2010 SCM Zone Championships
Which ones are you swimming in?
Please share info, links, results, comments & discussions
Hope you swim fast & have fun
Which suits are you going to wear?
2010 Approved Womens Tech Suits
2010 Approved Mens Tech Suits
LIST OF MEETS:
Sat 11/20/2010 - Sun 11/21/2010
2010 Ron Johnson Invitational Arizona and Southwest SCM Zone Championships
Tempe, AZ
Sat Dec 4th, 2010 & Sun Dec 5th
Masters of South Central Regional SCM Championships
San Antonio, TX
So, yes, I think the difference in time is the suit.
In fairness, Glenn is one of the few people I know - or have heard of - who swam a faster 400 free at 60 than under 21. But, on a hunch, I looked at how times might change as swimmers age. I used the national SCY qualifying times for the men's 100 free, but the same trend shows up in other events:
18-24 - :55.52
25-29 - :54.02
30-34 - :55.03
35-39 - :55.39
40-44 - :55.71
45-49 - :56.43
50-54 - :57.66
55-59 - 1:00.84
60-64 - 1:04.02
65-69 - 1:09.99
70-74 - 1:16.09
75-79 - 1:23.98
80-84 - 1:44.27
Notice that, between the ages of 30 and 45, the times vary by less than :00.75. But as men age, they seem to slow: the difference between the 45-year-old time and the 60-year-old time widens to almost 8 seconds. That same trend could have been observed in the "tech suit era," suggesting that something may happen to people as they get older. (Gee, do you think?).
Some people - the ones who set records last weekend are among them - are just great swimmers, with or without tech suits. Based on what we saw this weekend, I don't think the masters' "tech suit era" records will be on the books very long.
So, yes, I think the difference in time is the suit.
In fairness, Glenn is one of the few people I know - or have heard of - who swam a faster 400 free at 60 than under 21. But, on a hunch, I looked at how times might change as swimmers age. I used the national SCY qualifying times for the men's 100 free, but the same trend shows up in other events:
18-24 - :55.52
25-29 - :54.02
30-34 - :55.03
35-39 - :55.39
40-44 - :55.71
45-49 - :56.43
50-54 - :57.66
55-59 - 1:00.84
60-64 - 1:04.02
65-69 - 1:09.99
70-74 - 1:16.09
75-79 - 1:23.98
80-84 - 1:44.27
Notice that, between the ages of 30 and 45, the times vary by less than :00.75. But as men age, they seem to slow: the difference between the 45-year-old time and the 60-year-old time widens to almost 8 seconds. That same trend could have been observed in the "tech suit era," suggesting that something may happen to people as they get older. (Gee, do you think?).
Some people - the ones who set records last weekend are among them - are just great swimmers, with or without tech suits. Based on what we saw this weekend, I don't think the masters' "tech suit era" records will be on the books very long.
