I think I need to up the speed on the first 50 a bit. At the meet on Sunday, my 50 time was 24.45, but my first 50 in the 100 was a 26.9. Interestingly, my first 50 at the meet 3 weeks ago was also a high 26 and that's when my 50 free was a 25.2. Let me just post the splits before this gets too confusing:
10/5: 50y free - 25.2 100y free - 56.65 (1st 50: 26.9)
10/26: 50y free - 24.45 100y free - 55.88 (1st 50: 26.9)
So I improved on the backend of my 100yd free only. I think maybe I'm not going out fast enough if I go out 2.5 secs slower than my 50y free time. Of course this is only one race and I had a goggle issue on the 100yd free Sunday plus I tweaked my lower back on the start. Also I think my endurance is better than what it used to be so I have to get used to that. I looked at some times from when I was 16 and I had a 25.5 50yd free, but a 59 sec 100 yd free ugh.
What's a good breakdown of the 100yd free?
Optimum 100 Free is front 50 about 1 sec slower than your 50 and about 2-3 second (aiming for 2.5) differential between front and back 50s.
So for me, optimal (i.e ain't there yet) is 24.1/26.6 for a 50.7
To echo John, you have to swim this race at race pace many times to find where your optimum split is. Going out too hard, you risk seizing up on the last length, going out too easy, you just can not make up for it enough on the 2nd 50.
Is there a general rule on how much slower you are to your feet versus your hand? Taking out a 100 free only a second slower than your 50 time probably means going out very close to top speed.
I try to take it out like a bat out of hell but with lots of O2 - or like it's a 50 but breathing every 3. I kick like a psycho try to get my turnover going and want to be in pain by the 50. Then I try to hang on. My splits are usually within 3.
Former Member
When I raced, I tried to go out a second slower than my best 50.
Former Member
My best 50 right now is a 24.23 (not good...I know). I try to hit my split on :25. As someone mentioned previously, I am far from that actual right now, but ideally that's where I want to be. Oh, and breathing every 5 in the first 50 and every 7 in the last 50.
Former Member
My experience has been that you can achieve a significant reduction in swim effort without "dramatically" slowing your swim speed/time.
This may make more sense when thinking about the converse which is that a siginificant increase in swim effort does not proportionately increase your swim speed.
Point is, I think your goal could be for the first 50 to be between 1-1.5 seconds slower than your best 50 time.
I think your energy saved may still be sufficient to carry you through the back 50 in good shape.
The other element is at the faster 50 sprint speed you likely have a higher stroke rate and lower stroke length. If you back-off the throttle just a tad and focus on stroke length, you may come in at just about 1-1.5 seconds slower only, and still have achieved some good energy savings.
Former Member
Translation: It needs to be a lot harder than you think if you don't want to fall behind. There is no comfort zone in this race.
John Smith
Former Member
A masters coach used to have us do UEKS (pronounced yukes, effect is more like pukes) by 100s - 25 underwater, 25 easy, 25 sprint kick, 25 sprint swim. Try 5 of these on a modest interval - say, 20 seconds rest max. The first builds confidence, the third destroys it, the 5th is a joke if one is sincere about the effort thing.
I think this builds muscle and brain memory for these shorter, total intensity races. Closest simulation, in the absence of doing something singular for time, of that piano feeling on a 100 or 200 sprint I've been able to simulate in a workout.
DV
Former Member
Here is my guide --
- look at some of the best in the world, BUT pick people that somewhat match you as a swimmer. There is no point in comparing your splits to Phelps if you are a drop dead sprinter. At the same time, your splits may look better than Cielo's if you are a distance swimmer.
- keep in mind that % of slowdown on the first 50 compared to max speed may be a better guide. Meaning - if you can go 20.0 and you go out 1 second slower than max speed that equals 5% -- that equals 1.5 for somebody going 30 sec in a 50.
- Front end speed rules - you have to take it out hard, but breathe a lot !!!
