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?
Parents
Former Member
Well, since I'm the self annointed Sandbag Police...
..............It is after all, masters swimming. How important are those records anyway?
A new swimmer being blown out of the water because a superstar feels the need to have another ribbon on his star studded warm-up jacket isn't inclusive.
I don't know about US Masters swimming but in Canada's Masters all events are timed-finals. You results are posted according to the time you did in whatever heat you were in and ranked among your age group.
Therefore if a Super (but not Super-duper) Star sandbags, putting down a 38" for a 50m free and does a 27", he will NOT win first place if someone in his age group (a real SuperDuperStar) does a 26"59 in their heat.
The reason a lot of people sandbag (apart from the rest/recovery strategists) is "To Show Off In Front Of The Gallery". So that some spectators who are there for a family member or a friend and who do not know that Masters is timed-finals will be impressed with his swim when he emerges from the water having beaten the other six or five people in his heat by two or three (or more) body lengths.
:bliss:
Well, since I'm the self annointed Sandbag Police...
..............It is after all, masters swimming. How important are those records anyway?
A new swimmer being blown out of the water because a superstar feels the need to have another ribbon on his star studded warm-up jacket isn't inclusive.
I don't know about US Masters swimming but in Canada's Masters all events are timed-finals. You results are posted according to the time you did in whatever heat you were in and ranked among your age group.
Therefore if a Super (but not Super-duper) Star sandbags, putting down a 38" for a 50m free and does a 27", he will NOT win first place if someone in his age group (a real SuperDuperStar) does a 26"59 in their heat.
The reason a lot of people sandbag (apart from the rest/recovery strategists) is "To Show Off In Front Of The Gallery". So that some spectators who are there for a family member or a friend and who do not know that Masters is timed-finals will be impressed with his swim when he emerges from the water having beaten the other six or five people in his heat by two or three (or more) body lengths.
:bliss:
