This may be opening a can of worms here, but I'm having an argument with someone in my group. If someone is drafting off of you in a pool set (like 4x200 SCY), does it hurt your effort? Does the lead swimmer have to work harder or experience some other negative benefit?
I've read a bit about aerodynamics and it would seem that in car racing, the lead car actually gets a positive benefit, but I'm not sure if that's true in swimming.
I think you are just working "harder" by not having someone to draft off of. I agree that having someone draft is psychologically tough. I'm always afraid that if the person behind me is right on my feet, I'm not going fast enough. Then when I ask him/her if he/she wants to pass and they say "Nope! You're doing great!" I know that I'm suffering so they can have an easier swim and it both pisses me off and is a little demoralizing.
I hate it when I don't see the person behind me at the turns because they are so close behind me they are in my turning "blind spot"...
*Of course* when I'm not leading I try (unless I can't keep up otherwise) to stay a full 5 seconds behind the person in front of me but I don't always do that either...
I think you are just working "harder" by not having someone to draft off of. I agree that having someone draft is psychologically tough. I'm always afraid that if the person behind me is right on my feet, I'm not going fast enough. Then when I ask him/her if he/she wants to pass and they say "Nope! You're doing great!" I know that I'm suffering so they can have an easier swim and it both pisses me off and is a little demoralizing.
I hate it when I don't see the person behind me at the turns because they are so close behind me they are in my turning "blind spot"...
*Of course* when I'm not leading I try (unless I can't keep up otherwise) to stay a full 5 seconds behind the person in front of me but I don't always do that either...
