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 do not buy into the "post pregnancy" theory for me and my swimming. In fact, I've always thought the opposite to be honest. Some of the fastest female Masters swimmers do not have any kids. Some are on my team, most notably Suzanne Heim-Bowen. I've always wondered what would my swimming be like sans kids. Not that I care to find out! I know with one baby I swam more, but then got viral meningitis when he was 8 months- that kind of threw a monkey wrench into life!
My body has been through 4 major surgeries (C-sections) and that nasty bout of meningitis. The only plus I ever got out of being pregnant was going a 1:03 or 1:04 (I can't remember) 100 back a couple of weeks before 2007 Nationals in practice w/a practice suit from a push. Other than that I've swam really slow and been really heavy. Almost 10 lb. Finnian really took his toll on me this time around!
I so wish someone would officially start a study about all of our physiological effects of babies/aging/ etc. I tried to document a bit in my pregnancy blog...
On the B70 thoughts, I can only share my times. People can take what they want away from them. I have shared that I've been doing A LOT of yards and my regular dryland, and now being sick. Keep in mind I am just a masters swimmer (no NCAAs, no Olys) in my past. I will say that I hope to surpass my life best times that occurred in my mid-20s as a masters swimmer, but I think that's still 20 pounds away :agree:
The B70 will definitely help with this goal.
I do not buy into the "post pregnancy" theory for me and my swimming. In fact, I've always thought the opposite to be honest. Some of the fastest female Masters swimmers do not have any kids. Some are on my team, most notably Suzanne Heim-Bowen. I've always wondered what would my swimming be like sans kids. Not that I care to find out! I know with one baby I swam more, but then got viral meningitis when he was 8 months- that kind of threw a monkey wrench into life!
My body has been through 4 major surgeries (C-sections) and that nasty bout of meningitis. The only plus I ever got out of being pregnant was going a 1:03 or 1:04 (I can't remember) 100 back a couple of weeks before 2007 Nationals in practice w/a practice suit from a push. Other than that I've swam really slow and been really heavy. Almost 10 lb. Finnian really took his toll on me this time around!
I so wish someone would officially start a study about all of our physiological effects of babies/aging/ etc. I tried to document a bit in my pregnancy blog...
On the B70 thoughts, I can only share my times. People can take what they want away from them. I have shared that I've been doing A LOT of yards and my regular dryland, and now being sick. Keep in mind I am just a masters swimmer (no NCAAs, no Olys) in my past. I will say that I hope to surpass my life best times that occurred in my mid-20s as a masters swimmer, but I think that's still 20 pounds away :agree:
The B70 will definitely help with this goal.
