Just admit it. Almost everyone sandbags from time to time. Look at Ande, entering at 28.9 in the 50 back to have clear water. Bunch of his times look pretty suspect. Peg completely sandbagged the 1000 free at Zones. I entered a coach-approved NT on the 100 IM at Zones and then scratched. Paul Smith is passing on a 100 free duel with evil Smith to save up for his world-record-shattering performance to be in the 200 medley relay. Julie Oplinger sandbagged her 100 fly at Zones. The list could go on forever, so you might as well join the Club.
As for Nats, because of my lack of expertise with sandbagging, I'm over my 25% statistical probability per race of landing in an outside lane.
(Sorry Osterber! :thhbbb:)
Parents
Former Member
Why would one want to enter a time slower than s/he expects to swim? I can think of the following two reasons but I'm sure there are others:
Here are some that I've noticed (and one can tell from people's body language).
To impress the (non-swimmers in) the gallery, girlfriend, friends. Most of these people just show up to cheer John or Mary and know next to nothing about Masters events. They maybe watch the Olympics and have an idea that in any race, the first to touch the wall is a Champion (or has won the heat and will advance to the next round). They are suitably impressed when a Michael Phelps touches the wall three body lengths before his nearest oppenent or when Grant Hackett -almost or often- overlaps his.
Therefore John (or Mary) Sandbagger (age 30 and a bodybuilder) hopes to strongly impress Kate when he finishes a body length ahead of Gramps (80+).
I love the look of dismay on his face when he realizes that Donald (25) is also a Sandbagger (and a faster swimmer) and that Oliver who is thrice his age and has not padded "his" times that much, is also faster.
Are we having fun yet?
Why would one want to enter a time slower than s/he expects to swim? I can think of the following two reasons but I'm sure there are others:
Here are some that I've noticed (and one can tell from people's body language).
To impress the (non-swimmers in) the gallery, girlfriend, friends. Most of these people just show up to cheer John or Mary and know next to nothing about Masters events. They maybe watch the Olympics and have an idea that in any race, the first to touch the wall is a Champion (or has won the heat and will advance to the next round). They are suitably impressed when a Michael Phelps touches the wall three body lengths before his nearest oppenent or when Grant Hackett -almost or often- overlaps his.
Therefore John (or Mary) Sandbagger (age 30 and a bodybuilder) hopes to strongly impress Kate when he finishes a body length ahead of Gramps (80+).
I love the look of dismay on his face when he realizes that Donald (25) is also a Sandbagger (and a faster swimmer) and that Oliver who is thrice his age and has not padded "his" times that much, is also faster.
Are we having fun yet?
