1st 1000 free. Need advice.

roughly 1:10, 1:15, 1:18, 1:19, 1:21, 1;21, 1:22, 1:19 I would have thought you must really have been hurting, but you were able to speed up for your final 100, so hard to say. Perhaps you just need to work on your pacing more. Twelve seconds between your fastest and slowest 100s is huge. Somewhere around five seconds is probably ideal.

Swim the first 500 in a comfortable, controlled pace. The second 500, feel like you are building each 100 within that 500. Feel as though you maybe negative splitting the race. You dont want to go out so fast that each 100 gets a lot slower. As this is your first one, swim it, try to feel as though you went faster on the second half, get your splits, study them for the next one Very sound advice. I always find that I actually have to consciously try to really slow down the 1st 200. One thing that really works well for me is to count my strokes during the first 70% of the race. Start counting your strokes on your second 50 and for the next 650, just try to maintain that same stroke count. That should force a long stroke length. I generally start building the last 300. I find if I try to start building on the 6th hundred, I go too hard and get tired. My advice, don'tdoitdon'tdoitdon'tdoit. Feel free to ignore my advice at your own peril. Ignore qbrain's advice; there's no peril. The idea here is that even though I feel like I am negative splitting, I may not be and it will end up even? Yes. Even if you positive split, that's not the end of the world. My best 1000 ever was a controlled, but positive split. The key is not to have a "monkey on the back" positive split.

The key is not to have a "monkey on the back" positive split. And I think someone without much distance experience could easily go out too hard. I think you really need to concentrate on taking it out very easy. It might turn out you'll have some extra energy at the end, but that's better than the alternative!

Ignore qbrain's advice; there's no peril. I am sure rtodd is bright enough to ignore my advice. Good luck.

Keep your goggles no matter what. My first 1000 in a meet, my goggles fell off, and I threw them away. No pacing in that race, just trying to see the wall. One under your belt, you should have a good feel for it now on. My favorite distance race, other than OW!!!!

For the long races I start by establishing a breathing rate that I can maintain throughout (how hard I breathe and how often). Then I swim at the threshold that I can with that much oxygen. After the halfway point I increase my effort each 100 on the turn. Don't accellerate in the middle of the pool, just come off the wall with the new speed. Usually my problem is starting out too slow then finding myself "stuck" in slow gear and unable to break out to negative split. On my best mile, my first and last 100s were slightly faster; all the other 100s were within 1 second of each other. The 3rd quarter of the race is the hardest. Hang tough!

Usually my problem is starting out too slow then finding myself "stuck" in slow gear I can almost guarantee that won't happen. That's what is making me nervous. Good idea about breaking it into 100's and what you say about coming off the wall with speed. I watched a NCAA 500 and a guy was 6 beat kicking off the wall for 12.5yds then two beat. Interesting.

For the long races I start by establishing a breathing rate that I can maintain throughout (how hard I breathe and how often). Very good point. Breathe A LOT throughout the race. I watched a NCAA 500 and a guy was 6 beat kicking off the wall for 12.5yds then two beat. Interesting. I saw something like that, too. I've recently gotten to the point where I can kick stronger throughout a 400M/500yards, but I still think I'll 2 beat for the first 600 to 700 and then add in a stronger kick through the finish.

I breathe every stroke, so air should not be a problem. I'll stick with a two beat kick for at least the first 600 and see if I can put in a kick and get the tempo up after that.

You said it. Pain management. Looking forward to it. I did some short sprints today since I'm entered in a few 50's and 100's and that type of swimming is so much different than distance. Things like front quadrant, long reach, rotation, a bit shorter finish.... It will be hard to switch back and forth in a meet.