predict how fast I can swim a 200m in an Olympic size pool?
The best I've done is 2.43 on my last interval in a 200 yards
Is 2.30 for 200 meters a legitimate target considering I'd be using a starting block, fast skin half suit and I'd be swimming in a real competition pool?
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Family situation, time restraints, location and 12 Mile running days, are a few reasons why I decided to swim at a rec center half mile away insted.
However, I did have a few coaches take a look at my stroke and they did not point out fundamental mistakes in my stroke. What I got from them is that I need swimming fitness and I need to spend some time in the pool. I can swim 31 for 50y but yet, only 2.43 for 200. But you know what, I hope these these times are irrelevant. These are times I do in the middle of a workout and I never push to the point of muscle failure. I'm not sure how much different swimming is than running, but sometimes I would be doing 8x400m in 64 seconds in practice and every single one of them hurts. Yet when it comes to race day, I can put all those together (7.58 3K and 8.33 2M). It happened to me many times in my 25 year running career. But then again swimming phisiology may be different.
Rob, let me get this straight. You take my last interval of 200y, (I'm already fatigued!) you add 23 seconds ( is that the real conversion for 200m?) and you suggest my final time will be 3.06 ?
You're either a bit harsh or maybe that's not what I want to hear a week before my test.
I'll tell you what Rob, I'll make you a wager! While I'm 100% my time will not be 3.06, I'm pretty sure I will be swimming 2.30+
Definitely under 2.40. Just today I was feeling pretty good through a set of 100s in 1.12- 1.13. I'm improving from one session to another. I'll keep you posted!
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Former Member
Family situation, time restraints, location and 12 Mile running days, are a few reasons why I decided to swim at a rec center half mile away insted.
However, I did have a few coaches take a look at my stroke and they did not point out fundamental mistakes in my stroke. What I got from them is that I need swimming fitness and I need to spend some time in the pool. I can swim 31 for 50y but yet, only 2.43 for 200. But you know what, I hope these these times are irrelevant. These are times I do in the middle of a workout and I never push to the point of muscle failure. I'm not sure how much different swimming is than running, but sometimes I would be doing 8x400m in 64 seconds in practice and every single one of them hurts. Yet when it comes to race day, I can put all those together (7.58 3K and 8.33 2M). It happened to me many times in my 25 year running career. But then again swimming phisiology may be different.
Rob, let me get this straight. You take my last interval of 200y, (I'm already fatigued!) you add 23 seconds ( is that the real conversion for 200m?) and you suggest my final time will be 3.06 ?
You're either a bit harsh or maybe that's not what I want to hear a week before my test.
I'll tell you what Rob, I'll make you a wager! While I'm 100% my time will not be 3.06, I'm pretty sure I will be swimming 2.30+
Definitely under 2.40. Just today I was feeling pretty good through a set of 100s in 1.12- 1.13. I'm improving from one session to another. I'll keep you posted!
