Maximum number of meet entries?

Unless the sprinter in question is only interested in 50s and doesn't care about improving his/her ability to recover from races, I disagree with that statement. My statement is probably worth the paper it is printed on...but Maglischo lists lactate tolerance as one of the three types of training for sprinters (I don't have the book here at work, I think it was Sp-1). It may not be important for 50s (although maybe a little in LCM 50s), but for 100s you definitely need some. Ask Paul Wolf about his 100 fly at Clovis -- or better yet, look up the video -- a fine example of lactate INtolerance! :) I think that 100 fly was a fine example of lack of training, not lack of lactate tolerance training. lol Oh, bother, you are right. Some lactate tolerance training is clearly advisable (and even I do some). I didn't mean to suggest it was irrelevant. I just don't think it's the major component to true speed. And my 100s have improved without doing a significant amount of it. I'm not sure how much most sprinters care about improving their recovery in order to swim the max events at meets. I think, on the whole, they're far more concerned with avoiding back to back events and maximizing rest, especially for taper meets. Hence, we see split requests being frequently used.

I'm surprised that Patrick and Chris have dismissed what I thought was well-known which is that people differ with regards to the proportional amount of slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers. My apologies as I've been a bit too tongue-in-cheek here. There's absolutely a difference. However, as I have close to zero fast-twitch fibers, swimming multiple events including 50s doesn't phase me as I can never reach the level of speed that real sprinters do. Seriously. I'm the guy who tries to pace a 50! I am seriously so envious of people who truly can sprint, who can muster all of the attention to detail that it takes to knock out a great 50 or 100. I still swim those events and have fun doing them, but still prefer 200+ races as they leave a lot more room for error in strategy, technique, etc. I'm not surprised that Patrick can do a 200 fly and then 100 back with 10 min. rest- he's used and developed his slow twitch fibers for years. It's pure physiology, plain and simple. Not . . . "not enough rest whinning" :) Yes and note that I've never said that that 100 back will be impressive. If you don't need rest or want to experiment or have fun at an in season meet, knock yourself out and swim the max events. But don't expect others to want to do the same or necessarily see this as some desirable goal. :-P It's not all about the meterage ... It's not more desirable to max the events out ... but that's also an experiment to try and HAVE FUN doing. Eh, I bet he just doesn't kick. :) He did say "languid." The only way for me to survive a 200 fly as a Masters' swimmer is to think "Massive Negative Split!" I seriously aim to cruise about 150 of it ... but, for me, my fly only works when I'm really relaxed. I've never swum good fly (even a 100) when trying to swim fast stroke rates.

It's not more desirable to max the events out ... but that's also an experiment to try and HAVE FUN doing. Bah! I think you pain junkies have an odd view of "fun."

Bah! I think you pain junkies have an odd view of "fun." The flip side, Fortonkness, is what could possibly be fun about swimming for 2-3 minutes per meet when there is so much more swimming readily available, for cheap to boot!

The flip side, Fortonkness, is what could possibly be fun about swimming for 2-3 minutes per meet when there is so much more swimming readily available, for cheap to boot! Well, aquadisgeek, I perfectly well enjoy watching friends swim, watching fast swimming, trash talking or hanging out with friends and teammates. That's cheap too!

Now, for people(using that term loosely) like yourself, that are deemed outcasts, unfit for public displays of friendliness, undesirable to sit near, that have a face like Shrek, they make longer events to engage in. Those events are prefect for the lack of humanity like yourself, so that we socially elites don't have to talk about you in front of you Regrettably, these are all valid points, and possibly true. Hater.

Bah! I think you pain junkies have an odd view of "fun." Yes, but, again trying to be completely serious, one of the things I've re-found in Masters' swimming is the sheer fun of racing. That's a major motivator for me to enter a lot of events. Yeah, I like to win and I like to do PBs, but I really, really have reacquainted myself with the love of racing. I know I had that as a youth when swimming, but swimming became much 'heavier' for me in my late teens and in college -- so much more pressure (whether internally or externally motivated) around achieving certain times, cuts, etc. With Masters and with open water even moreso, I have rediscovered how much I love just racing the guy (or gal) next to me ... no matter what shape I'm in or what time I'm going to go, there's almost always someone to race. That's fun for me.

...there's almost always someone to race. That's a very small and select group of people, similar to Fort and She Puff, or She Cream or whatever moniker she goes by these days.

If you don't need rest or want to experiment or have fun at an in season meet, knock yourself out and swim the max events. But don't expect others to want to do the same or necessarily see this as some desirable goal. :-P It's not all about the meterage ... so true... fun can't be measured in meters (its measured in miles!)

The flip side, Fortonkness, is what could possibly be fun about swimming for 2-3 minutes per meet when there is so much more swimming readily available, for cheap to boot! Geekonstilts, shockingly, there are people that have friend who want to socialize with us at meets, so we swim faster and events that don't take all day to complete. Now, for people(using that term loosely) like yourself, that are deemed outcasts, unfit for public displays of friendliness, undesirable to sit near, that have a face like Shrek, they make longer events to engage in. Those events are prefect for the lack of humanity like yourself, so that we socially elites don't have to talk about you in front of you