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 was intrigued by your musings on the potential psychological effects of a B70 ban, the fact that this might burst a bubble that would lead to post-B70 blues. The plain fact is that, as masters swimmers, in many ways we are pretty much fighting a losing battle against time.
Though I'll struggle mightily against it, I have little doubt that in 10 years I'll be swimming more slowly than now. The B70 does little to change this fact...except possibly momentarily delude us users into thinking that we are swimming younger than we actually are.
B70 or no, I think part of (competitive) masters swimming is setting year-to-year goals that are challenging but realistic/reasonable. If the goal is to get faster in every event, year after year, that's fine...but you need to be prepared psychologically to live with the inevitable disappointment.
No kidding. I feel I may have maxed out in some yards events myself. I think having yearly and age group times is a great idea. When I start slowing down, maybe everyone will stop yapping about my B70 love.
We don't know that the B70 will be banned. We just know that we can wear it until 2010. I plan to get ample use of mine. I liked the Pro just fine, so will be happy to swim in that. However, I guess I'd consider trying a LZR or a new modified generation of the B70.
As to LZRs, I still think it is ABSURD that the most performance enhancing suit likely will not be banned while the less performance enhancing suit (B70) mayl be. Makes no sense.
LZR question: I know the LZR stretches out in a nanosecond, literally in one swim and seems to have a best use life expectancy of 3-10 swims depending if you take it off after each race etc. Once it's stretched out, it's not of as much use to X swimmer, but is it still of some use? And would it be of significant use to a slightly bigger swimmer for whom it wouldn't be stretched out?
Puff, My fastest 50 free before Auburn was in an FS I in a slippery wall pool.
I was intrigued by your musings on the potential psychological effects of a B70 ban, the fact that this might burst a bubble that would lead to post-B70 blues. The plain fact is that, as masters swimmers, in many ways we are pretty much fighting a losing battle against time.
Though I'll struggle mightily against it, I have little doubt that in 10 years I'll be swimming more slowly than now. The B70 does little to change this fact...except possibly momentarily delude us users into thinking that we are swimming younger than we actually are.
B70 or no, I think part of (competitive) masters swimming is setting year-to-year goals that are challenging but realistic/reasonable. If the goal is to get faster in every event, year after year, that's fine...but you need to be prepared psychologically to live with the inevitable disappointment.
No kidding. I feel I may have maxed out in some yards events myself. I think having yearly and age group times is a great idea. When I start slowing down, maybe everyone will stop yapping about my B70 love.
We don't know that the B70 will be banned. We just know that we can wear it until 2010. I plan to get ample use of mine. I liked the Pro just fine, so will be happy to swim in that. However, I guess I'd consider trying a LZR or a new modified generation of the B70.
As to LZRs, I still think it is ABSURD that the most performance enhancing suit likely will not be banned while the less performance enhancing suit (B70) mayl be. Makes no sense.
LZR question: I know the LZR stretches out in a nanosecond, literally in one swim and seems to have a best use life expectancy of 3-10 swims depending if you take it off after each race etc. Once it's stretched out, it's not of as much use to X swimmer, but is it still of some use? And would it be of significant use to a slightly bigger swimmer for whom it wouldn't be stretched out?
Puff, My fastest 50 free before Auburn was in an FS I in a slippery wall pool.
