How do you determine whether you would be better off training and racing sprints or distance events?
I'm back into competitive training this winter after ~2 decades since high school. I used to coach age group, and I've been hitting some master's practices, so I'm not without direction for what I should be doing to get back in shape. I am, however, clueless about distance swimming.
I have no exposure to distance racing or training so I am starting to read up on it (Maglischo). In high school, with the longest event being the 500 free, everyone was a "sprinter" whether they were suited to it or not.
Since I'm basically rebuilding myself from the ground up, I am wondering whether I might give distance a try? What sorts of physiology, technique or psychology lend themselves to doing distance as opposed to sprinting? Or does this not really matter for a nearly 40-year-old masters swimmer that's been out of the pool for nearly forever?
To ask a slightly different question, can anyone be successful at distance, provided they train for it? ... I always assumed (perhaps incorrectly?) that distance was for anyone who couldn't or wouldn't sprint.
Them's fighting words. I thought the saying was that sprinters are those people who can't "man up" to actually swim rather than merely start, splash & turn.:)
It depends upon what you're looking for to classify someone as one or the other. Anyone can do any event if they can swim it legally, including sprints! At the extremes, it's rare that you find someone who can both crank out an awesome 50 and an amazing 1500. (ehoch, please take a bow as one of those guys). There's specialization in training, technique, body, etc. to be great at both of those extremes ... and yet add'l differentiation to be great in the mid-distances.
As to getting in shape, I'll agree with hoffam, though, that I think you'll approach your younger aged times in the 50 to 200 more quickly than you do in the 500. I'm swimming as fast or faster than my old 100/200 times now from college (division I distance guy), but still about 15 seconds slower on my 500. I just don't have the time to crank out more than about 20K yards a week on a good week of training ... so I can build a decent aerobic base, but not a fast aerobic pace.
To ask a slightly different question, can anyone be successful at distance, provided they train for it? ... I always assumed (perhaps incorrectly?) that distance was for anyone who couldn't or wouldn't sprint.
Them's fighting words. I thought the saying was that sprinters are those people who can't "man up" to actually swim rather than merely start, splash & turn.:)
It depends upon what you're looking for to classify someone as one or the other. Anyone can do any event if they can swim it legally, including sprints! At the extremes, it's rare that you find someone who can both crank out an awesome 50 and an amazing 1500. (ehoch, please take a bow as one of those guys). There's specialization in training, technique, body, etc. to be great at both of those extremes ... and yet add'l differentiation to be great in the mid-distances.
As to getting in shape, I'll agree with hoffam, though, that I think you'll approach your younger aged times in the 50 to 200 more quickly than you do in the 500. I'm swimming as fast or faster than my old 100/200 times now from college (division I distance guy), but still about 15 seconds slower on my 500. I just don't have the time to crank out more than about 20K yards a week on a good week of training ... so I can build a decent aerobic base, but not a fast aerobic pace.
