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?
I have a friend who's working on his personal goal of a sub 2 minute 200 free.
Last year he was seeded next to a guy with a 1:59. (It turned out to be a sanbagger in disguise.)
Unwittingly he assumed they should be traveling at the same speed so he hitched his wagon to this fellow's pace, not being fully aware of what was about to happen.
The guy went out in around 52 seconds at the 100. My friend was lured into thinking that he should be pacing along side him and quickened his tempo to nearly his fastest 100 time! The mistake became very obvious as he limped home with no less than 2 pianos on his back.
The guy with the 1:59 seed went a 1:45. My friend did a 2:02 which would have been faster if not for the crash and burn experience.
The moral of the story: Swim your own race regardless of what's going on in the neighboring lane. :agree:
You should swim your own race because humans are never consistent - don't rely on somebody for a time. Swimming against another competitor in your heat, however, can add to the adrenalin rush that pushes you through the pain.
My best times have come from close races. No, I didn't depend on that person for my time; the closesness of the race just added to the adrenalin that pushed me to the time.
If your friend had been swimming next to somebody that ended up going a 1:58.9, my bet is that your friend would have gotten his 1:59.
I have a friend who's working on his personal goal of a sub 2 minute 200 free.
Last year he was seeded next to a guy with a 1:59. (It turned out to be a sanbagger in disguise.)
Unwittingly he assumed they should be traveling at the same speed so he hitched his wagon to this fellow's pace, not being fully aware of what was about to happen.
The guy went out in around 52 seconds at the 100. My friend was lured into thinking that he should be pacing along side him and quickened his tempo to nearly his fastest 100 time! The mistake became very obvious as he limped home with no less than 2 pianos on his back.
The guy with the 1:59 seed went a 1:45. My friend did a 2:02 which would have been faster if not for the crash and burn experience.
The moral of the story: Swim your own race regardless of what's going on in the neighboring lane. :agree:
You should swim your own race because humans are never consistent - don't rely on somebody for a time. Swimming against another competitor in your heat, however, can add to the adrenalin rush that pushes you through the pain.
My best times have come from close races. No, I didn't depend on that person for my time; the closesness of the race just added to the adrenalin that pushed me to the time.
If your friend had been swimming next to somebody that ended up going a 1:58.9, my bet is that your friend would have gotten his 1:59.
