So I have decided to focus on the 1500/1650, partly because I seem to have misplaced the three fast twitch fibers I once owned, and partly because guys named Smith are now swimming the 500 and even the 1000. Geek suggested that I build my endurance with dryland work, but unlike him I have a job and limited time to train, and I don't really want to give up pool time. Any suggestions?
Parents
Former Member
DNF. That's what the final results will record for my first 1500 in three decades. Here's what happened. I was tapered and wearing a B70. I had planned to split it 5:15, 10:35 (5:20), 15:55 (5:20), 19:55. My first 400 was a 5:12 and felt easy, like a warm up. I was breathing every third and taking one SDK off of the wall on every turn. I was in lane 3; the guy in lane 2 was way out in front in 5:01, but the girl in lane 4 was even with me. The second 400 felt very good, and I established a significant lead over lane 4. I lost track of lane 2 but found out later that I was reeling him in (he finished in 19:20). I thought lane 4 had faded, but actually I had begun splitting 1:16s for a 5:06 for the second 400. Too fast. At the 900 I realized it was over, that I could not swim another 600, and I stopped at the 1000. My time, 12:52, converts to 11:35 (5:51/5:44) in yards, a Masters best, nearly 20 seconds faster than my planned pace. While the three hour drive to Dallas, the late start for the event (6:30 pm), and only one decent meal (breakfast) beforehand didn't help, my biggest problem was inexperience with this event. I have only swum the 1500 once before in competition, and that was back in the summer of 1978.
On Saturday I swam the 400 free and went 4:47.14, a Master best by 0.6 seconds, splitting :34, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :34 (2:23/2:24), finishing second overall and getting touched out by the 35 year old who had been in lane 2 for the 1500. The over distance training I have been doing definitely helped; I was able to sprint the last 50 and swam the whole race breathing every third.
I plan to swim at least one 1650/week in practice and continue the anaerobic threshold training. Next time I will pace the mile correctly.
DNF. That's what the final results will record for my first 1500 in three decades. Here's what happened. I was tapered and wearing a B70. I had planned to split it 5:15, 10:35 (5:20), 15:55 (5:20), 19:55. My first 400 was a 5:12 and felt easy, like a warm up. I was breathing every third and taking one SDK off of the wall on every turn. I was in lane 3; the guy in lane 2 was way out in front in 5:01, but the girl in lane 4 was even with me. The second 400 felt very good, and I established a significant lead over lane 4. I lost track of lane 2 but found out later that I was reeling him in (he finished in 19:20). I thought lane 4 had faded, but actually I had begun splitting 1:16s for a 5:06 for the second 400. Too fast. At the 900 I realized it was over, that I could not swim another 600, and I stopped at the 1000. My time, 12:52, converts to 11:35 (5:51/5:44) in yards, a Masters best, nearly 20 seconds faster than my planned pace. While the three hour drive to Dallas, the late start for the event (6:30 pm), and only one decent meal (breakfast) beforehand didn't help, my biggest problem was inexperience with this event. I have only swum the 1500 once before in competition, and that was back in the summer of 1978.
On Saturday I swam the 400 free and went 4:47.14, a Master best by 0.6 seconds, splitting :34, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :36, :34 (2:23/2:24), finishing second overall and getting touched out by the 35 year old who had been in lane 2 for the 1500. The over distance training I have been doing definitely helped; I was able to sprint the last 50 and swam the whole race breathing every third.
I plan to swim at least one 1650/week in practice and continue the anaerobic threshold training. Next time I will pace the mile correctly.
