I have read various swimming books that tout even-pacing for 200m as the best way to go. So, using my very modest goals as an example, if I want to swim 3:04, I should aim to do 46sec every 50m. (Diving in would likely make the first 50m faster, but let's assume that I am pushing off for this discussion.)
But I'm beginning to wonder if something like 44.5 - 45.5 - 46.5 - 47.5 = 3:04 is the better way for me to get to 3:04.
In running, the 800m is typically performed in a positive-split fashion, due to energy requirements for the event. A 2:00 runner (hey, that was me!!) would likely do 58.5 - 61.5 halves. Rather than kicking the last 200m, you would basically try to hang on, or minimize the fade.
I sense that the 200m swim should have the same characteristics. At the WR level, the duration is close to 800m running. (I suppose that if I was able to examine the 50m splits on various elite 200m swims, I would have the answer to this, but I haven't been able to dig this information up yet.)
Anyway....I've been stuck at 3:05 for 3 weeks in a row, utilizing quite even splits. On my 3:04 (or 3:03?) attempt tomorrow, I'm aiming to do the positive split. It's not "sexy" to be "just trying to hang on" on the last 50m, but I am wondering if this is the way to a faster 200m.
Thoughts?
Thanks in advance.
Jeff is right on about LC vs SC. Push Off speed is faster than swim speed, so losing 4 walls in a LCM pool results in slower times as well as the need to swim/kick a higher % of race time.
This is definitiely true. In short course my 100s are normally about two seconds different in a 200 free. No way I can split it like that long course!
The faster you swim - the more you will be able to control the 50 splits. For us "normal" swimmers like your time can go at a steady pace and try to finish with a a sprint. Yes - more races with different paces will show you what you can do.
This post speaks to me. Thanks.
All of this is theory. What should we aim to do? The rest is the real world. What will you do, given your fitness and ideas?
You went 1:13/1:24 at first. May I ask what your splits are in your best 200?
My best 200 LCM is a 2:26 though I do not have splits recorded for this swim. I did a 2:29 as 34.3, 36.3, 38.8 and 40.1. This wasn't a great swim. I was out a bit faster than I should have been and paid the price as the meters accumulated.
My best swim in a 200 SCY was a 2:01 done as 28.7, 30.1, 31.0 and 31.9.
One of the best qualitative explanations of how to swim a 200 that I have seen can be found here:
swimcoachdirect.blogspot.com/.../a-200-free-simplified.html
In summary:
1st 50: Put on a stroke clinic
2nd 50: Put some power into it
3rd 50: Show me your kick
4th 50: Show me your character
The idea is that escalating perceived effort should produce approximately even splits. (The first 50 will be faster because of the dive of course.)
From a more quantitative perspective, one can attempt to apply a splitting formula.
By looking at splits of NCAA collegiate swimmers, (presumably these are just about as close to ideal as humanly possible because these highly experienced accomplished athletes) it is possible to determine the average splitting of the most successful swimmer. There used to be a table of such splits here:
www.baymasters.org/pacing.html
but the link seems dead. Perhaps some from Great Bay Masters can point us to where it is now.
In any event, Ed Nessel (Cullen Jones coach) has worked out ideal racing formulas. (1)
For example, his ideal racing formula for the 200 fr is:
S = best 50 fr time.
S1 = S + 2.0 (Take the first 50 out 2.0s slower than your best 50.)
S2 = S + 3.8
S3 = S + 4.0
S4 = S + 4.4
Add up time is 4S + 14.2
His ideal 200 racing formula for the 200 bk is:
Z = best 100 time.
(S1 + S2) = Z + 3.5 (Take the first 100 out 3.5s slower than your best 100.)
(S3 + S4) = (Z + 3.5) + 3.6 (Allow for 3.6s fade on the back half.)
The add-up time (W) is:
W = (Z + 3.5) + ((Z + 3.5) + 3.6) = 2Z + 10.6 (roughly, double your best 100 and add 11)
I'm pretty sure I posted this information quite a while ago, but I've been unable to find my old post. The search tool for the forums is not very good, and there seems to be a lot of stuff missing from more than ~6 years ago.
Refs:
(1) Swim to Win: Train like a champion, By Ed Nessel
