Split requests seem to be all the fashion lately. I know they're perfectly legal, though I haven't read the rule itself. I'm wondering about them though ... It seems oddly unfair, for example, that a person never (or rarely) swimming open 50s could hold world or national records or #1 rankings in those events. (I'm just saying it's odd, while recognizing it could be perfectly legal.) But, aside from that and further, what if someone really played the system. What if, for example, someone was after a 50 free record. They entered a meet in the 50, 100, 200, 400, 800 free and led off free relays and requested split requests in each event to try to set a record. Is this legitimate or legal? Would a meet director be bound to accept split requests for all these events? Is there a limit? Do meet directors have discretion to deny multiple split requests? I can see a situation where multiple attempts at a 50 might result in a better time ...
As for freestylers getting more splits, yes, sigh, freestylers have more opportunities. But it is just like percentage-based tax cuts - if you earn $100k, yes, your 1% tax cut is going to be greater in $ that someone who is getting a 1% tax cut on their $40k. There are more freestyle events, so more opportunities. But if USMS added 400s of the strokes and an 800 IM, I'm not entirely confident that the same people swimming these will be going after any 50 fly records.
I really don't think it is unfair if all of you have access to the same thing.
In this case, it is good practice to notify your neighbors of your intentions. People like to race their neighbors. Especially in a distance event (let's say the 1000 free), if your neighbor is going after the first 200 and sprinting his *** off, you'll die like a pig if you try to keep up with them on the first part of your race when you've got 80% of your race to go with no gas in the tank.
Plus, there are further benefits to those swimming the prescribed race. Hypothetical example - Paul Smith's 1000 at nationals, with me in the lane next to him (I didn't swim that event). Paul goes out like a bat out of hell in the first 100, gets his :46.whatever national record, the loafs it home the rest of the way. I swim my swim and finish 3 seconds ahead of him. "oh, well he didn't even try for 90% of the race" say the naysayers. my response: "yes, but the clock does not lie - my time is faster. I beat Paul Smith." :banana: (For the record, my 1000 from zones three weeks prior was 5 and change seconds faster than Paul's nationals time, but I am fully aware that I'd get lapped in a head to head 1000).
I make it a practice to always tell the starter and the swimmers in my heet if I'm going for a split time and it has always been annunced to the field prior to stepping onto the blocks.
Peg...don't I owe you a beer for your beating my time?
As for freestylers getting more splits, yes, sigh, freestylers have more opportunities. But it is just like percentage-based tax cuts - if you earn $100k, yes, your 1% tax cut is going to be greater in $ that someone who is getting a 1% tax cut on their $40k. There are more freestyle events, so more opportunities. But if USMS added 400s of the strokes and an 800 IM, I'm not entirely confident that the same people swimming these will be going after any 50 fly records.
I really don't think it is unfair if all of you have access to the same thing.
In this case, it is good practice to notify your neighbors of your intentions. People like to race their neighbors. Especially in a distance event (let's say the 1000 free), if your neighbor is going after the first 200 and sprinting his *** off, you'll die like a pig if you try to keep up with them on the first part of your race when you've got 80% of your race to go with no gas in the tank.
Plus, there are further benefits to those swimming the prescribed race. Hypothetical example - Paul Smith's 1000 at nationals, with me in the lane next to him (I didn't swim that event). Paul goes out like a bat out of hell in the first 100, gets his :46.whatever national record, the loafs it home the rest of the way. I swim my swim and finish 3 seconds ahead of him. "oh, well he didn't even try for 90% of the race" say the naysayers. my response: "yes, but the clock does not lie - my time is faster. I beat Paul Smith." :banana: (For the record, my 1000 from zones three weeks prior was 5 and change seconds faster than Paul's nationals time, but I am fully aware that I'd get lapped in a head to head 1000).
I make it a practice to always tell the starter and the swimmers in my heet if I'm going for a split time and it has always been annunced to the field prior to stepping onto the blocks.
Peg...don't I owe you a beer for your beating my time?
