The FAF AFAP Digest

I am relieved to read that you are in the water, not only kicking but swimming, as well as online sharing interesting stories, and articles links.

The pacing article is an interesting, perhaps wordy read. I will look at the actual published research myself.

I'm willing to bet that attendance could be down this year. If enough people ditch the whole meet because they got shut out of Friday's events, Cheryl might have to do something different with entries next year.

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

I'm willing to bet that attendance could be down this year. If enough people ditch the whole meet because they got shut out of Friday's events, Cheryl might have to do something different with entries next year.

I am sure it will be more poorly attended. Sigh. Non-PV people might not have the incentive to travel.

I already feel like women are disadvantaged because the women's pool runs faster than the men's, hence less rest for us. I've advocated for breaks, but to no avail. (I did note they had breaks at the Tropical Splash.)

Because it is a champs meet, Cheryl could validly just take the fastest X number of times. I know Chris says what Team Z did was "ethical," but it seems crazy to me that one triathlon team can take all the slots at a champs meet and shut out real swimmers who care about their pool times. William told me he's calling the Team Z coach.

Originally Posted by fdtotten

I am relieved to read that you are in the water, not only kicking but swimming, as well as online sharing interesting stories, and articles links.

The pacing article is an interesting, perhaps wordy read. I will look at the actual published research myself.

Last time my elbow was jabbed, I couldn't even straighten it to get into a streamline position. This time it's bruised and swollen, but only relatively minor pain. Yay!

But the scientists have found one signal that does seem effectively to override the body’s strong pull toward its preferred ways of moving: a strongly rhythmic beat. When Dr. Donelan and his colleagues fitted runners or walkers with headphones tuned to a metronome, they found that they could increase or decrease volunteers’ step frequency, even if that frequency was faster or slower than a person’s preferred step pattern. They would also maintain that pace for as long as the metronomic rhythm continued unaltered. The volunteers aligned their movement to the beat.

Knew there was something to positive happening from the music and beat while spinning. Likely it would work in the pool too.

Glad your shoulder has calmed from the injection.

I heard that last time Team Z scooped up most of the distance spots, Frank apparently talked to Ed Z. and asked him not to do this (use CZ as a time trial) again. I guess all the pools and practices FXCM has access to now isn't enough for them to either hold a distance meet, or at least time trials for the Team Z folks, since you know 99.9% of them could care less about getting official times.

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

I heard that last time Team Z scooped up most of the distance spots, Frank apparently talked to Ed Z. and asked him not to do this (use CZ as a time trial) again. I guess all the pools and practices FXCM has access to now isn't enough for them to either hold a distance meet, or at least time trials for the Team Z folks, since you know 99.9% of them could care less about getting official times.

Exactly my sentiments. I spoke to one of them recently. She had no idea what her time would be, didn't really care how she did (it was "practice"), and didn't even realize it was an east coast meet. If its just "practice," they can time trial in practice.

Originally Posted by Sojerz

Knew there was something to positive happening from the music and beat while spinning. Likely it would work in the pool too.

Glad your shoulder has calmed from the injection.

Thanks Bill!

i like the pacing point. It suggests frequent racing is beneficial.

Originally Posted by The Fortress

Exactly my sentiments. I spoke to one of them recently. She had no idea what her time would be, didn't really care how she did (it was "practice"), and didn't even realize it was an east coast meet. If its just "practice," they can time trial in practice.

Oy. They're all just trying to get a base time for the start of tri season. Practice should be sufficient for any of them. The 0.01% that want a real time for the possibility of rankings are more than welcome to come to the meet.

Were you serious about the 1:45:00.00 entry time for the 1000, by the way?

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

Oy. They're all just trying to get a base time for the start of tri season. Practice should be sufficient for any of them. The 0.01% that want a real time for the possibility of rankings are more than welcome to come to the meet.

Were you serious about the 1:45:00.00 entry time for the 1000, by the way?

If there were unlimited slots, no big deal. But because there are only X number of spaces and this is a champs meet, time standards are more fair than "first come first serve."

Yes, Cheryl told me that last weekend when we were chatting at HS Regionals. Lots of very slow entry times. She was going to put some of them in lane 9.

