would be interested in hearing theories on why masters national records have been broken without the fast suits but world-class swimmers have not. i always thought the fast suits helped us more than them
The reason more records weren't broken is because a lot of people automatically thought they wouldn't swim faster in 2011 without the rubber suits. That instantly tells your brain that you can't do it, which tells your body you can't do it. I was shocked when I swam a 55.12 at nationals, but I had prepared myself to race like I could swim that fast.
The short course yards 100 *** national record for the 35-39 age group has been on my mind since I was 30. I never thought I could swim faster than 55.26 in Masters, but I put in the work every year since I turned 35, and this year it all worked out well at Nationals, from training to taper to race prep.
Since I did not fully prepare for a short course yards race in the high-tech suit era, I don't know if I could have gone under 55 with the suit in 2009-2010, but I know I was never fully comfortable in those rubber things and it distracted me from focusing on the race.
If you look at the people who set the records at nationals (besides myself, Rowdy Gaines, Josh Davis and a couple of others), most of them were entering a new age group, and most of them swam slower than they did wearing the suits, but fast enough to break records in a new age group.
I can say with absolute authority that Masters records are not easy to break. I'm already looking ahead to the 40-44 age group and know I will have my work cut out for me.
Very well said, Jeff.
The reason more records weren't broken is because a lot of people automatically thought they wouldn't swim faster in 2011 without the rubber suits. That instantly tells your brain that you can't do it, which tells your body you can't do it. I was shocked when I swam a 55.12 at nationals, but I had prepared myself to race like I could swim that fast.
The short course yards 100 *** national record for the 35-39 age group has been on my mind since I was 30. I never thought I could swim faster than 55.26 in Masters, but I put in the work every year since I turned 35, and this year it all worked out well at Nationals, from training to taper to race prep.
Since I did not fully prepare for a short course yards race in the high-tech suit era, I don't know if I could have gone under 55 with the suit in 2009-2010, but I know I was never fully comfortable in those rubber things and it distracted me from focusing on the race.
If you look at the people who set the records at nationals (besides myself, Rowdy Gaines, Josh Davis and a couple of others), most of them were entering a new age group, and most of them swam slower than they did wearing the suits, but fast enough to break records in a new age group.
I can say with absolute authority that Masters records are not easy to break. I'm already looking ahead to the 40-44 age group and know I will have my work cut out for me.
Very well said, Jeff.
