I was honestly on the fence about whether I wanted to swim the breaststroke 3 pack or do freestyle at my next meet in a couple of weeks. So I ended up signing up for 5 events today and mailing it in, knowing that I will scratch at least one, maybe 2, events depending on how I feel at the meet.
Are scratchers evil like sandbaggers? I know I had a lot of fun at the last meet with a couple of very close races with people right next to me, but honestly the only times empty lanes have bothered me have been when I've been in 1 and the only other entrant was in 8 or 6. Feels like a weird time trial when that happens. But just an empty lane or 2, no biggie. Does it bug the race directors? Why do I feel vaguely guilty about it? Should I just kick an extra 200 as penance tomorrow (I hate kicking) and forget all about it? Or is it not even something to worry about?
Swim meets are much more fun for me if I get to race somebody in my age group in the same heat that has a similar time. If you aren't getting to race people head-to-head, everybody might as well stay at home, race in their own pool, and we can have a competition over the internet.
I have noticed that over the last 13 years attendance at swim meets other than Nationals has really been dropping. One meet I went to starting in 1993 would normally have 400 and now it is down to around 150. We tried to figure out why and have decided that people prefer competing in 5ks and triathlons now. I can understand why. You are actually racing head-to-head in those races. Swim meets are becoming more like online competitions.
Somehow, I don't think Michael Phelps would have done the time he did in the 100 fly Beijing had he not had a certain somebody in the lane next to him. For many, it makes a difference to have your competition in the same heat.
Swim meets are much more fun for me if I get to race somebody in my age group in the same heat that has a similar time. If you aren't getting to race people head-to-head, everybody might as well stay at home, race in their own pool, and we can have a competition over the internet.
I have noticed that over the last 13 years attendance at swim meets other than Nationals has really been dropping. One meet I went to starting in 1993 would normally have 400 and now it is down to around 150. We tried to figure out why and have decided that people prefer competing in 5ks and triathlons now. I can understand why. You are actually racing head-to-head in those races. Swim meets are becoming more like online competitions.
Somehow, I don't think Michael Phelps would have done the time he did in the 100 fly Beijing had he not had a certain somebody in the lane next to him. For many, it makes a difference to have your competition in the same heat.
