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Chowmi's Blog

200 back splits

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by
chowmi
, February 26th, 2013 at 11:52 AM (3375 Views)
Well, results are up, and I was right when I peeked at the 100!

200 back, SCY
34.20
1:10.14 (35.94)
1:46.52 (36.38)
2:19.64 (33.12) (1:09.50)

Ok, so even a bigger negative split than my inaugural 200 back swim of 1:12.01/1:12.04! I think I need to take it out faster! Just not sure how much I have left in the tank, so it will take some more swims to get used to how fast I can really push it. Geez, my last 50 was over a second faster than my first 50!

Yesterday I tried a very strong 200 back in workout (SCM). I went a 2:44. I was right at 2:00 at the 150, but then was so intent on looking at the clock that I nearly bonked my head, so I think I lost some time there going into the last 50. I wonder, what is the translation between a workout 200 and a race 200? 10 seconds at least. But how much more? If I was 2:00, then that is an average of 40 per 50, or 1:20 at the 100. I might try a fast 100 to see where I am.

I was thinking to try the 200 free. But I can barely even visualize it. I was trying to go some strong 200's free yesterday as well. I am so wimpy that in sets of 3, I had to sit out the middle one and rest in order to do 2 strong ones. No conditioning to go 3 in a row on 3:00, 2:50, 2:45. I found I didn't have an efficient 80% speed. I think I may try to 200 free and just see where I am. There is no Truth like actually racing it and seeing what you do.

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Comments

  1. ekw's Avatar
    I am tentative on the 200 back too because when I bonk on that I feel like I'm going to drown. When I bonk on a freestyle race I don't feel good but I don't feel like half my body is actively trying to pull me under the water to my grave.
  2. The Fortress's Avatar
    33.1 is less than 4 seconds from your AFAP 50 back. Incredible for last 50 of a 200. Why not try the 200 free? And maybe the 200 breast. Nice break from all the 50 free emphasis. Plus, training for those events somewhat might set up a nice 50 free in LCM. LCM is so much more aerobic.
  3. fdtotten's Avatar
    The way you do the 200 BK is quite good. With some experimentation you could fine tune the pacing towards faster going out pace but still holding close to negative split finish. In a close championship level race this may be needed to close the race in victory. Even split/negative split 200 is most likely your natural sense of pace at this time and could be the most effective strategy for you with your weekly time in the water and race preparation.

    May I suggest the same pacing strategy for the 200 Free as a starting point, with more focus on the splits than final time, and then shifting to dropping the final time as gaining confidence from discovering your 80% efficient speed from practicing different pacing variations. I struggled with doing 200 Free in practice, so I would do some 200s as broken at :40 and at 1:10 to get some confidence what initial pace I could do that would allow me swim it even or as negative. It taken me some time, but I am getting better working at it in small doses. Anyway...good luck, and you so correct, there is no truth like racing it or a time trial with someone taking splits.
  4. knelson's Avatar
    How's your backstroke start? I find that I tend to even split backstroke races and part of that is because my start sucks.
  5. chowmi's Avatar
    Thanks all! I am thinking about swimming a bunch of different events at the zone meet. Hoho Knelson, I did a wall gutter start. I have such a crappy backstroke start that it was worth saving that silver bullet for the finish. I really like fdtotten's idea of getting the splits rather than the overall time, and over time, to get that down, too. I was mentally going over a what-if on the 200 free, and started to really stress about whether I would be able to break 2:00. Now, I feel like I have all the time in the world, and for once, it would be nice to do some races and set the spread for number of seconds to the 2:00 barrier instead of worrying about breaking it. I find no joy in thinking about a pure all out 150 and dying a million deaths on the last 50 to make it to 2:01. I'd rather go a 2:05 and split 1:02, 1:03 with a charge at the end. Agree with ekw. Except in backstroke I just start sitting up and sinking.
  6. Karl_S's Avatar
    Ha, so last year your were dogging it* and now that you put together a solid 200 back, the 2:19 that I predicted here: http://forums.usms.org/entry.php?216...me!!!#comments
    was spot on!

    Nessel's racing formula suggests that 2:15-1:16 would be a strong swim for you so there is still some headroom to improve simply with better strategy. BTW, I've noticed that a couple of my best 200 back swims have been very nearly even-split or slightly negative-split as well. I'm not sure what that means, just an observation. I'm in the low 2:20s.

    *just jesting about dogging it, I recognize that you were conservative in your previous swim, not knowing what to expect - not a bad plan as this event can get pretty uncomfortable on the back half!