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Slowtwitch Forums: Triathlon Forum:
enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed?

vortmax

Oct 7, 08 12:55

Post #1 of 16 (364 views)

enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed?	Can't Post

My masters group has a meet coming up at the end of the month and I'm thinking about entering. The only problem is that I'm slower then snot (solid 2:00 / hundred).

I really want to race, because I know when I first started running, that getting my ass handed to me at a 5k was enough motivation to seriously kick my ass into high gear, and I just enjoy racing. What I don't know is how friendly masters meets are to slower swimmers. Are they more like running races, were pretty much anyone is welcome to compete, or more like a crit where if you can't hang with the pack, you'll be kicked off the course?

Past results seem to show winners in the 50 free around 24s spanning to 30s for last (7 places), and the 58 to 68s as the range in the 100 free (4 places). If I work my ass off, I could probably hit 30s for 50, but I think 1:30 for the 100 would be best case scenario.

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"If you're allowed to swim in a wet suit, I should be allowed to run in roller blades." -My Masters coach

(This post was edited by vortmax on Oct 7, 08 12:55)

Lazy Ben

Oct 7, 08 13:01

Post #2 of 16 (349 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Masters meets are friendly.

At the bigger meets at least you submit a seed time and get put in a race with people around your speed. That might mean you'd be racing the 80 year olds in your case but it's better than being in the pool with someone who's twice your speed.

At a small meet there won't be anyone there to laugh :)

Forget speedwork. Speedwork is the icing on the cake and you don't have a cake yet. - MattinSF

jyeager

Oct 7, 08 13:10

Post #3 of 16 (340 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I agree with him ^.

There will be people far slower than you at the meet. If you have a decent estimate of your time, put that in and you'll be racing with people about your speed. Or you can put in 'No Time' and they will stuff you in the slowest heat.

These meets are very friendly with all abilities represented. You will have a blast!

Cannonball

Oct 7, 08 13:13

Post #4 of 16 (337 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I dunno, getting destroyed kind of sucks but it's no where near as bad as say...having your dreams crushed! ;)

h2ofun

Oct 7, 08 13:20

Post #5 of 16 (318 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

I have yet to consider a Masters meet either since I know I would get my butt kicked, and I can do 1:20 per hundred with open turns.

I biggest reason I have yet to get near one is all the time I spent with my kids going to their swim meets. You go for hours, day, or days, for a few minutes of swimming at best. Same reason I never went to a water ski meet. What is so nice about our sport is the return on travel time vs race time, IMO.

(I am also scared of going off the blocks)

If you go, just have fun. Maybe one of these days I will attempt to address this fear.

Dave

MyAthlete.biz GPS
Bringing families into your racing

TriUno83

Oct 7, 08 13:32

Post #6 of 16 (302 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [h2ofun] [In reply to]	Can't Post

It's not at all like a crit, in that you're each assigned your own individual lane... so regardless of how badly you might suck (or if you're crazy fast, for that matter), it doesn't really affect anyone else since you're really racing the clock and only indirectly against each other.

Mulk

Oct 7, 08 13:34

Post #7 of 16 (288 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Vort - Definitely go for it!!! Masters meets are generally very friendly and are more low key than triathlons. You won't see many people super nervous and you won't see nearly as many people preening with $8000 bikes, for the simple reason that literally you can not spend that amount of money on swim gear!!!! That said, the biggest difference between running road races or tri's and swim meets is that in swimming, when you get up on the blocks for the start, it is just you, buddy, you and you alone. There is no mass or wave start to blend in with, no huge pack of runners all trying to start at the same time, it's just you solo on the blocks. This fact struck me when I went to a Masters meet in the fall a few years back after having done 12 tri's that year. I'd never thought about it before, or if I had it was so long ago, like age 6. However, assuming you don't like fall off the blocks or something, once you finish you'll get out and just blend in with the crowd. No one is likely remember your time or place unless you really swim outstandingly well.

So, go for it Vort and swim the 200 free while you're at it. That way you'll have three reference points for your future swimming career. If you stick with it, you might get to actually be pretty good at it. I have a friend who couldn't swim well at all in the beginning, but in about 5 years he got down to a 2:00 for 200 yd free.

Hoorah,
Mulk
"ANYONE can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

AndyPants

Oct 7, 08 13:37

Post #8 of 16 (285 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Do it. One of the best seasons I had for improvements was the fall I did the entire XC running series. That first xc race was horrible, I did terrible, was DFL. By the end of the series I had actual placings because I learned a lot about myself at each race. You will always learn something about yourself from doing these kinds of humbling challenges.

AP
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AndyPantsRacing
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Co-founder of FoodSluts (TM) - where training is a warm-up to eating.

vortmax

Oct 7, 08 13:46

Post #9 of 16 (264 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [h2ofun] [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I biggest reason I have yet to get near one is all the time I spent with my kids going to their swim meets. You go for hours, day, or days, for a few minutes of swimming at best. Same reason I never went to a water ski meet. What is so nice about our sport is the return on travel time vs race time, IMO.

