This past weekend I went to my first LCM meet as a master’s swimmer. I trained consistently up to it (with a mini-taper), knew my times in practice, and figured what I might expect to go swimming LCM. Well, the results were baffling! All my times converted to SCY as a time slower than I have ever gone in a Master’s meet, EVER! Even the one I went to 3 weeks after coming back to swimming to see what I could do! And not by a little, these were 10 second to over one minute additions AFTER being converted to SCY! I will often hit or beat most of these times in a practice coming off the wall. I had a coach watching and my form looked good. On Saturday I was very hungry (I thought being a very large mixed USA/USMS meet there would be concessions & I thought I would treat myself rather than pack a bag. But there were no concessions & It was a good distance to go and find food.), which could account for a lot that day, but on Sunday I felt really good & was well rested. My splits also showed consistency, there was no indication of me dying. In the water (except the 100 ***), I felt right on. I’m in my mid 20’s: far too young for it to be an age thing.
Do others experience these unusually large time drains at their first LCM meet? I’m trying to figure out what went wrong, or if it was just a fluke.
Sorry for the long post but I hope maybe others have experienced this as well and provide advice about what they did to get through it. I’ll post my results below.
Thanks!
Saturday: 100 LCM Breastroke:
Usual time over the past 4 months 1:26 to 1:28. My practice times have shown improvement indicating I might be getting faster.
Result: 1:46.64 LCM Conversion to SCY 1:33
Difference: Same as a fast practice time off the wall. 6-8 seconds slower than usual when converted to SCY.
Saturday: 400 LCM Free:
I finish a 500 free from the wall in practice at about 6:40. This winter I comfortably did a 400 SCM in about 6:05. I’ve swam this event a few times with good results and had a plan. I haven’t swam it in a meet in a while but I have been practicing this event.
Result: 7:06 LCM Conversion to 500 SCY: 7:56.81
Difference: 1:16 SLOWER THAN PRACTICE!!!! 54 seconds slower than my most recent 400 SCM!
Sunday: 200 LCM IM: Result: 3:45 Conversion: 3:17 SCY. Last meet this spring 2:58 SCY.
I do about 3:20 in practice.
Difference: 19 seconds
Sunday: 200 LCM ***:
This was really hard for me to swallow since it was the event I practiced for.
Typical Time in practice: 3:25-3:30 SCM
Average time in meets over past 4 months. 3:09-3:13
Result: 3:55 LCM Conversion: 3:27 SCY. Same as a practice time from wall. 18-24 seconds slower than normal SCY meet times.
You can do well in LCM meets even if you only train SCY. You just have to adjust workouts accordingly.
If you are doing a set of 100s, add a 25 and do 125s. For 200s, do 250s.
It also appears you might not have tapered well. Saying you did a mini-taper means you just cut back a little.
That said, if you don't have access to a LCM pool, your first day at the meet might suffer, but your body should adjust after a while.
And yes, breaststroke is the most affected stroke when switching courses. Though the other three strokes are also difficult if you are an underwater dolphin kicker, swimming half the race underwater.
Good luck on your second LCM meet.
How are your turns? I'd guess you have pretty good turns. Don't worry about the conversion times - you now have new PBs in each events you swam - some peoples' times convert from LCM to SCY faster, others around the same, and some slower. It doesn't really mean much - don't put too much weight on it.
Michelle - The stud hit it head on with the converter reliability and training facilities.
I rarely look at converting the 400 to a 500 - the conversion factors on that one are way wacky! I treat them as separate races and don't even consider how they affect each other.
To the latter: if you're not training LCM, and it sounds like you're not, any one's first time racing that course should be an eye-opening experience. Even if you've got the yardage under your belt, swimming 50M straight is always going to be tough the first time out.
There is no substitute for that extra momentum lost with the lack of turns. Think of it like this: every time you push off a wall, that is the fastest you'll be all length. You get to build off that speed and momentum with a good breakout and first few strokes, but you get incrementally slower with the effect of your body drag. In SC, your speed decreases until you hit the 25 mark, and then you get to start over. In LC, you start your 2nd 25m at the diminished speed you finished that first 25, and then keep losing speed. Like compounding interest, the loss of momentum going into a LC turn will translate into lower momentum on the next length, and so on.
I think most folks will tell you LCM is a whole different beast than SCM and SCY. It involves a lot of strategery, and you've pretty much got to build your speed throughout each 50. Now that you've got your first LCM meet under your belt, don't let it get you down. Keep training hard, and work on building your strength and your ability to build over distances. It sounds like you're up for the challenge! Git-r-Done!
Michelle
Don't panic, I had a similar experience I went 3:35 in my LCM 200 Saturday. Converted to a 3:07. My PB is 2:56.
Did you get much LCM lap time in before when you were training?
I didn't I got maybe 3 visits. Without the extra pushes it slows you down...even though you are swimming pretty fast...you loose 4 boosts off the turns. Don't take those converters so precisely. They don't account for variance in strengths and weakness in individuals or training facilities. I was doing SCY 75s and 125's in training...and I still felt like I died.
Was it outdoors and sunny? Sunny loungey feeling crept into many swimmers at my meet. Hunger could be a factor, too. Don't underestimate it. I have always eaten eggs for breakfast before meets, or football games...I also take a "boost" to chug or sip depending of my swim schedule.
How have your studies been going? Taxing you out or anything? There could be lots of reasons for a let down. Don't be so harsh on yourself either.
Rich
I haven't had any access to an LCM pool. So this weekend was the first time out.
Although, I have heard for breaststrokers, that training in SCY is a good thing.
I think it's a big factor Michelle...that loss of push off really starts to add up. Then you have the whole rhythm thing Xpulls turn, pullout, Xpulls, turn pullout. That changes. My first 50LCM in training I was dying: looking for the flags and everything. It was beweildering, not just a mental thing that I tried to block out. (though that helped).
Think of it in terms of a sudden change to a golf swing. Your 200 SCY (and anyother race) has a certain tempo that has to change when you switch pool distances. LCM training is probably the best bet to get used to it. I'm still trying to cope too heheh.
Awwwwww!
It is an incredible feeling to have your teammates cheering you on, even before you dive from the blocks. Can't help but smile. :groovy:
:cheerleader:
Actually Stud Muffin is not on my team, so I may have to actually cheer for him quietly. Muppet may not like if I cheer for the opposing team....
Swimmy
:cheerleader:
:cheerleader:
Actually Stud Muffin is not on my team, so I may have to actually cheer for him quietly. Muppet may not like if I cheer for the opposing team....
Swimmy
:cheerleader:
Yeah Muppet is can be a jerk like that ...:shakeshead:
