I thought about "Ask Ande", but then I thought this might turn into a long topic depending on who replies.
alot of times when someone says they died in the last 50 of a 200, the responses are overwhelmingly slow down the first 50, or take it out slower to save yourself.
but I plan on taking a different approach to improving my times. Work on being able to finish my race. I have accepted the fact that for me to sprint under :27 or under 1:00 would take lots of speed work. but I only swim freestyle for fun and training for OW. I prefer IM and ***. Here is my currrent situation: 35 yrs old SCM
masters best 50m free 27.53
masters best 100m free 1:00.85
I got my 200 time down from 2:14 in nov 2008 to 2:10 in april 2009. But my split was 1:01.8.
29.44, 1:01.80 (32.36), 1:35.52 (33.72), 2:10.95 (35.43/1:09.15)
the first response I got from my teammates was you took it out too fast since I came back 7 sec slower. But did I go out too fast, or did I just not swim the last 100 or 75 to my best ability?
I felt I took it out nice and easy with long strokes. I started to pick up the arm speed for the 3rd 50, but maybe that was a mistake, maybe since I can't sprint I should have just increased the depth of my pull instead of the speed of my stroke.
I won't be swimming SCM again until sept/oct but I plan to try to swim it :
29.5 + 32.00 + 32.5 + 32.5 --> 2:06.5 (1:01.5 + 1:04 )
one of the 17 yr olds on our team swims the 50 and 100 around my times, 27.3 and 1:00.25 but he manages to swim the 200 in 2:07.61.
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Former Member
Controlling the flow of energy reserves is a bit of trial and error.
And that said, sprinters and distance swimmers often have an entirely different strategy. So it's not easy to compare how everyone's game plan is mapped out.
I found that with proper training I know where I am in a race. Trial and error is figured out in practices. . .
That's an interesting thought on sprinters vs. distance swimmer strategy.
If your strategy is this for the 200 -
1st 50 EZ speed (typically you'll be out first in your heat in the first 50)
REALLY Work the 2nd and 3rd 50s
Sprint last 50
Is that sprinter or distance strategy?
To smontanaro's point regarding legs, do the top masters 200 FR swimmers (let's say #1 in the nation and world record holders) all 6 beat kick the entire 200? I thought they did. . . perhaps there's some variation on intensity of 6 beat - but it's 6 beat (I'm talking up to perhaps the 40s age groups).
Controlling the flow of energy reserves is a bit of trial and error.
And that said, sprinters and distance swimmers often have an entirely different strategy. So it's not easy to compare how everyone's game plan is mapped out.
I found that with proper training I know where I am in a race. Trial and error is figured out in practices. . .
That's an interesting thought on sprinters vs. distance swimmer strategy.
If your strategy is this for the 200 -
1st 50 EZ speed (typically you'll be out first in your heat in the first 50)
REALLY Work the 2nd and 3rd 50s
Sprint last 50
Is that sprinter or distance strategy?
To smontanaro's point regarding legs, do the top masters 200 FR swimmers (let's say #1 in the nation and world record holders) all 6 beat kick the entire 200? I thought they did. . . perhaps there's some variation on intensity of 6 beat - but it's 6 beat (I'm talking up to perhaps the 40s age groups).
