Six months ago I decided to take a shot at a top ten time (my first) for the 400 free. Historically, a 4:48 has always been fast enough in my new age group (50-54), but my best time in Masters was a 4:59 from three years ago. So I decided to focus on that one event. I trained hard, bought a Blue 70, and hit my taper just right. In the end I swam what I thought was a perfect race and finished in 4:47.73, beating one of my training partners by seven seconds. And then I waited to see if the time would hold up.
As it turns out, it didn't. With the results from Long Beach, I will end the season ranked no higher than 11th. As the saying goes, the journey is the destination. But I really wanted one of those patches.
do a 200 fly or 800 or 1500. You might have a better shot in those events. Still, the 400 always seems to be stacked in most age groups. Great time in your 400 free.
I'm still kind of new to the "Event Rankings" and this group...
I coach masters swimming in SoCal and attempt to regularly encourage any and all of our cruiser and new swimmers to join us at masters meets. At Long Beach, we had 103 swimmers out to participate and last spring we brought 119 to the SC Regionals.
(the secret is convincing them that a swim meet is just a big social event and that isn't hard to do since it really can be fun)
This Event Rankings system has been a huge motivator for all levels of our swimmers.
One story goes - a very new 30-34 year old woman swam her 1st SCM meet this Fall. She very nervous and inexperienced on the blocks for the 200 free. Got a little embarrassed and started VERY late after the gun went off. But afterall, her time ranked 19th in the USA after that weekend!
This girl was SO inspired... she fell in love with swimming over night and has been working very hard in practices since.
She understands that the ranking will not hold that high by the end of the season, but she has been thrilled at watching her progress.
We have swimmers who watch the rankings every day as well. I have actually been surprised that many swimmers tell me they already know about their ranking when I point it out to them!
Be sure your team mates know about it.
This is really a cool service for our members - thanks USMS!
Ahelee
Your not the only one. I have been in the same situation in the 1500 SCM, but this year I think my time will hold with 21:36.29. Even with the Long Beach meet I should not get bumped out yet. I am just not sure if there are any other meets over the next 2 weekends that I need to watch for.
Consider utilizing the roll start for improved times.
Why not, he's already started down the slippery slope by using the wetsuit . . .
Gull, I feel your pain. I dropped a bunch of time in my breaststroke events this year (thanks, B70!) in a meet last month, which is of course early in the SCM season. And so for one -- or several, really -- brief, shining moments, my name appeared in the Top 10 event rankings. While a brief review of the past years lists showed me I had no hope of being there this year, I couldn't resist the urge to check the list regularly. At first weekly, then every few days, then daily, then hourly . . . if USMS offered a scrolling ticker updating the list in real time, I would have subscribed.
Although I knew it would take an event on par with the earth suddenly neglecting to rotate on its axis for my times to stand, I'd play out hypothetical scenarios, like suppose swimmers p through y aged up and somehow no one else aged in, a freak snowstorm canceled Colonies Zones, an earthquake demolished the Long Beach pool while amazingly causing no human injuries, B70s were suddenly outlawed, but earlier swims were allowed to stand, etc. etc. etc.
And then began the long, slow dimming of the day, as I slid ever further down the list. I'd get righteously angry when I'd see people like Ande sign up for the 50 *** at Long Beach and blow out some amazing time -- c'mon, the guy doesn't even pretend to be a breaststroker, how fair is that? -- in the process bumping me another notch down the food chain. When all is said and done, I may have to revise the search to top 100 instead of top 50 to find my name anywhere.
But I will continue to get up stupidly early to practice, buy stupidly expensive suits that evidently last less than 10 swims, drive and fly stupidly far to compete, and watch the lists all over again next year. Because it is all about the journey, and the journey is a good one.
See thread on Why are some people so much faster?
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.--Theodore Roosevelt
Good advice given above--if you are desperate, 1500 and 200 Fly are always calling.
Gull, that is the story of my life - I'm always getting juuuuuuuuuuust bumped out in the events (and courses) in which I'd really like to get a top 10 time. But like Tom suggested, I've been swimming some of the not-so-popular events to get my patches. I'm almost never in SCY (I'd love to show up in the 500), but can be found throughout the SCM and LCM rankings for all kinds of random events - including an AA time in the 1500 LCM in '07.
Nevertheless, that is an awesome time! Congratulations on your time drop!
Why not, he's already started down the slippery slope by using the wetsuit . . .
Gull, I feel your pain. I dropped a bunch of time in my breaststroke events this year (thanks, B70!) in a meet last month, which is of course early in the SCM season. And so for one -- or several, really -- brief, shining moments, my name appeared in the Top 10 event rankings. While a brief review of the past years lists showed me I had no hope of being there this year, I couldn't resist the urge to check the list regularly. At first weekly, then every few days, then daily, then hourly . . . if USMS offered a scrolling ticker updating the list in real time, I would have subscribed.
Although I knew it would take an event on par with the earth suddenly neglecting to rotate on its axis for my times to stand, I'd play out hypothetical scenarios, like suppose swimmers p through y aged up and somehow no one else aged in, a freak snowstorm canceled Colonies Zones, an earthquake demolished the Long Beach pool while amazingly causing no human injuries, B70s were suddenly outlawed, but earlier swims were allowed to stand, etc. etc. etc.
And then began the long, slow dimming of the day, as I slid ever further down the list. I'd get righteously angry when I'd see people like Ande sign up for the 50 *** at Long Beach and blow out some amazing time -- c'mon, the guy doesn't even pretend to be a breaststroker, how fair is that? -- in the process bumping me another notch down the food chain. When all is said and done, I may have to revise the search to top 100 instead of top 50 to find my name anywhere.
But I will continue to get up stupidly early to practice, buy stupidly expensive suits that evidently last less than 10 swims, drive and fly stupidly far to compete, and watch the lists all over again next year. Because it is all about the journey, and the journey is a good one.
Thanks for the laugh, Bill!
Gull, great job! But who's to say you're done improving? I think sometimes it takes awhile, longer than 6 months, to realize the fruits of your training ... Keep at it. What pool did this swim take place in BTW? Was it a fast one?
I had a near miss myself this last weekend, so I do feel your pain. I seem to recall Jim M. starting an "11th Place Club" thread awhile back too.
Make the top ten or not, that is still a damn respectable time. Yeah, and with the new Bond moving coming out soon you will have all the chicks. So no sympathies for you.