Originally Posted by The Fortress

If there were unlimited slots, no big deal. But because there are only X number of spaces and this is a champs meet, time standards are more fair than "first come first serve."

Yes, Cheryl told me that last weekend when we were chatting at HS Regionals. Lots of very slow entry times. She was going to put some of them in lane 9.

Agree 100%. And she'd have to do something like that, or she's going to lose that lane for most of the 1000s, no matter how she tries to work around it.

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

Agree 100%. And she'd have to do something like that, or she's going to lose that lane for most of the 1000s, no matter how she tries to work around it.

She was going to suggest to the Team Z coach that he time trial his athletes to get some semblance of accurate entry times and she would revise them. But they view this meet as a time trial ...

Seriously. It would be one thing if they actually cared about trying for real times, but if it's just practice, then I stand by the sentiment that this isn't right.

I'm actually a little glad that Jeff didn't get in to either event- warm ups will be a complete charlie-foxtrot with that many tris there on Friday night.

And I have "insider" info that Ed did ask all the Team Z folks to sign up again this year.

hey fortress: i don't mean to but in but i'm done with the posting to the forum site but here is some interesting info i gleaned from friday nites fxcm entries. of the 104 fxcm masters ... 91 are only swimming friday nite, 77 of the 104 have no recorded time in the usms database, another 11 have 1 recorded swim, 7 of which are 3 years or older.After seeing some of those times i agree it will be a very slow friday nite. the comments here are interesting. i swam this meet 2 years ago but went to the nearby nat's last year. this was, going forward, to be my end of season. without changes to the entry procedure, sadly, i'll be moving on. Good luck to you jack cothren

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

Seriously. It would be one thing if they actually cared about trying for real times, but if it's just practice, then I stand by the sentiment that this isn't right.

I'm actually a little glad that Jeff didn't get in to either event- warm ups will be a complete charlie-foxtrot with that many tris there on Friday night.

And I have "insider" info that Ed did ask all the Team Z folks to sign up again this year.

I guess Ed is in favor of the "paradigm shift"?

Originally Posted by jcoth49

hey fortress: i don't mean to but in but i'm done with the posting to the forum site but here is some interesting info i gleaned from friday nites fxcm entries. of the 104 fxcm masters ... 91 are only swimming friday nite, 77 of the 104 have no recorded time in the usms database, another 11 have 1 recorded swim, 7 of which are 3 years or older.After seeing some of those times i agree it will be a very slow friday nite. the comments here are interesting. i swam this meet 2 years ago but went to the nearby nat's last year. this was, going forward, to be my end of season. without changes to the entry procedure, sadly, i'll be moving on. Good luck to you jack cothren

Thanks for the info Jack! That will make Mollie grind her teeth more. Glad I don't have to sit through it. And I don't think it's right for this particular meet.

Ugh to Jack's post for sure. I'm impressed you went through and did all that investigating- I was temped to do something similar, but I've given in to the futility of the situation. For this year at least.

Hopefully Frank will talk to Ed and remind him that Frank has asked for this not to happen, so that next year will be better. Either that, or Cheryl can come up with a more equitable solution for entries.

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

Ugh to Jack's post for sure. I'm impressed you went through and did all that investigating- I was temped to do something similar, but I've given in to the futility of the situation. For this year at least.

Hopefully Frank will talk to Ed and remind him that Frank has asked for this not to happen, so that next year will be better. Either that, or Cheryl can come up with a more equitable solution for entries.

I'm going to the Mason practice tomorrow. I'll make sure Cheryl goes back to look at the thread. She may not even know of the controversy.

You need to check out the most recent post (by penguinfan or something like that) in the thread. S/he's saying that if there are any USMS swimmers just doing Friday and/or coming to Zones as their first meet, then the playing field is level. Seriously?!?

Originally Posted by swimmieAvsFan

You need to check out the most recent post (by penguinfan or something like that) in the thread. S/he's saying that if there are any USMS swimmers just doing Friday and/or coming to Zones as their first meet, then the playing field is level. Seriously?!?

I will check it out. I bet the number of non-triathlete real swimmers doing just Friday or just one day is about 1%. And did she miss the point that the issue is the limited number of slots?

After reading her reply, it's clear that the only thing to do is change the entry rules for champs meets in these events. They don't care that it's a champs meet that they've coopted.