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...
Jim -
I'm glad to see there are others doing these calculations. It looks like my 200 IM and 200 Back from Colonies Zones have each dropped to 11th over the weekend. John Feinstein wrote a good article about 11th place finishes a few years ago...
I'm sure there are good examples in every age group, but here's one I noticed. Men's 55-59 100 Back - in 2007 there were no swims under 1:00, 2008 there were 3, and 2009, so far there are 8. Knowing some of the people moving up, It will probably take a 59.5 to get in top 10 next year.
Maybe it's time for a separate non-B70 category.
Jim -
I'm glad to see there are others doing these calculations. It looks like my 200 IM and 200 Back from Colonies Zones have each dropped to 11th over the weekend. John Feinstein wrote a good article about 11th place finishes a few years ago...
I'm sure there are good examples in every age group, but here's one I noticed. Men's 55-59 100 Back - in 2007 there were no swims under 1:00, 2008 there were 3, and 2009, so far there are 8. Knowing some of the people moving up, It will probably take a 59.5 to get in top 10 next year.
Maybe it's time for a separate non-B70 category.