That is a good point, but I try hard to be a swimmer, runner, cyclist first and then a triathlete. I spent a while training like a runner and like a cyclist (and gained a ton of insight and respect for the sports) and now I'm starting to get sucked into the swimming culture. If sitting around at meets for hours just to swim for 2 minutes is what swimmers do, then that's what I want to do. I think a lot of triathletes get so caught up in all three, that they never allow themselves to sink deep enough into a single sport to really get acquainted with it (which is why I hate seeing people who run 3 days a week and complain that they hate running). Anyway, back on topic.

I'll have to talk it over with our coach tonight and see how much of the group is planning on going. I think I will enter if I won't be the only one from my team there.

--------------------------------------------------
"If you're allowed to swim in a wet suit, I should be allowed to run in roller blades." -My Masters coach

tigerchik

Oct 7, 08 13:49

Post #10 of 16 (256 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

like everyone else has said, they're low key and fun

do it

practice your starts off the blocks a bit before the meet. Masters meets around here, you'll see everything from (for instance) 4:5x for a 500 free (my friend BEN!!!) to 12 min... seriously...
_________________________________________________________
"You should know what you stand for, not just what you're against."
-Speak

(This post was edited by tigerchik on Oct 7, 08 13:50)

STP

Oct 7, 08 13:53

Post #11 of 16 (246 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [vortmax] [In reply to]	Can't Post

Go for it. All swim meets at all levels, whether its age group or masters, have one thing in common. If they care about how fast you are they are not shy about restricting entries based on qualifying times you have to make to enter. The flip side is that if there is no qualifying time required (which is the case for most meets), everyone is welcome.

tigerchik

Oct 7, 08 13:55

Post #12 of 16 (240 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [STP] [In reply to]	Can't Post

plus you can make up your own seed times... and put NT and they'll put you in the first heat...

I guarantee that with all the elderly people who seem to swim masters meets that you'll beat someone :-)

and if you get hooked on it you can come to NE SCM championships at Boston University Dec 14-16!!!
_________________________________________________________
"You should know what you stand for, not just what you're against."
-Speak

jyeager

Oct 7, 08 14:11

Post #13 of 16 (212 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [h2ofun] [In reply to]	Can't Post

In Reply To

I have yet to consider a Masters meet either since I know I would get my butt kicked, and I can do 1:20 per hundred with open turns.

I biggest reason I have yet to get near one is all the time I spent with my kids going to their swim meets. You go for hours, day, or days, for a few minutes of swimming at best. Same reason I never went to a water ski meet. What is so nice about our sport is the return on travel time vs race time, IMO.

(I am also scared of going off the blocks)

If you go, just have fun. Maybe one of these days I will attempt to address this fear.

Dave

Ah yes! But you can enter 5 events! I've done 500 free, 100 free, 50 free, 50 back, 50 breast (Oh, plus you can do a relay).

You'll be racing the entire time! You'll be beat the hell up by the time you are done, but you will be freshly motivated and watching the top-seeded swimmers will give you a lot to ponder about technique.

Plus diving off the blocks makes you a stud!

Flip turns are optional, I can do an open turn as fast as most people flip turn. Oh and get this! Starting from the blocks is optional and it's not at all unusual to see someone starting from the pool wall.

There you go! I've decided for you! (why do I try to prescribe how others live their lives???) ;)

h2ofun

Oct 7, 08 14:16

Post #14 of 16 (195 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [jyeager] [In reply to]	Can't Post

One of these days when I can no longer run, swimming will be my fall back.

Dave

MyAthlete.biz GPS
Bringing families into your racing

tigerchik

Oct 7, 08 14:24

Post #15 of 16 (178 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [jyeager] [In reply to]	Can't Post

and masters lets you do co-ed relays. Find some nice looking members of the opposite sex and have some fun.

I really just wanna be on a 4 x100 team with Jessie... and 2 of the following: Tim, Mike S, Mike, and Hodding so I can be on a team that goes <4 min. I should note that all of them can go fast enough to offset my 1:07 slacker 100 free time :-)
_________________________________________________________
"You should know what you stand for, not just what you're against."
-Speak

DtrainVI

Oct 7, 08 15:44

Post #16 of 16 (124 views)

Re: enter a meet, knowing you will be destroyed? [tigerchik] [In reply to]	Can't Post

When I was an NCAA track athlete, my coach would take me to DI schools to get my butt kicked.....His theory - you race faster when everyone else is faster than you. It's true.... My last year, I was running with the big boys and beating them...as a DII guy....I'd go on to break my school's records, and become our conference champ in the 400m....

Then I took on triathlon...and am still getting my butt beat....not as bad as the first year...or the second....but the point is, that you race up to the level you compete at. If you only race slower or equivelant athletes, you'll always race the same or slower.

My advice:
DO IT....it will make you faster, as long as you learn something new from each loss.
"Pain is relative...You'll pass out before you die"