Looking for feedback on some time trials so far this week. Since I am fairly new at swimming I have been training for and competing at 200yd and below. But now I am trying to do longer swims and experimenting.
Yesterday I did a good warmup and then a 500yd free near maximum intensity. My time was 8:40. Then I did a cooldown 500 after several minutes recovery and swam a 9:30. This was very relaxed and I was only 50 seconds slower. That to me does not make sense as I would expect the cooldown to be considerably slower. Then today I did a 1000 and I went out very relaxed and swam an 18:10.
My question is shouldn't my high intensity be more like 20-25% faster than low intensity? I would expect to at least be under 8:00 for high intensity....no?
Is techinque rewarded that much over power in distance events?
Parents
Former Member
Technique and conditioning obviously will have a pivotal role in improving your times for the longer distances, but pacing will be the skill that you should learn to make a big breakthrough. It is a definite handicap not being coached or swimming with a group 'cause ordinarily you should absorb some through example and prodding. However, that said, I made most of my transition from outright sprinter towards middle distance (freestyle) by myself and it was this funny little paceclock that fastened on the outside of my goggles (by suction) facing in (in corner of lens) that finally allowed me to really know what pace I was keeping for a set, and fine tune it up and down. By the time the battery died (it is a sealed unit) I had the skill down, didn't need it anymore and it reflected racewise. I did look pretty much look like a goof with this thing barnacled to my goggles, but hey, whatever it takes...
Technique and conditioning obviously will have a pivotal role in improving your times for the longer distances, but pacing will be the skill that you should learn to make a big breakthrough. It is a definite handicap not being coached or swimming with a group 'cause ordinarily you should absorb some through example and prodding. However, that said, I made most of my transition from outright sprinter towards middle distance (freestyle) by myself and it was this funny little paceclock that fastened on the outside of my goggles (by suction) facing in (in corner of lens) that finally allowed me to really know what pace I was keeping for a set, and fine tune it up and down. By the time the battery died (it is a sealed unit) I had the skill down, didn't need it anymore and it reflected racewise. I did look pretty much look like a goof with this thing barnacled to my goggles, but hey, whatever it takes...
