I took my daughter to a collegiate conference meet yesterday. I saw some things that I didn't quite understand, and my 6 year old asked me some questions I couldn't answer. I can guess at some of this, but would appreciate it if you would weigh in. Would you please help us out?
(1) I saw an incredible swimmer in the men's 100 free. His stroke count was so much lower than the other swimmers that he almost looked like he was swimming in slow motion and his kicking wasn't as frenetic as the others, yet he easily won by a body length. Was there something special to his technique? Does it have a name? He was poetry in motion.
(2) About shaving: I stayed off the recent shaving thread as it seemed to be a guys' discussion, but I am curious - does shaving off body hair (and in the case of some of these college swimmers, head hair) appreciatively cut down drag and increase speed or is it more of a psychological "feel for the water" type feeling? Or something in between or something else altogether?
(3) About suit choice: All suit types were represented: for women, tanks and fastskins: for men, tiny speedos, jammers and bottom half fastskins. If not at the elite (and I mean really elite) level, does suit choice really make a difference or is it again psychological? At this meet anyway, the majority of fastest times were swam by women in tanks and men in the tiny speedos.
(4) At the end of the morning prelims, we saw a time trial for two female swimmers in the 100 free. Was this because they had a dead tie in the prelims?
(5) In one of the races, it might have been a men's 200 ***, there were 3 heats. The first had 8 swimmers, the third had 8 swimmers, but the middle heat only had 3...any ideas?
Thanks much. It was great to be able to tell my daughter that I didn't know, but I knew who I could ask.
Barb
Former Member
LOL
Well at least I'm standing outhere in the open wearing my bright red coat for you to aim at. :thhbbb:
God, I am so aggravated right now I can barely stand it. Could you please get back on topic ASAP? You could at least talk more about fastskins. I don't want to hear another single word about Rich's hottub. I will not even try to be polite about it.
It wasn't my tub. It was one at the Y. Jeez. What kind of animal have I made you all think I am?:rolleyes:
To Barb and others pondering whether to swim in a Masters swim meet. The answer is YES and the reason is not just to find out how fast or slow you are compared to others, but the comaraderie with like swimmers is fantastic!!! I mean where else can you meet others with the love of the sport? Not the grocery store or the PTA.
And all swimmers usually start at the bottom of the heap and move up. There are always going to be swimmers faster and swimmers slower, a lot of us fall in the middle. But the ongoing training with a group or team of people, as well as seeing that through to a meet, is a huge reward. Once you enter a swim meet, you'll probably always keep entering them.
Rarely in life do people compliment one another enough and this is a sad fact. But at a swim meet, everyone is thrilled when a swimmer finishes a race. They yell and scream and congratulate you, and I don't know about you, but my esteem needs this kind of feedback. People recognise the efforts a fellow swimmer has given to his/her training.
I am lonely in that I can't compete in Masters anymore; I miss the people, I miss the hype, I miss the funny things that happen and the shock and awe when great things happen.
So, train some and give a swim meet a go!!!
Donna
Response To Question (3) From Ensignada
“About suit choice: All suit types were represented: for women, tanks and fastskins: for men, tiny speedos, jammers and bottom half fastskins. If not at the elite (and I mean really elite) level, does suit choice really make a difference or is it again psychological? At this meet anyway, the majority of fastest times were swam by women in tanks and men in the tiny speedos”.
Hey it’s really nice to hear that the winners were women in tanks and men in tiny speedos. I’m so glad to hear that those good old comfy suits are still the choice of the best swimmers.
Reminds me of an encouraging bit of advice from my high school coach: “It’s not how fast you go, it’s how you go fast”.
Happy Swimming :cool:
Dolphin 2
