Suited for sprint or distance - how to tell?

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?
Parents
  • Let me boil it down for you. You are a sprinter if you say you swam 2 hours but that includes waking up, driving to the pool, changing, your 5 minute swim, hot tub, shower, drive home, nap, and 27 paragraph blog entry. You are a distance swimmer if you actually swam those 2 hours. Sprinters weep easily also and are quite defensive, which you will see within minutes of this post. Sorry to disappoint. I'm going to have to agree with Chris and ehoch. Except for Chris claiming that mid distance folks are "swimming gods." That seemed rather diva-ish. I would substitute the words "tools who always follow the written workout without complaint."
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  • Let me boil it down for you. You are a sprinter if you say you swam 2 hours but that includes waking up, driving to the pool, changing, your 5 minute swim, hot tub, shower, drive home, nap, and 27 paragraph blog entry. You are a distance swimmer if you actually swam those 2 hours. Sprinters weep easily also and are quite defensive, which you will see within minutes of this post. Sorry to disappoint. I'm going to have to agree with Chris and ehoch. Except for Chris claiming that mid distance folks are "swimming gods." That seemed rather diva-ish. I would substitute the words "tools who always follow the written workout without complaint."
Children
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