I'm not a new masters swimmer nor am I new to meets, but am new to the 400 IM. Truthfully, I'm a little concerned about my ability to make it through the event legally (well, I'm really mainly afraid of the 4th 25). I'm scheduled to swim the 400 IM at a meet this weekend (Saturday). There are twenty people entered, it's a 10 lane pool, and as luck would have it I'm seeded 11th. If only one person above me scratches, I'll be in a heat where the fastest person is seeded 1:40 faster than I am, and the slowest person (besides me) is still seeded 40 seconds faster than I am. My seed time is MUCH closer to the people seeded right behind me, and I think I seeded myself as accurately as I could.
So... I am extremely anxious about swimming in this heat, as I was already anxious about swimming the 400 IM. Do I scratch to save myself the humiliation and to save some energy for Sunday's events? Or do I get lapped at least twice by the leaders, once by the next slowest person, and tick everyone off for holding up the meet? I'm already swimming the 1000 earlier in the session, and the 400 IM will be my 4th event of the day. I really have mixed feelings about this.
In all meets except our state meet, events like the 400IM or 200 fly can have a huge time range within each heat. I don't think you should let that hold you back. My experience has been that I'm always glad after swimming challenging events that I stuck to the plan and swam the race. I approach meets as hard sprint practices. Fast times are nice, but not always possible. Try not to psych yourself out, and I bet you'll do fine. Good luck!
It's you against the clock, swim it. Even in heat 2, you can't expect to pace yourself against the next lane over, you are going to have different strengths and weaknesses in the various strokes. Just swim your own race in what ever heat you end up in.
Don't scratch!! The 400 IM is the event of champions...even if you come in 10 minutes behind the pack...who cares??!!! Congratulations!!! You completed it!!! In Masters, it doesn't matter how fast you do it, who you beat, or even if you get disqualified in the attempt. Just the fact that you are out there and giving your best is good enough!! Go for it!! :applaud:
Hmmmmmm
I'm the sort of person that thinks if I'm there and entered, I may as well swim the event. If it is the last event you're swimming that day I'd be tempted to swim it, just to see how you do. No expectations as you've already swum a number of events. If it is a truly awful experience, well you don't have to ever swim it again. If you finish legally and in good shape you have a benchmark time and a feel for it.
If 2 people faster than you scratch, then you won't be seeded slowest in the fast heat either. Maybe you can treat it as a "fun" "extra" - kinda hard to think of the 400IM as fun, but hopefully you know what I mean?
Are you able to pull out of it later in the day depending on how you feel, or would you be DQed from Sunday's events?
Kristin, don't even think of scratching!! You will do great no matter what heat you are in. There is no humilation in swimming the 400 IM...many people would not even attempt it (like me).
This will be my first 1000, and I obviously miscalculated my seed time probably ending up in the fastest heat (YIKES), so I'll be getting lapped too (hehehe). Then following that I am swimming the 200 Fly with 2 other girls who are WAY faster than me. So you have no worries.
Just remember, we are there to have fun and challenge ourselves!
My guess is that the 400IM is preseeded since the entry doesn't say anything about positive check-in being required. That means that you will be in the first (slower) heat. If I were you I'd WANT to be in the faster heat. The slow folks won't give you a race. And I'm betting your seed time is actually 20-30 secs off. If you want, I'll race you in it in the fall so long as lefty is working correctly!
My first time ever in the 400 IM was earlier this season. The other 5 people in the heat finished a full 50 ahead of me. I swam the last 50 alone, but with a lot of cheering from the crowd. When I was warming down I got nothing but high 5's from people impressed that I would even be swimming that race. There was a lot of "oh I could never do that event". Also had a similar experience in the 200 fly last year.
I'd say go ahead and swim it no matter what; it's your last event of the day. When you're done reward yourself with a margarita and a big juicy cheeseburger!!!!!!! I would definitely do it for that!!
"Getting your $$$ out of the meet" doesn't move me either and I almost never max out events.
That's got me pegged... I'm cheap! Probably why I like mid-distance events better. More time in the pool for the same money.
Kristen
I may be quicker on stroke but not :45 out of 400. I'm betting you go closer to 1:20 on your fly and 1:15 on the free. So you're down to 5:45 already and I know you're gonna kick butt! What's the wager? margarita?
I won't be there tomorrow but I'll see you Sunday and you can tell me all about it then!
Heidi
