Many moons ago - maybe 7 or 8 years, my teammates and myself would discuss which is harder - the 200 fly or 400IM.
I always thought the 400IM would be worse as it involves backstroke which drains me and then I would have to stay with the plot on 100 ***, and I'm not a breaststroker by any stretch of the imagination.
200 fly on the other hand, well its all fly and 200 less than the 400IM and once you've got your rhythm you're set ..... so what do you all think?
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Done both a few times. No question that the 200 fly, esp. LCM, is the scariest of the two because if you take it out too hard you literally cannot do the stroke. I spent over 50 seconds (and several lifetimes) swimming the last 50 meters of fly in Cleveland at a nationals a few years ago (I heard a guy yell "world record" at the turn and by the end of that length I felt like world "disaster"). It took me 3 years to dare to try it again. The IM, whether 200 or 400 actually tire me out more because I can swim it almost all-out and still keep swimming. Your body can be awash in lactic acid and feel like a lead weight but you can at least swim *** stroke or freestyle....not fly. That's the difference.
To avoid disaster I have paced my 200 fly very carefully since that awful swim and have found that I have too much left at the end, but the fatigue comes with such a quick drop I have had to respect it and pace carefully.
Worst fatigue came in a 400 IM in Indy nationals. Took it out in a 57.00...yep. I had to be helped to stand up after that one.....
Done both a few times. No question that the 200 fly, esp. LCM, is the scariest of the two because if you take it out too hard you literally cannot do the stroke. I spent over 50 seconds (and several lifetimes) swimming the last 50 meters of fly in Cleveland at a nationals a few years ago (I heard a guy yell "world record" at the turn and by the end of that length I felt like world "disaster"). It took me 3 years to dare to try it again. The IM, whether 200 or 400 actually tire me out more because I can swim it almost all-out and still keep swimming. Your body can be awash in lactic acid and feel like a lead weight but you can at least swim *** stroke or freestyle....not fly. That's the difference.
To avoid disaster I have paced my 200 fly very carefully since that awful swim and have found that I have too much left at the end, but the fatigue comes with such a quick drop I have had to respect it and pace carefully.
Worst fatigue came in a 400 IM in Indy nationals. Took it out in a 57.00...yep. I had to be helped to stand up after that one.....
