When I started swimming masters a few years ago, I soon found myself wanting some time standards to compare myself against. Sure, tracking my own PRs is motivating, but I also wanted some sort of objective mark to measure myself against.
There is the Top 10 list, of course, but I'm not close enough to those times for them to serve as realistic motivation. Nationals qualifying times provide a slightly lower bar, but these are still out of many masters' reach. It seems like there should be some sort of time standards that are more widely applicable -- like the A, AA, ... motivational times in kids' age group swimming.
I did use those USA Swimming motivational times for a while, but I got tired of comparing myself to 12-year-olds. Eventually I decided to create my own masters' motivational time standards, using the same method that is used for the kids.
I have really enjoyed using these motivational times over the past couple of years, and I'm guessing they might be useful to others as well. Especially for those, like me, who are competitive enough to be motivated by a quantitative benchmark, but not fast enough to aspire to the Top 10 list.
I have just updated the SCY list, and figured I would post it here for others to use.
Please enjoy. I'd also love to hear any feedback.
I too think it's a great idea. I am curious how you come up with the numbers, however. What is the methodology?
Would someone with a AAAA time have a shot at a Top 10 time?
Yes, the next step above AAAA is Top 10.
Each category is some percentage slower than the bottom five times in the Top 10, averaged over 3 years. AAAA = 5%, AAA = 10%, ... BB = 40%.
It will be interesting to see what will happen when the tech suits are banned what kinds of adjustments will have to be made.
Yes, these times are based on 3 years when tech suits were becoming more and more common. As the tech suit times roll off the list and get replaced with non-tech suit times, the times should get a little slower.
I too think it's a great idea. I am curious how you come up with the numbers, however. What is the methodology?
Would someone with a AAAA time have a shot at a Top 10 time?
Yes, the next step above AAAA is Top 10.
Each category is some percentage slower than the bottom five times in the Top 10, averaged over 3 years. AAAA = 5%, AAA = 10%, ... BB = 40%.
It will be interesting to see what will happen when the tech suits are banned what kinds of adjustments will have to be made.
Yes, these times are based on 3 years when tech suits were becoming more and more common. As the tech suit times roll off the list and get replaced with non-tech suit times, the times should get a little slower.
