Many swimmers I have talked to over the years have said that they would like to race some nonstandard event. Frequently mentioned examples are: a 75 butterfly, a 3-stroke IM, a 25 SDK, or a distance stroke event. Suppose you could enter some nonstandard events at a SCY meet, what would you pick? Perhaps a 2x400 breaststroke family relay? (Count me out on that one, but it does sound cool.) I thought about posting a poll, but it would be difficult to list all of the possibilities and I might miss some good idea, so I'm just inviting free-form response. Second question: would you travel to Philadelphia to swim it?
A variation of this is where you have all the swimmers in the lane start out one right after the other (don't wait five seconds). The lead swimmer should maintain a cruise pace and the last swimmer must pass all the other swimmers by the end of the 50. This person now becomes the leader and the person who is currently last must pass everyone. You swim continuously like this for some predetermined distance or time. You need a minimum of three swimmers do really make this worthwhile.
I have only done this a few times. I seem to remember that the pace keeps getting faster since the new leader that has just sprinted past everyone does not slow down to the cruise pace the original leader set.
But sometimes in SCM or SCY, me (5'4") and Wolfy (6'4") aren't very compatible side by side. I don't need to be bounced around that much.
You think it's fair that I have to swim next to Wolfy and get bounced around? I'm not very compatible next to him either! :bump:
We sometimes did this at the end of a training session way back when. I was often the lone female swimmer bringing up the end of the lane of 4 or 5 guys. We'd all set off on 5 sec intervals with the intention to catch the person in front of you.
A variation of this is where you have all the swimmers in the lane start out one right after the other (don't wait five seconds). The lead swimmer should maintain a cruise pace and the last swimmer must pass all the other swimmers by the end of the 50. This person now becomes the leader and the person who is currently last must pass everyone. You swim continuously like this for some predetermined distance or time. You need a minimum of three swimmers do really make this worthwhile.
I love the idea of a pursuit event, but individual (not team) pursuit.
Two swimmers in each lane, starting from opposite ends. The race is over when one catches up to the other (perhaps capping at 500 yards).
Much more strategy in this than in a usual pool race. Do you sprint, trying to catch your counterpart quickly? Pace them, hoping they tire before you? Hold back, trying to entice them into a foolish surge?
The audience gets to watch 8 or 10 head-to-head duels at once.
I love the idea of a pursuit event, but individual (not team) pursuit.
Two swimmers in each lane, starting from opposite ends. The race is over when one catches up to the other (perhaps capping at 500 yards).
Much more strategy in this than in a usual pool race. Do you sprint, trying to catch your counterpart quickly? Pace them, hoping they tire before you? Hold back, trying to entice them into a foolish surge?
The audience gets to watch 8 or 10 head-to-head duels at once.
That's a great idea! I would love to watch or compete in that one. They could also do a team pursuit with teams that draft off of each other.
Strategic any-order IMs would be cool, although those could be difficult to judge accurately.
I also like distance BR in a long-course pool. 400, 500, 800, 1500...
Then there's my personal favorite, the great equalizer, freestyle with fins. Any distance.
I'd like to see a 50 IM or a 100 IM in a long course pool, switching strokes at the black line.
But really, maybe I'm just trying to find new and creative ways to get out of doing more fly.
I'd like to see a 50 IM or a 100 IM in a long course pool, switching strokes at the black line.
But really, maybe I'm just trying to find new and creative ways to get out of doing more fly.
There is actually a meet in Vancouver, BC next month offering the 50m IM.
www.msabc.ca/.../2010NorthShore.pdf
