Placing at nationals is a big thrill. So if the dilemma is between doing a good time vs. strategically entering an event that you could medal in, then I would always go for the hardware event!!!
There are plenty of opportunities to swim your other events, like at the DAMM Feb meet or zone meet and load up on your 10 max events.
I have specifically entered the 200 fly (circa 2006 Coral Springs?) when I wasn't in good shape - but I thought it was actually possible to place highest in this event since people bail at the end of nationals, and in particular, very highly attended nationals where the meets are long. And I won it! I did not "cheat", and yes, I believe I totally deserved it!!! I showed up, and only about 4 other girls did, too! Pick & choose your events wisely, I say!
You are less than 1/2 way into your lifelong swimming career. The way I look at it, it all evens out in the end. Sometimes it will be a default slam dunk, and other times you have to really fight just to get close but maybe not get the place you wanted.
For instance, SVDL doesn't request splits - so one year, I actually got #1 times in the 50 & 100 SCM ***! But last year, I was simply too lazy to submit any USA times for masters, so I missed out on a #1 in LCM 50 free.
So you see, it evens out in the end, and they all end up going in the "lifetime achievement" pile. And I have many decades left in the tank!!!! Ok, maybe one decade less than YOOOUUU!!!!!
There is no right or wrong goal. It can be as silly or as noble as you want. I have, as stated above, done the "where can I place?" strategy, along with the "i'm swimming my bestest events no matter what!" to "which events can I swim around Nadine Day?" or "which events can I get BIG medals (top 3) at nationals" to "Major 3/Minor 3" events (ie, my big gun 3 events, and then totally-blow-off-chase-anyone-else-down events). It's all for fun!!!!
Placing at nationals is a big thrill. So if the dilemma is between doing a good time vs. strategically entering an event that you could medal in, then I would always go for the hardware event!!!
There are plenty of opportunities to swim your other events, like at the DAMM Feb meet or zone meet and load up on your 10 max events.
I have specifically entered the 200 fly (circa 2006 Coral Springs?) when I wasn't in good shape - but I thought it was actually possible to place highest in this event since people bail at the end of nationals, and in particular, very highly attended nationals where the meets are long. And I won it! I did not "cheat", and yes, I believe I totally deserved it!!! I showed up, and only about 4 other girls did, too! Pick & choose your events wisely, I say!
You are less than 1/2 way into your lifelong swimming career. The way I look at it, it all evens out in the end. Sometimes it will be a default slam dunk, and other times you have to really fight just to get close but maybe not get the place you wanted.
For instance, SVDL doesn't request splits - so one year, I actually got #1 times in the 50 & 100 SCM ***! But last year, I was simply too lazy to submit any USA times for masters, so I missed out on a #1 in LCM 50 free.
So you see, it evens out in the end, and they all end up going in the "lifetime achievement" pile. And I have many decades left in the tank!!!! Ok, maybe one decade less than YOOOUUU!!!!!
There is no right or wrong goal. It can be as silly or as noble as you want. I have, as stated above, done the "where can I place?" strategy, along with the "i'm swimming my bestest events no matter what!" to "which events can I swim around Nadine Day?" or "which events can I get BIG medals (top 3) at nationals" to "Major 3/Minor 3" events (ie, my big gun 3 events, and then totally-blow-off-chase-anyone-else-down events). It's all for fun!!!!
