Pacing,we don't need no stinking pacing

YOU GOT MAD.

Yes,I was mad at myself from the previous week.The pain of a disappointing time lasts longer than the pain of a hard race.

Pacing in a 200 I don't think any one should do this (pace). You should be able to go nearly top speed all the way. I would sooner drop off my speed at the end of a race. It is easier to win from the front in a 200 then to save it til the end.

Pacing in a 200 I don't think any one should do this (pace). You should be able to go nearly top speed all the way. I would sooner drop off my speed at the end of a race. It is easier to win from the front in a 200 then to save it til the end. I agree with your last statement full heartedly--unfortunately I know how it feels to be out in front and lose it on the last 50 or 25 even just because you have nothing left. So...I have resorted to what might be a worser evil and I inevitably negative split my 200 free in meets....fortunately, I do manage to win this way, but I think I could be much faster if I brought more to my first 100. I like the 75 50 75 pacing... first 75 long and strong, 50 build to a 75 all out sprint. I'm gonna try that out on Monday at our next dual meet. We'll see how much better that works/feels.

I had a swimming experience that makes me rethink my approach to the 200 BR.2006 I swam a 2:48.34 200 SCM BR in a very well paced swim and was happy with it(it was the AA time.) At the SPMA meet I went out way too slow and swam a 2:52.40 and was not happy with it.Jim Clemmons went 2:46.33 at that meet.The next week I had the opportunity to swim another 200 BR and was determined to"redeem" myself.I didn't think I could match Jim's time,but I knew I could do better than the prior meet.My plan was to go out somewhere between fast and too fast because there was no way I was taking it out too slow again.My splits were 37.14,41.49,42.56,45.17 for a 2:46.36.OK Jim beat me by .03 sec(in the probable AA time) and it hurt like hell the last 50,but that was my fastest time in about 5 years. I can't explain it.Ideas? I have had similar experiences. In Tempe in November I swam the 1500 SCM. My strategy was to swim it for a good 800 time and just hang on. I went out as hard as I could and just stayed with it as long as possible. The result: a lifetime best 800 and a lifetime best 1500 as well. I had the same kind of experience in Federal Way with my breaststroke. In the 100 I went out as hard as possible and got lifetime bests in both the 50 and 100. My 100 was nearly 2.5 seconds faster than my best college time almost 50 years ago. But before swimming the 100 I raced the 200 with the same strategy. The pain was miserable in the last 50 but the results for the 100 split told me what I needed to know for the race in the 100. To Hell with pacing..just die like a pig!

I had a swimming experience that makes me rethink my approach to the 200 BR.2006 I swam a 2:48.34 200 SCM BR in a very well paced swim and was happy with it(it was the AA time.) At the SPMA meet I went out way too slow and swam a 2:52.40 and was not happy with it.Jim Clemmons went 2:46.33 at that meet.The next week I had the opportunity to swim another 200 BR and was determined to"redeem" myself.I didn't think I could match Jim's time,but I knew I could do better than the prior meet.My plan was to go out somewhere between fast and too fast because there was no way I was taking it out too slow again.My splits were 37.14,41.49,42.56,45.17 for a 2:46.36.OK Jim beat me by .03 sec(in the probable AA time) and it hurt like hell the last 50,but that was my fastest time in about 5 years. I can't explain it.Ideas? Allen, I also say you got mad, dug deep and found some. Kudos. I wish I could do that time SCY!

Pacing in a 200 I don't think any one should do this (pace). You should be able to go nearly top speed all the way. I would sooner drop off my speed at the end of a race. It is easier to win from the front in a 200 then to save it til the end. Fast...your correct...the 200 is no longer a "paced" event its 100% all out the entire way....and really so is the 400/500 anymore. It's a differant world for us old-schoolers!!

When in shape, not really at this point, I like to take a 200 breastroke out 3 seconds slower then my current 100 time. I think the perfect 200 for me split wise was, I believe I was 48 at the time, were splits of 30, 35, 35, 35=2:15. You want to get out solid and reasonably confortable at the 100. You can not afford a major lactic build-up at 4 laps. For me, when swimming well, I am thru turn six before I start to really feel it. At this point you just dig in and hold on and make sure you get a quality turn at 7.

I can't even do a 100 at 100%. Can't imagine doing a 200 that way. I agree with what Chris and Gull said. I'm a back half-er that hates dying.

I agree with Chris, I don't think it's physiologically possible to swim the 200 at 100% the whole way. The key, I think, is to train so that you can swim the first 100 as fast as possible while limiting the build-up of lactic acid. We did lots of this during the 1980s in college (dating myself here) - lots of broken 200s, etc.