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.
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Thanks to all for your input. I've very much enjoyed reading your comments. It is very much appreciated, and definitely is helping. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that there are two scratches ahead of me, though (I already know of one), so that I will have some company for the last 50-75 yards. :)
I'm actually seeded 12/20, so not the top half, but a couple of those below me are NTs so I have no idea where they will be. Looking back, that's what I probably should have done. However, the one good thing is that the event is being swum slow to fast, so in the faster heat I will have a little more rest between my 3rd event and the 400 IM.
Maybe I'll just pretend I'm swimming a really long 200 IM... :afraid:
Thanks to all for your input. I've very much enjoyed reading your comments. It is very much appreciated, and definitely is helping. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that there are two scratches ahead of me, though (I already know of one), so that I will have some company for the last 50-75 yards. :)
I'm actually seeded 12/20, so not the top half, but a couple of those below me are NTs so I have no idea where they will be. Looking back, that's what I probably should have done. However, the one good thing is that the event is being swum slow to fast, so in the faster heat I will have a little more rest between my 3rd event and the 400 IM.
Maybe I'll just pretend I'm swimming a really long 200 IM... :afraid:
