You're not a sprinter and you're not a pure distance swimmer. Your 50's & 1500's aren't as great as your 200's, 400's, & 500's. Your 100's aren't shabby. Let the D Divas take those 800's, 1000's, 1500's & 1650's. You're caught in the middle. You've got OK speed, but you can do those longer sets that make pure sprinters ill. You're well conditioned and tend to do well with back to back events. You're in great company, Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte are middle distance swimmers who have excellent 100's but not so great 50's. Man you can train.
This is the middle distance lane. Don't get lapped.
the breastroke lane
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Counting SCM 400 Free
Last month I swam a 400 SCM free. The event was seeded fast-to-slow; I was in the first heat. There were 10 lanes in the pool. As we were mounting the blocks, I saw our 10 counters parade onto the bulkhead, carrying their lap counters. Take your marks, and away we go.
I am pretty good at counting, so I asked my buddy to dunk only laps 11, 13, and 15. I was pretty sure I had counted correctly, so I was a little surprised at the end of lap 11 -- no counter in the pool. Ok, maybe I am off, or maybe he just forgot.
End of lap 13 -- still no counter. Something's wrong. Hope my buddy didn't have a heart attack from all the excitement. I will have to count it myself. Hope I did it right! The guy in the next lane is ahead of me, so I'll stop when he does. I hope he's right too! End of lap 15, still no counter, in the middle of the sprint -- I REALLY hope I'm right! I don't have another 50 left in me after this one!
After the race, I asked my buddy what happened. He said an official had marched onto the bulkhead, after the race had already started, and declared it was illegal to count any distance less than 500 yards. So all the counters left, certainly to my surprise, and presumably to the surprise of the other 9 swimmers in the pool.
This rule is news to me. This is the 3rd 400 SCM free I've done, and for the other two (including at this same meet last year), everyone had counters, no problem.!
The official was wrong. This is from the USMS rule book. Last time I checked, the 400 scm free was 16 lengths.
"102.10.6 Counters
A A swimmer in any individual event of 16 lengths or more, except the
individual medley, may appoint one counter to call lengths or indicate
lengths by visual sign"
Was that at the St. Nick's meet? I remember you were there, and I was in the same heat as you were for the 400 free. I had just about the same reaction as you -- I really don't need a counter for 16 lengths, but I was expecting one as I like to double check where I am from time to time. It did throw me off a bit, and I was really ticked off at my husband for a minute or two (or five). :) I think that officials are used to the 400 LCM, which doesn't allow counters, and aren't used to officiating SCM meets. I'm just glad I was tired by then and having a mediocre race; if I had been doing well I wouldn't have been happy about the situation!
Counting SCM 400 Free
Last month I swam a 400 SCM free. The event was seeded fast-to-slow; I was in the first heat. There were 10 lanes in the pool. As we were mounting the blocks, I saw our 10 counters parade onto the bulkhead, carrying their lap counters. Take your marks, and away we go.
I am pretty good at counting, so I asked my buddy to dunk only laps 11, 13, and 15. I was pretty sure I had counted correctly, so I was a little surprised at the end of lap 11 -- no counter in the pool. Ok, maybe I am off, or maybe he just forgot.
End of lap 13 -- still no counter. Something's wrong. Hope my buddy didn't have a heart attack from all the excitement. I will have to count it myself. Hope I did it right! The guy in the next lane is ahead of me, so I'll stop when he does. I hope he's right too! End of lap 15, still no counter, in the middle of the sprint -- I REALLY hope I'm right! I don't have another 50 left in me after this one!
After the race, I asked my buddy what happened. He said an official had marched onto the bulkhead, after the race had already started, and declared it was illegal to count any distance less than 500 yards. So all the counters left, certainly to my surprise, and presumably to the surprise of the other 9 swimmers in the pool.
This rule is news to me. This is the 3rd 400 SCM free I've done, and for the other two (including at this same meet last year), everyone had counters, no problem.!
The official was wrong. This is from the USMS rule book. Last time I checked, the 400 scm free was 16 lengths.
"102.10.6 Counters
A A swimmer in any individual event of 16 lengths or more, except the
individual medley, may appoint one counter to call lengths or indicate
lengths by visual sign"
Was that at the St. Nick's meet? I remember you were there, and I was in the same heat as you were for the 400 free. I had just about the same reaction as you -- I really don't need a counter for 16 lengths, but I was expecting one as I like to double check where I am from time to time. It did throw me off a bit, and I was really ticked off at my husband for a minute or two (or five). :) I think that officials are used to the 400 LCM, which doesn't allow counters, and aren't used to officiating SCM meets. I'm just glad I was tired by then and having a mediocre race; if I had been doing well I wouldn't have been happy about the situation!
