So I've got a taper meet coming up and it happens to be a USA-S SR State Meet. I'm doing this USA-S meet as there was only 1 one day USMS meet offered in GA this year that was LCM.
This meet is VERY fast at least for me.
The kids will be tapered and I expect them to drop tons of time. For me personally, I'm much more experienced in swimming well *tired* throughout the season and I never know what kind of effect a taper will have on me. So what I'm saying is that I don't know if I'll drop much time after a taper or not.
Should I enter my best times or should I fudge a little or even really sandbag? A friend of mine reminded me that I usually swim in full heats of men during masters mixed meets and it is true that the top SR girls will not be any faster than these men I've raced in the past. My concern was getting killed in my heat - again, something I'm used to with the masters men. If I enter my best time of 1:05.5 in the 100 fly for example, that's pretty quick. I will be with girls who can hit 1:02s and 1:03s. . .
I'm leaning towards just going for it and if I can't handle the pressure then at least I know I tried my best.
As always, any thoughts are greatly appreciated!
Go for it, beat down the kiddies. They will be much more nervous with you beside them than you will be. The pressure of having to beat "the old lady" (no offense intended) will be overwhelming. All the parents will tell them, "don't let that woman beat you."
I would say if you get pushed by people beside you, enter your best times. If not, put a time that maximizes your rest, the USMS way.
The only need to sandbag is to buy recovery for another event. Otherwise just go with entering fast time and let them stare at the Psych sheet in amazement. Get inside their heads!
Enter as fast as you expect to swim. This may be slower than your best time, close to your best time, or even much faster than your best time.
At least, that's what I (would) do...:2cents:
Oh yeah, and I don't want to put down the sandbaggers by the way. I think you can still go for it if you have a need to sandbag. I've seen world record holders enter NT's or very slow times and perform very well. I love racing fast people but I know firsthand how much these kids train (all those doubles that I don't do for starters). . . and that is a scary thought.
Jim, I never know how fast or slow I'll swim. I can't tell you how many times I can look at the clock after a race and be surprised in a good and in a bad way! :D
Bill, fortunately, the events are nicely spread out for me!
This meet doesn't have a requirement to enter with your fastest current valid SWIMS time? I think that is common here, but maybe it is enforced by some unspoken threat of punishment only.
I don't think sandbagging is necessary. You are tapering just like all the other girls who look like they are 16, and it is a dice roll for all of you how well that taper will work. You can't scientifically sandbag yourself into a heat that will optimally push you, so you might as well enter with real times.
Good luck.
This meet doesn't have a requirement to enter with your fastest current valid SWIMS time? I think that is common here, but maybe it is enforced by some unspoken threat of punishment only.
I don't think sandbagging is necessary. You are tapering just like all the other girls who look like they are 16, and it is a dice roll for all of you how well that taper will work. You can't scientifically sandbag yourself into a heat that will optimally push you, so you might as well enter with real times.
Good luck.
Thank you qbrain! Yes, you must have the GA SR State cut to enter (which I have for the events that I'll be swimming.) But my team allows us to enter our own seed times.
Ok, can someone fill me in on the lingo?
Taper? Sandbag?
Taper: To reduce workout volume in preparation for an major competition or event. Usually consists of gradually reducing training volume over a period of 2 weeks prior to start of competition or event. About a 10-15% reduction in volume each session with an increased focus on faster repeats on longer rest durations.
Sandbag: to _deliberately_ enter a much (10% or more) slower seed time to gain a real or perceived competitive advantage. Specifically to acheive 'clear' water by leading the heat. Has been known to be used to refer to individuals who choose to enter back to back events in a meet but feel that it's 'OK' to enter a entry time of 'NT' for the first event in order to gain as much rest as possible. You know who you are :angel:
Sandbag is what wookie does when the outhouse floods cause he built it uphill from his single-wide. Taper is what he does when his coveralls get a rip - as in "I gotta tape 'er up, my *** is showing."
