life time best times and best times in each age group

I started back up at 35yrs old after a 18yr layoff. personal bests 1985 (Senior in HS) 100 free-47.5 200 free 1:46.xx 100 fly 52.5 200 fly 1:53.xx Age 35 100 free 51.x 200 free 1:52.x 100 fly 54.5 200 fly 2:03.xx Age 39 100 free 50.0 200 free 1:49.x 500 free 4:55.x (lifetime best) 1650 17:25.x (lifetime best) 100 fly 54.1 200 fly 1:58.0 Age 40- have not done many meets 100 free 50.2 200 free 1:50x 100 fly 53.8 200 fly 1:59.0 I will have my "big" shave and taper meet in March so hopefully I can drop my times at the 40yr level :-)

I've been competing in masters for 15 years. I did age group swimming up through age 16, and some years ago I actually went through my old ribbons to find my best times, with the goal of beating them as a masters swimmer. I've bested them all now except for the following three events in SCY. Here are my progressions: 50 FR Lifetime best: 25.60 1982 (age 16) 25-29 27.38 1995 (age 29) 30-34 26.05 1999 (age 33) 35-39 25.99 2002 (age 36) 40-44 27.51 2006 (age 40) 100 FR Lifetime best: 57.53 1981 (age 15) 25-29 1:01.38 1995 30-34 58.25 1999 35-39 58.05 2002 40-44 NT so far 200 FR Lifetime best: 2:05.06 1981 (age 15) 25-29 2.20.00 1992 30-34 2:10.89 2000 35-39 2:06.68 2003 40-44 NT so far

Thanks, Jim You've done some blisteringly fast times. I actually hoped my experience would show that it's possible to improve times even as we slouch towards dotage... Here's what the calculator would predict for me for the 200 AGE... AMERICAN/FINNISH-------ACTUAL SWIMS 49 1:55.11 ( 1:55.11)---- 1:55.11 my time best 50 1:55.88 ( 1:55.91) ----- 1:55.48 51 1:56.71 ( 1:56.74)-------- 1:57.32 52 1:57.60 ( 1:57.61)-------- 1:55.42 53 1:58.56 ( 1:58.52)------- 1:57.07 54 1:59.58 ( 1:59.46) NOW 54 AND HAVEN'T SWUM YET 55 2:00.68 ( 2:00.45) So, according to the math, I have one more year (54) where I should be able to break 2:00 in the 200, but then I will start moving over the 2 minute mark. So my goal is not necessarily to get my life time best again, but to beat my predicted times, and possibly get my life-time adjusted PR as I slouch ever more deeply into my dotage....

I wonder what the calculator/ program would say about Rich Abrahams?...LOL!! You have already proved by your times over the years that the calculator/program is apparently flawed as a reliable prognosticator. I think you can still improve on your 200 time....Why not shoot for the low 1 50's ? Your right on the brink anyway? As far as my blistering times goes.....you must be referring to my times from highschool/college I presume? ....Even though I was much faster back then, I was still considerably slower than many others here that swam in that same time period....Like Rich Saeger, The Evil/Goodsmith, and Ande for example. Newmastersswimmer

1981 (HS Senior) 50 *** 29.31 100 *** 1:02.21 100 IM 1:00.80 200 IM 2:09.30 50 Fly 26.70 100 Fly 1:01.20 50 Free 23.70 100 Free 51.00 200 Free 1:56.60 500 Free 5:17.30 2000 (35-39) 50 *** 32.66 100 *** 1:12.11 100 IM 1:03.46 200 IM 2:25.26 2003/2004 (40-44) 50 *** 30.61 100 *** 1:09.16 50 Fly 26.38 50 Back 32.06 50 Free 23.83 100 Free 54.14 Will be swimming in Auburn in 2 weeks, will be interesting to see how I do.

Some of you might not have been around when we discussed age-related swimming declines. One of the guys back then designed a neat program to compare a time at, say, age 51, with a comparable performance at any earlier (when you were presumably stronger) or older (presumably weaker, fatter) age. New suit technology, better understanding of head position and other stroke mechanics, etc. all throw some wrinkles in here. Anyhow, I had some of my lifetime best swims when I was 49-51, beating my mediocre youngster performances. It's kind of fun--check it out. http://n3times.com/swimtimes/ In high school, 23.3 in 50 free 52.8 om 100 free 1:56.00 in the 200 free swam masters after college, but didn't start competing much till 40: age 40-44 25.32 50 55.6 100 2.05.93 200 age 45-49 23:88 50 52.46 100 1:55.11 200 5:18.96 500 11:18.86 1000 age 50-54 24.05 50 52.83 100 1:55.42 200 5:15.49 500 11:09.24 1000 18:53.69 1650

you have a fast 50 and 100 free Jim! I always thought of you as more of a distance/middle distance swimmer for some reason (although I can't say why exactly?)....but you're also equally good at the sprints as well. Newmastersswimmer

Is there a database out there in cyber land that you can search by name for old times? I can't find all my times. I swam from age 5 or 6 to age 20 (roughly 1/1985) I didn't start to swim again until 7/2005 and swam until June or July 2006 when shoulder issues became too intense. 100 Br 1984 or 85 at age 20 56.8 and 57.4 2006 age 42 105.26 200 Br 1981 or 82 at age 17 or 18 2:07.+ 1984 or 85 at age 20 2:05.+ 2006 age 42 2:25.29 changed stroke throughout race and kept asking myself "why did you enter the 200 you fool!?!?!?" 200IM 1981 or 82 at age 17 or 18 1:55.+ Now it's 100IM :D 2006 age 42 59.98

Maybe there's hope for me in a couple months :) There's always hope - it's reality that is sometimes the bummer!

100 *** SCY: 55.8 - 1986 (college) 100 *** LCM: 1:04.0 - 1986 (WC Trials) 200 *** SCY: 2:02.5 - 1986 (college) 200 *** LCM: 2:24.? - 1985 (Dutch Nat'ls) First Masters meet coming up on June 8 - out of the water for about 20 years! :confused: