Ande....having read your blog and a few others and seeing some of the times you've posted...as well as some of the mnd boggling in season/unrested swims going on this college and USS season I thought I'd bring up the topic of swimming fast in workout and in unrested meets.
Having always been a VERY slow workout swimmer as well as a poor untapered swimmer I'm always amazed at how fast others can go in those situations. But I have noticed that those same swimmers don't necessarilly have big drops for meets they rest and shave for.
So after seeing Michael Klueh from Texas go 4:11 unrested in the 500, my evil twin go 21.8/47.7 unrested (and at altitude), hearing you went 22.0 50 free and 2:00 in the 200 back at workout the question for everyone is what do you see in your own situations?
Note; one thing that a few of us have noticed is that big old clydesadle types like me usually are the ones that drop the most from resting....little jackrabbits like JS swim fast all the time and don't seem to take as big of drops rested.
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Having always been a VERY slow workout swimmer as well as a poor untapered swimmer I'm always amazed at how fast others can go in those situations. But I have noticed that those same swimmers don't necessarilly have big drops for meets they rest and shave for.
Hi Paul,
If “tapered” includes some sharpening up with very fast, short sprints with long rests, I am exactly the same (at a lower level than you, of course).
But I have noticed this phenomenon a lot in masters and always put it down to their never having competed at a high level in their youth and/or their preference for a fitness focus.
A very fast ex-competitor up here has told me “they’re fit but they don’t know how to race”. This seems a little glib, however.
An unrested meet or two is a good “wake-up call” for the tapered meet. Slow times at those meets bring focus. Still, I’m always nervous my tapered time won’t come down but they usually do – at least, so far. Last year my untapered SCM 50 free was about the same time as my tapered LCM 50 which did OK in the FINA list (faster than the #1 of the age group below mine where everyone seemed to have taken the year off!!! Not tapering???).
Not sure about the Clydesdale thing – I’m only 6ft and 165lb but need the tapered rest. Maybe it’s more an age thing – you get tired more easily.
Congrats on your SCM season – great times.
Ian.
Having always been a VERY slow workout swimmer as well as a poor untapered swimmer I'm always amazed at how fast others can go in those situations. But I have noticed that those same swimmers don't necessarilly have big drops for meets they rest and shave for.
Hi Paul,
If “tapered” includes some sharpening up with very fast, short sprints with long rests, I am exactly the same (at a lower level than you, of course).
But I have noticed this phenomenon a lot in masters and always put it down to their never having competed at a high level in their youth and/or their preference for a fitness focus.
A very fast ex-competitor up here has told me “they’re fit but they don’t know how to race”. This seems a little glib, however.
An unrested meet or two is a good “wake-up call” for the tapered meet. Slow times at those meets bring focus. Still, I’m always nervous my tapered time won’t come down but they usually do – at least, so far. Last year my untapered SCM 50 free was about the same time as my tapered LCM 50 which did OK in the FINA list (faster than the #1 of the age group below mine where everyone seemed to have taken the year off!!! Not tapering???).
Not sure about the Clydesdale thing – I’m only 6ft and 165lb but need the tapered rest. Maybe it’s more an age thing – you get tired more easily.
Congrats on your SCM season – great times.
Ian.
