I am just back from the SPMA meet where all the top finisher were wearing the latest generation tech suits,mostly B-70s(or were named Jeff Commings.)I have here to for been in favor of the suits,but now I am not so sure.First,they eliminate the old bench marks.I went my fastest 100m BR in 5 yr in my LZR,but it was only .3 sec faster than I did untapered 5 wk earlier in my first swim in the LZR.So was my swim good or not,I'm not sure.Also,instead of focusing on technique or pace I found myself ruminating over aspects of the suits,how many more swims did the suit have,is it the right size,was the reason I didn't get better results from my B-70 because it was too big?etc.The B-70 has somewhat mitigated the "too expensive,not durable" problem,but for how long.
Lets say a company comes up with a suit that is much faster,say 4 sec/100.Further that it is very expensive(say $1000) lasts 4 swims and is very hard to make so that quantities are always limited and the fastest way to get one is to bid up to $3000 on ebay. Now lets say your nemesis has one,or that getting one is your best chance to get TT or AA or a ZR or WR,or that your child is close to making JO cuts,or finally beating his/her nemesis etc. Is it worth it and where does it stop?
I think the key word in Ande's quote is "you". If "you" are out to break records (like Ande) and generally breaking records in todays masters swimming requires a tech suit, then Ande's quote makes sense. How about the other 99+% of masters swimmers?
I think Ande's comments go beyond record breakers. He said "if you're trying to swim as fast as you can." Well, that's a whole lotta people besides those breaking national records. Many, not all, people who compete would like to go as fast as they can. (Typically, to do this, they also train like fiends, work on technique, etc. They do not merely don a tech suit to hold in their gut and float.) Others like to go as fast as they can in a non-tech suit. Either path is fine. But Geek is right. These notions of moral superiority or cheapened performances are ridiculously old fashioned and preachy and outside the world of competitive sports. It is not "plain wrong" to wear a tech suit to go fast. Gear is gear. As I've said before, this is sport, not an antique.
Now, if the naysayers want to compete in briefs to beat the pants off the tech suit swimmers, more power to them! It's like the bikers using single gear bikes for a race just for the challenge. The trash talk from this is great. The whining about the decline of the sport and the alleged inequity is what's irritating.
I think the key word in Ande's quote is "you". If "you" are out to break records (like Ande) and generally breaking records in todays masters swimming requires a tech suit, then Ande's quote makes sense. How about the other 99+% of masters swimmers?
I think Ande's comments go beyond record breakers. He said "if you're trying to swim as fast as you can." Well, that's a whole lotta people besides those breaking national records. Many, not all, people who compete would like to go as fast as they can. (Typically, to do this, they also train like fiends, work on technique, etc. They do not merely don a tech suit to hold in their gut and float.) Others like to go as fast as they can in a non-tech suit. Either path is fine. But Geek is right. These notions of moral superiority or cheapened performances are ridiculously old fashioned and preachy and outside the world of competitive sports. It is not "plain wrong" to wear a tech suit to go fast. Gear is gear. As I've said before, this is sport, not an antique.
Now, if the naysayers want to compete in briefs to beat the pants off the tech suit swimmers, more power to them! It's like the bikers using single gear bikes for a race just for the challenge. The trash talk from this is great. The whining about the decline of the sport and the alleged inequity is what's irritating.
