I know I can't be the only person who is not at Nationals who is nevertheless keeping track of how many people in my age group are beating my best times of the season.
I am happy to report in this inaugural edition of Beat Watch 2009, that in the 400 IM, two guys have beaten my time--
1 Gilchrist, Donald 55 NCMS 4:55.00 4:41.09
29.32 1:01.98 (32.66)
1:39.57 (37.59) 2:16.63 (37.06)
2:56.44 (39.81) 3:36.93 (40.49)
4:09.45 (32.52) 4:41.09 (31.64)
2 Clemmons, Jim 59 MAM 4:44.50 4:43.38
29.59 1:02.58 (32.99)
1:41.09 (38.51) 2:18.06 (36.97)
2:58.68 (40.62) 3:40.31 (41.63)
4:12.70 (32.39) 4:43.38 (30.68)
The good news: both these fellows had ALREADY beaten me with swims earlier in the season, so nobody new at Nationals has thus far dislodged my precarious hold on a possible top 10 in this event...
I invite anyone to post their own "Beat Watch" results as they filter in...
The ever-likable swimming great and masters swimming historian Frank "Skip" Thompson left a message on my answering machine that appears to kibosh my hopes for a Top 10 in the 500 this year.
I would have come in 10th at Nats, which might have squeaked me through, but it turns out that the legendary John Kinsella actually beat me in a meet that wasn't posted on the Top Times database. Thus...11th, 12th, or possibly even worse.
In terms of the 100, I may be hanging on by a thread, but this looks bad, too.
In the top times database before Nats, my CZ time (still unposted) would have put me in 7th place.
At Nationals, my CZ time would have placed 6th:
Event 41 Men 55-59 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
NATL: N 48.37 4/30/2000 RICHARD ABRAHAMS
Name Age Team Seed Finals
==================================================================
1 Lemaistre, Charles 55 AAAA 49.28 49.93
23.82 49.93 (26.11)
2 Dodson, Phil 56 IM 51.26 50.45
24.36 50.45 (26.09)
3 Krauser, Larry 55 HMS 52.13 51.36
24.97 51.36 (26.39)
4 Fochios, Dean 55 ADMS 55.16 52.04
25.43 52.04 (26.61)
5 Gilchrist, Donald 55 NCMS 52.50 52.67
25.45 52.67 (27.22)
Three of the above (Larry, Dean, and Donald) had not posted faster top times already, so they take their place ahead of me in line. That means that my 52.87 at CZ is now theoretically in 10th place in the 55-59 age group. But this assumes no other unposted results are out there waiting to jump in front of me, too.
I don't know about you, but this seems awfully fast. And next year, it's only going to become ridiculously fast. None of these five guys are moving up in the age group. However, plenty of speed demons from below are are, including:
2 Groselle, Jack 54 O*H* 49.03 47.92N
23.31 47.92 (24.61)
9 Gandee, Brad 54 GMUP 51.05 51.11
25.04 51.11 (26.07)
Plus god only knows how many other guys who are now 54 are going to start training with ridiculous rapacity at the prospect of next year...
I don't know about the rest of you, but for me, a pattern is starting to emerge:
the first year I age up, I have a chance to make some Top Ten SCY times. The second year, it becomes nearly impossible. And after that, lordy...
The ever-likable swimming great and masters swimming historian Frank "Skip" Thompson left a message on my answering machine that appears to kibosh my hopes for a Top 10 in the 500 this year.
I would have come in 10th at Nats, which might have squeaked me through, but it turns out that the legendary John Kinsella actually beat me in a meet that wasn't posted on the Top Times database. Thus...11th, 12th, or possibly even worse.
In terms of the 100, I may be hanging on by a thread, but this looks bad, too.
In the top times database before Nats, my CZ time (still unposted) would have put me in 7th place.
At Nationals, my CZ time would have placed 6th:
Event 41 Men 55-59 100 Yard Freestyle
==================================================================
NATL: N 48.37 4/30/2000 RICHARD ABRAHAMS
Name Age Team Seed Finals
==================================================================
1 Lemaistre, Charles 55 AAAA 49.28 49.93
23.82 49.93 (26.11)
2 Dodson, Phil 56 IM 51.26 50.45
24.36 50.45 (26.09)
3 Krauser, Larry 55 HMS 52.13 51.36
24.97 51.36 (26.39)
4 Fochios, Dean 55 ADMS 55.16 52.04
25.43 52.04 (26.61)
5 Gilchrist, Donald 55 NCMS 52.50 52.67
25.45 52.67 (27.22)
Three of the above (Larry, Dean, and Donald) had not posted faster top times already, so they take their place ahead of me in line. That means that my 52.87 at CZ is now theoretically in 10th place in the 55-59 age group. But this assumes no other unposted results are out there waiting to jump in front of me, too.
I don't know about you, but this seems awfully fast. And next year, it's only going to become ridiculously fast. None of these five guys are moving up in the age group. However, plenty of speed demons from below are are, including:
2 Groselle, Jack 54 O*H* 49.03 47.92N
23.31 47.92 (24.61)
9 Gandee, Brad 54 GMUP 51.05 51.11
25.04 51.11 (26.07)
Plus god only knows how many other guys who are now 54 are going to start training with ridiculous rapacity at the prospect of next year...
I don't know about the rest of you, but for me, a pattern is starting to emerge:
the first year I age up, I have a chance to make some Top Ten SCY times. The second year, it becomes nearly impossible. And after that, lordy...
