Last meet I swam the 100 and 200 IM, the latter for the first time ever. My best strokes are free and fly. My backstroke is quite lame. My breaststroke is slowly getting better. I have no illusions that I will ever get anywhere near a top ten in anything, least of all an IM event. But I would like to improve, and it give me a sense of accomplishment to swim all four strokes in a race and not drown (though the 200 introduced doubt on that front!)
I went 1:16.80 in the 100 (out in 35.83; back in 40.97)
In the 200, I went 2:51.82
fly 34.65
back 46.81
*** (falling piano) 53.83
free 36.53
The 200 was really a mixed bag--it felt absolutely horrible in the middle (why, oh why did I enter this event??? I am thinking about 20 yards into the breaststroke leg) but exciting to complete.
Any suggestions about IM sets for workouts (I swim alone, for the most part) or ways to think about the 200 race? Split goals, etc?? I'm sort of plateaued elsewhere, so this seems like a good thing to work on for awhile. My zone meet is at the end of this month, and I'd like to get the 200 down around 2:45 if possible.
Parents
Former Member
Thanks for the links George. There are several great stories there.
Right Kirk. I think Matt just got tired of coaching at a school where there wasn't much of a feeder program and the talent wasn't so great. Jim really liked Coach Geggie, and you guys did pretty well I think.
Red,
We've high-jacked your post long enough. Thanks for the chance to talk history with these guys.
I'm more of a flyer/freestyler like you. Backstroke was my worst stroke until a couple of years ago. I got excited about sprint backstroke because a flyer like me can stay down and kick a long way off the start and turns and go faster underwater than backstroking on the surface. whoops that's a tangent that won't help you right now. The point is, I got quite a bit better simply by training more yardage on my back.
Spend a bit more time with your weakest strokes - back and *** - and you'll improve quickly. If breaststroke is really bad for you, maximize the pullout. Don't be in a hurry to break streamline and swim.
Ken
Thanks for the links George. There are several great stories there.
Right Kirk. I think Matt just got tired of coaching at a school where there wasn't much of a feeder program and the talent wasn't so great. Jim really liked Coach Geggie, and you guys did pretty well I think.
Red,
We've high-jacked your post long enough. Thanks for the chance to talk history with these guys.
I'm more of a flyer/freestyler like you. Backstroke was my worst stroke until a couple of years ago. I got excited about sprint backstroke because a flyer like me can stay down and kick a long way off the start and turns and go faster underwater than backstroking on the surface. whoops that's a tangent that won't help you right now. The point is, I got quite a bit better simply by training more yardage on my back.
Spend a bit more time with your weakest strokes - back and *** - and you'll improve quickly. If breaststroke is really bad for you, maximize the pullout. Don't be in a hurry to break streamline and swim.
Ken
