Ok, so the more they email me, the more I get nervous about the water temp. Last year it was 69 which stung to get in, but it made for a nice swimming temp. By the end, though, my fingers and toes felt a little numb, but that could have been tired (??).
But this year, it could be up to 10 degrees colder?! What to do when the coolest water I can find here in Cincinnati is 80?
Former Member
In 2003 George Wendts time for the 5k. He was 55 then.
10 1 9 GEORGE WENDT 101 55 M N RIVER FOREST IL 58:41
I have been working out with Andy for nearly 16 years. I have no doubt he did that time. I invite anyone who doubts it to join us for a work out of 50x100 @ 1:15
IF MR. Seibt went 50x 100's on 1:15 in LCM then MAYBE he could do a 5,000M in under 59. And if he did this set, and if he swam the Big Shoulders in 56 then we should expect at least a 15:30 or so in the 1650 this year. I hope you are right, Tom, because it would be really neat for a 51 year old to be putting up world class open water swimming times. But I really really doubt it.
But for the record, and to atleast put some people on your side: you have witnessed 50x100's in LCM on 1:15?
In the most remarkable performance since Rosie Ruiz in the 1980 New York City marathon, Chicago local Andy Seibt (51) won the 2009 USMS Championship 5k - Big Shoulders Swim in a time of 56:21.
Andy Seibt knocked nearly 13 minutes off his '08 time (about 20%), averaging 1:07/100M pace, which he hasn't held for more than a 500 (pool swim) since 2004. On August 1st he swam USMS National Championship 10K in 2:26.
By comparison local Chicago hero George Wendt's times for the years (2007-2009) were 1:08, 1:03, 1:07
I can't wait until he goes on the lecture circuit. I simply must hear about his training secrets. :fish2:
Really? Really?
For clarification I was talking short course. There was a 48 year old female in the race that went a 1:02.1. The water was smooth, the temperature was perfect and you were constantly catching the draft of the slower swimmers from the earlier waves as you swam the course. You can doubt all you want if that's what makes you happy. Consider my previous post of George Wendt going a 58 in 2003 at age 55 which shows a history of another 50+ year old under a minute on that course.
Consider my previous post of George Wendt going a 58 in 2003 at age 55 which shows a history of another 50+ year old under a minute on that course.
The course is not the same year to year. IN 2003 Wendt was 8 minutes off the lead, with the winner going 50:59. That was not a 5,000 course. Heck that same year YOU went 58:48
For clarification I was talking short course. There was a 48 year old female in the race that went a 1:02.1
50 x 100's in SCY on 1:15 is a great set that I would seriously doubt I could swim when I am 50. But that is no where close to being a world class type set. And Seibt crushed a borderline world class swimmer in ALex Tyler. I'll make two comparisons: the female you refer to, Eney Jones, was 15 seconds faster than Seibt in the mile this past short course season. And ALex Tyler was almost a full minute faster than Seibt in the 400 IM (3:47 to 4:43).
You can doubt all you want if that's what makes you happy.
I think it totally sucks that the incorrect results were posted.
BTW, has anyone talked to Andy or the BS organisers about this or is it just bitching?
I just wanted to let everyone know I went back and deleted my posts that called the results into question. Amanda is right, the correct course of action here is to email Big Shoulders and ask them to verify the results. It's certainly OK to make sure there wasn't some problem with the results, it's not OK to single out one swimmer here just because he swam fast. My apologies to Andy and congrats on the awesome swim.
Chicken of the sea: calling me unsportsmanlike is hurtful and I am going to have to reconsider our facebook friendship. I only mentioned La Jolla as it was the same weekend, roughly the same distance, and usually has overall faster swimmers (Fran Crippen, Chloe Sutton and other age-groupers). Unfair comparison? yes. Absurd? I think not. If you put Jeff Erwin over in lane 1 doing a birthday swim mile with the entire team churning on him and put me in lane 8 with smooth water, he still kicks my butt.
This is not about A.S., but about holding race directors accountable. As an example (albeit more extreme), I have won two open water swims here in Phoenix this summer. Each time I was not originally declared the winner. The first time there was somebody that supposedly went 14 minutes faster than anyone. The second a 10 year old girl on my daughter's team was put in front of me in the results. Is it unsportsman-like to question the results? While I believe I won, I have no way to prove it as the waves mixed (as I assume they do in Chicago). AS and his pal Tom seem like good swimmers. If they say it was done, then we must accept the results. I will continue to question things I do not believe to be true...y'all can go back to your opium den of civility now. :)
While I believe I won, I have no way to prove it as the waves mixed (as I assume they do in Chicago).
That's a nice feature of the Gatorman -- the mass 500/600 person start.
I dunno. I clocked in at 1:18, and I kept trying to swim on the outside of the lifeguard boats. So I'm marking myself at a 58 on as straight swim.:lolup:
Seriously, the swim was great fun as usual. Perfect weather. Perfect water temp. I'll be back next year.
