Breaking 1:00 in the 100 free SCY for the 1st time

This brings up an interesting point. As I have not yet swam in a meet, I really don't know a reasonable expectation in a meet versus the middle of practice. For example, whenever I have timed myself in a 50 (best time off the wall 28) or a 100 (best time off the wall 1:11) it was in the middle of a practice, after I had swam at least a good 2000-3500 yards and with maybe a minute or two's rest. Granted, those yards may not have been particularly fast paced. I really don't know what it's like to just dive into the pool and swim after warming up and then resting 30-40 minutes, like you might do in a meet. I'm trying to psyche myself up to actually swim in a meet, but keep telling myself to get a little better first, lol. Those of you with experience, does it help or hurt to be waiting for a period of time then just dive into a race. Are you too cold, or does the rest help you a lot. How might my race times compare to what I'm doing now? Of note, I'm still working on my dives. I did a little experiment to compare my starts from a stand and gentle push versus diving, and it was about the same. Work in progress. I have several thoughts about your comments based on my pesonal experience. 1) I'm not sure if by "off the wall" you mean a dive start from the deck, (i.e. standing with your feet on the gutter) or a push start from in the water, but either way I'm a little surprised that if you can do :28 for a 50 your best 100 is 1:11. My best in-practice from-a-push 50 is only :30, but my best 100 is 1:03. Maybe you are more of a pure sprinter (I'm *very* far from a sprinter), or maybe you could benefit from work on speed endurance. 2) It's not surprising that your best swims in practice come after swimming 2-3k yds. By then you are well warmed up. IMO, lots of folks don't warm up enought at meets. They do like 100 ez and a few sprints and think they are warmed up. Your observation suggests to me that you will benefit from a substantial warmup. I'm not advocating 3k yds, but 1k is reasonable. One day a few summers ago I had a meet in the evening but wasn't focusing on it or anything, so I went ahead and did a hard 3500 yds in the morning - then surprised myself with a fast swim (for me) in the evening. Since then I have wondered if there was some residual warm-up effect. 3) You are right in your speculation that staying warmed up between the end of your warm-up swim and your race can be an issue. I'm a skinny guy and I get cold (and therefore stiff) easily. I dry off immediately after warm-up and the put on long pants and 2 or even 3 sweatshirts depending on the air temperature. Last summer at a late afternoon meet the air temperature was over 100 F. Lots of people were apparently uncomfortable, I swam 3 personal best times. Warm muscles are fast muscules I say, (but hydration is an issue in such hot temperatures). 4) If your 50 times are the same from a dive as from a push, it sounds like you can get a big time drop by improving your start, unless you are timing in some funny way when you swim from a push. I use the head going under water as the clock start when I time from a push. 5) I encourage you to do a meet. They are fun! Besides, what better way is there to find out what you need to work on most?

This brings up an interesting point. As I have not yet swam in a meet, I really don't know a reasonable expectation in a meet versus the middle of practice. For example, whenever I have timed myself in a 50 (best time off the wall 28) or a 100 (best time off the wall 1:11) it was in the middle of a practice, after I had swam at least a good 2000-3500 yards and with maybe a minute or two's rest. Granted, those yards may not have been particularly fast paced. I really don't know what it's like to just dive into the pool and swim after warming up and then resting 30-40 minutes, like you might do in a meet. I'm trying to psyche myself up to actually swim in a meet, but keep telling myself to get a little better first, lol. Those of you with experience, does it help or hurt to be waiting for a period of time then just dive into a race. Are you too cold, or does the rest help you a lot. How might my race times compare to what I'm doing now? Of note, I'm still working on my dives. I did a little experiment to compare my starts from a stand and gentle push versus diving, and it was about the same. Work in progress. I have several thoughts about your comments based on my pesonal experience. 1) I'm not sure if by "off the wall" you mean a dive start from the deck, (i.e. standing with your feet on the gutter) or a push start from in the water, but either way I'm a little surprised that if you can do :28 for a 50 your best 100 is 1:11. My best in-practice from-a-push 50 is only :30, but my best 100 is 1:03. Maybe you are more of a pure sprinter (I'm *very* far from a sprinter), or maybe you could benefit from work on speed endurance. 2) It's not surprising that your best swims in practice come after swimming 2-3k yds. By then you are well warmed up. IMO, lots of folks don't warm up enought at meets. They do like 100 ez and a few sprints and think they are warmed up. Your observation suggests to me that you will benefit from a substantial warmup. I'm not advocating 3k yds, but 1k is reasonable. One day a few summers ago I had a meet in the evening but wasn't focusing on it or anything, so I went ahead and did a hard 3500 yds in the morning - then surprised myself with a fast swim (for me) in the evening. Since then I have wondered if there was some residual warm-up effect. 3) You are right in your speculation that staying warmed up between the end of your warm-up swim and your race can be an issue. I'm a skinny guy and I get cold (and therefore stiff) easily. I dry off immediately after warm-up and the put on long pants and 2 or even 3 sweatshirts depending on the air temperature. Last summer at a late afternoon meet the air temperature was over 100 F. Lots of people were apparently uncomfortable, I swam 3 personal best times. Warm muscles are fast muscules I say, (but hydration is an issue in such hot temperatures). 4) If your 50 times are the same from a dive as from a push, it sounds like you can get a big time drop by improving your start, unless you are timing in some funny way when you swim from a push. I use the head going under water as the clock start when I time from a push. 5) I encourage you to do a meet. They are fun! Besides, what better way is there to find out what you need to work on most?