I attempted the impossible...yes for a brief moment in time I pretended that I had fast twitch muscles and did a 50 fr and a 50 BACK :doh: While I was less than thrilled with the idea I decided that every soo often you have to at least TRY new events...my last official SCM 50 free was 1999 and I even managed a best time on my 50bk.... Of course there was the standby 200breast and 1500 free to make up for any brusing of the ego as a result of the meager attempts to sprint.
I have no idea how you sprint studs do it...I was the last off the block and as for breathing WELLL...let's just say there was A LOT...and my poor legs had no idea what the :censor: I was doing trying to kick.
STILL it was pretty fun..I was pleased that I am at least trying new events even though I am a distance/*** person. How bout you guys? Anyone stepped "out of the box ?" I am sure that the people at the meet got a good giggle but for the most part it was pretty fun.
Congrats on the "out of the box" swims! :woot:
This will sound weird for someone doing longer open water events, but I felt it an act of courage in June to step from 50 and 100 free to 200 free. The reason: I am abysmally slow, so the shorter events reduce my chances of getting outrageously lapped and so I am only mildly lapped. ;) Whereas in open water, no one except the officials will pay that much attention to where you are placewise. In both the 50 and the 200, I actually managed to beat one person. In the 200, that person was in her 80s (and I think in the 50 as well, same situation, but at least I didn't as in my first LCM 50 raise my head about 2/3 of the way through thinking "is this a pool or open water?"). :o
Pool meets are a whole different kettle of fish for someone who likes open water, but great for the workout you get! Just a person has to not get too self conscious about her speed.
Way to go for stepping out of the box. I'm 100% with you about sprinting and how people do it. I am also a long distance free-er and 200 ***-er.
I steped out of the box all year so far. Starting with the 400 IM in March and then the 200 fly in April. During LCM season, I did the 400 IM again (yes, I liked it). I didn't do any long distance since I had a bad wrist so I found this year so far to be a out fo the box year. My wrist has been fixed and now I'm ready to get back to the events that are more my style. Although I really like the 400 IM so I will continue that.
Alison
:cheerleader: Swimshark...you are definately one of my heros...I don't know that I will ever be able to do a 200 fly...as for the 400 IM...it is a rather addicting event isn't it.
FMIF- Open water is by far and away IMHO a much harder kettle of:fish2: because I myself need that black line to help keep me going in the same direction...and the 200 free is a rather challenging event because it to me is not distance but it isn't a sprint...so that is an event that I haven't really tried yet so way to go:D
How bout you guys? Anyone stepped "out of the box ?" I am sure that the people at the meet got a good giggle but for the most part it was pretty fun.
Once a year, I swim the 50 evilstroke. Isn't that enough?!
(I'm thinking of maybe, only maybe, trying a 200. Contemplating the intense pain level and possible effect on another event ...)
I have no idea how you distance swimmers do it! SwimShark is awesome at the 400 IM!
I have to ask.........the evilstroke???
which one is yours? Backstroke is my evil stroke.......the kick is killer....you can't drag the feet or do a two beat kick like in free...
Evilstroke = breaststroke, for me.
But many masters swimmer seem to hate backstroke too. Do not -- even for one second -- worry about flopping on your back on the backstroke start. That accounts for about 50% of masters backstroke starts. I've seen great swimmer flop on their backs. No worries. I did my first backstroke start in a meet after 24 years. Not ideal. Better to practice, but you'll get by. Don't let that stop you! :cheerleader:
I attempted the impossible...yes for a brief moment in time I pretended that I had fast twitch muscle...... Anyone stepped "out of the box ?"
Hey good for you way to go!!! I also stick to events like 200Br, 400 IM and distance free.....all the events I did 20 years ago. What I don't understand is how can I get to within 10 seconds of my PB in the 200 Br and can only get within 12 seconds of my best 100 free time?? I just can't seem to get this old body to move fast in a short race.
As for stepping out of the box - I would love to do a 200 Backstroke or a 50 back. But I am afraid to do a backstroke start. I mean I don't have a place to practice one and it has been so many years - and now you can't curl your toes over the gutter. I am afraid I would embarrass myself by doing something that looked like a back flop...was it hard to do a back start??
Once a year, I swim the 50 evilstroke. Isn't that enough?!
I have to ask.........the evilstroke???
which one is yours? Backstroke is my evil stroke.......the kick is killer....you can't drag the feet or do a two beat kick like in free...
I pick a new event every year to swim just so that I am not doing all free. Last year I decided it was going to be the 400IM. It was not fast but I really enjoyed it and now I swim it all the time. This year it is going to be the 200 fly, but I am just going to try all kinds of things to see what I like best. It may not be fast and may not be pretty, but I want to have fun. March will be time to pick events to be serious about to get ready for Austin.
Linda, that is a great idea.
Thomas, good luck with the IMs at zones.
Alison
Anyway to step out of my "box" this fall I'm going to join the Butternut Club by swimming at least 500 fly at some point. (sorry, liver)
We will be doing that in practice one day. Not looking forward to that day....
Fort, you are too kind. My 400 IM needs work, big time. And I'm a backstroke start flopper, too. I keep thinking about what you say about the start and one day I'll attempt it again. Worried about the :rofl: If you attempt the 200 ***, I'll swim right there beside you.
Bridget, the 200 fly was so I could say I did it before I died. Now it's done and won't be done again. We used to do 3x200 fly in practice so doing it in a meet wasn't too bad but not something I'll keep up with. You and I must be twins in swimming. We think a lot a like.
Alison
