What are the odds of getting back to your high school or college times? I'm 40 and just got back into it 7 months ago. I was an age group swimmer from 9yrs old till 18yrs old.
Right now my freestyle is off about a second per 50yd. My 100yd *** was my specialty in high school and I am still about 5 seconds off that time... although I don't swim it nearly enough in practice.
How far off is everyone else off? Is there hope of being as fast as you were as a teenager?
Former Member
From what I have seen most college swimmers can get back to their high school times but the ones who stopped at high school can't do it. It also depends on your experience leading up to that.
I guess it boils down to you will always be a % slower than your best as you age. I just wish their was a formula that would let me know what to expect.
My coach thinks I can improve a few seconds in the 100 and possibly make a top 10. Just figuring my odds...
I have never understood why this was of any importance ... Just be a masters swimmer ...
I'm close in the 50s, I guess.
It is very important!!! It is the essence of competition. It is why we are in the pool twice a day swimming our a$$e$ off.
:2cents:
I just read that Rich Abrahams went faster in the 50 free at 53 years old than he did at NCAAs, pre tech suits.
There are also people like me, who have not gone as fast as when they were in high school.
So you are going to go as fast as you are going to go and the statistics probably aren't going to change that.
It is very important!!! It is the essence of competition. It is why we are in the pool twice a day swimming our a$$e$ off.
:2cents:
The competition is beating the time I went at the last meet.
I've always likened swimming to golf. You keep going back because there is always something to improve.
I've done my life best times in Masters (without tech suits), and I know that I can still go faster. Like someone said it just takes time and dedication. I've always been dedicated, but time has eluded me.
I've even heard of people giving themselves new categories for comparison, such as pre-kids and post-kids. I'm not a fan of that exactly, because my ultimate goal is to go faster than pre-kids, however using a post-kids as a new place to start is appealing.
For people who think they never reached their potential (myself included), I think it is fine to look back at your inner-younger swimmer. :D
Short answer: No
I consider myself an evolved swimmer that realistically will never go sub-4:40 in the 500. (However sub 5:00 would be nice) Evolved meaning I have a job, family, kids sports, etc like most 43 year olds. Sure it would be nice to have 6 hours a day to train, lift & do dry lands. The real satisfaction comes from doing tough sets and getting the base intervals down approaching college practices. Completely agree with previous posts about training with a group that challenges each other. I would rather train to do an epic set in practice than go to a meet any day.
Tree
I just got back in the water 2 months ago after roughly 20 years out since HS. I would love to become as fast as my 17-yr-old self, but what I'm much more interested in is just being able to swim like I once did.
To me, this means looking and feeling fast and powerful in the water. It means being able to complete most any workout in any stroke. I don't care so much if I swim a few seconds slower in meets, as long as times are still respectable, but I want to feel that same oneness with the water that I had back when I was young. I want races to be the sort of hard but effortless fun they can be when everything clicks.
I also wouldn't mind kicking some major butt on the swim leg during triathlon season, but we'll save that discussion for a different post.
I just turned 55. It's hard to make a fair comparison because of a number of factors (not just the swimskins).
For someone of my generation, the pools were considerably different (no gutters, rope lane lines, wooden starting blocks, etc). Whew - talk about turbulence!
For later generations, there are two other factors to consider: swim suit technology has changed (we used to sew patches on our nylon baggies) and of course, the myriad rule changes (you had to touch the wall with your hand on backstroke, some part of your head must remain above water during breaststroke, etc..).
One thing that hasn't changed for me - the love of swimming. I'd still swim and compete for the fun and health of it!
See you in the water,
Philipp
