Anyone ever manage to swim all 18 events in meets during one short course season? I thought it would be kind of "fun" to do. Once. It seems that the only major difficulties are 1) finishing the 200 fly legally and 2) having enough meets to try to get them all in.
With our first meet of the season yesterday I have the 50, 100, and 500 free out of the way. Next Saturday I'll get all 5 200s done (that's going to be a fun day). After that only 10 more. I'm trying to figure out where I'll be able to get the 1650 in too, not too many meets offer that.
I'm curious to hear any stories from others who have tried it or were coerced to do it. I would imagine there are fun tales from sprinters who had to swim the 400 IM or backstrokers struggling through a 200 ***.
Anyone ever manage to swim all 18 events in meets during one short course season? I thought it would be kind of "fun" to do. Once. It seems that the only major difficulties are 1) finishing the 200 fly legally and 2) having enough meets to try to get them all in.
With our first meet of the season yesterday I have the 50, 100, and 500 free out of the way. Next Saturday I'll get all 5 200s done (that's going to be a fun day). After that only 10 more. I'm trying to figure out where I'll be able to get the 1650 in too, not too many meets offer that.
I'm curious to hear any stories from others who have tried it or were coerced to do it. I would imagine there are fun tales from sprinters who had to swim the 400 IM or backstrokers struggling through a 200 ***.
I think this would make you a "jack of all trades, master of none." I prefer to master a few events, personally. I was at the same meet as you on Sunday and was disappointed with my times in the 200 and 50 free. A big part of the reason for that is that I didn't have enough time to recover after the 100 (I took the 500 easy to begin with).
I have new found respect for Phelps, Lochte, Hoff and others who swam multiple events in the same session(s) at the Olympics. That really isn't easy!
Anyone ever manage to swim all 18 events in meets during one short course season? I thought it would be kind of "fun" to do. Once. It seems that the only major difficulties are 1) finishing the 200 fly legally and 2) having enough meets to try to get them all in.
This is one of my "soft" goals for the season. This weekend, I knocked off the 1650, 50 & 100 ***, 50 back and 50 fly. I have three more meets this SCY season and a plan to do this. Unless event order really conspires against me, this will be doable. I don't think I'll get to swim any event twice, but that's fine. Part of the fun for me is that I've never competed in most of these events as a Masters' swimmer, so I'm going to get loads of personal bests this season.
I highly encourage people to try this. Being naturally distance oriented, I had a blast doing 50s of the strokes this weekend.
I highly encourage people to try this. Being naturally distance oriented, I had a blast doing 50s of the strokes this weekend.
I don't think it works the same in reverse! Sprinters are a faint hearted lot. Personally, I've never understood the desire to swim all events. 200 breaststroke?! :afraid:
Justin, you should check out the check off challenge…
www.usms.org/.../checkoff :cheerleader:
Check-Off Challenge
The objective of this event is to challenge yourself by making a check list and swimming each of 18 swimming events found in pool competition. The participating swimmer will get a T-shirt in advance, which will list the 18 swimming events on the back. These events will include: 50 free, 100 free, 200 free, 400 or 500 free, 800 or 1000 free, 1500 or 1650 free, 50 back, 100 back, 200 back, 50 ***, 100 ***, 200 ***, 50 fly, 100 fly, 200 fly, 100 IM, 200 IM, 400 IM. As you swim the events, simply check them off on the back of the T-shirt using an indelible marker. You can swim them during practice, during a swim meet, during an organized open water event, or during an organized open water training session -- any time, any place, at your own pace!
You are welcome to swim the 1650y at "Carnegie Mellon University 1650y Swim Challenge" on February 22nd. The USMS members can have their swim "recognized" #119-R-001
This would be a great opportunity to get out of the bay area and visit some real winter weather!
I plan to swim all 18 event as soon as I lose my fear of the 200 fly and the 400 IM. I think it would be a fun challenge. And since I'm not exceptional at any one stroke or event, I don't see a problem in being a jack of all trades and a master of none!
Glad to see that others have tried this craziness too.
I think this would be a fun one-time thing. I still plan on concentrating on my best events for the big meets and in my training. But for the little meets why not try the off events? It's masters after all. I've never swum a 100 or 200 of back or fly in a masters meet yet so those will be instant best times as long as I legally finish.
My specialties do tend towards the longer frees, the 200 ***, and the 400 IM so I admit it makes the whole endeavor a bit more palatable than if I were a sprint freestyler. The way I see it, if I'm training for the 500, 400 IM, and 200 *** the other 15 events kind of come along for free.
I'm now officially entered for the 5 200s at the USF meet in about 10 days. Unless I wuss out that'll be a crazy day. 200 *** and 200 fly back-to-back :)
Justin,
I've swum them all a few times both scy, scm and lcm (17).
50's are the most annoying part of it to me. I mean, why bother? Getting wet for 24-34 seconds is a hassle. Anyway, you'll have to swim the 1650 at Championships unless you go to Nat's or travel elsewhere to swim it.
I wish the US masters would do something like that. I've done the checkoff challenge before and it was fun.
I do think it's possible in some areas. Here in the DC area, we do, or did, have a few meets that run two days. You can do 10 at each one, if you're that crazy. I think the big problem might be getting both the 1000 and the 1650.
Ed, we're working on getting a similar meet at the Freedom Ctr maybe early next year.
