In a panic - swim coaching needed

First off, how long do you have to get your 500 time down? It is possible to drop 3 minutes in your 500, but I don't know how long you have to train for it. For starters, I would concentrate on your stroke efficiency. The easiest way to drop time in freestyle is to become more efficient. Get a copy of the Total Immersion book and do the freestyle drills. You will be surprised how quickly you can get your stroke more efficient. Once you are swimming more efficiently, you will have more energy to get you through the swim faster.

The event is March 13th, so I have a little flex room. I have been working on the follow through and keeping my hand closer to my body - not "cutting" through the water below my torso, but "pushing" it. I will look into the book you mentioned. Thanks! :-)
Vanessa

If my figures are right, you are swimming at a 2:12 per 100 pace(11:00 per 500). In order to achieve an 8:00 minute 500, you would have to average 1:36 per 100. That means shaving 36 seconds per hundred. I would be curious to know what your all-out 100 sprint time is.

I echo Michael's advice. These events are stressful enough without worrying about starting in a swim heat that's too fast. 30+ seconds per 100 free is a lot to take off in a month, and it's a lot of extra pressure when you could be enjoying your final weeks of training and getting excited for swim, bike AND run. Now if they don't let you switch your time, it's out of your hands and you can just let it go, but at least you'll have asked. Good luck, let us know how it works out.
Kim

If they don't allow you to change your time then just swim as you normally would. I can't see where they would jump down your throat for a simple mistake.

Mike

Gang,
Thanks for input and responses thus far...I know last year there were a load of sandbaggers in front of me, so I passed a lot of folks and got kicked in the face a bunch - start to pine for open water swims with all of their hazards ;-) . I will see what the RD says, since the race is some time off, maybe they haven't set our positions, yet. As to an all out one hundred, Gambler, I haven't actually done one since last year at some point. I know on a "good" day, I could get a 50 meter swim, all out, in ~45-48 seconds, but that time didn't include the puking and heaving that would undoubtedly accompany any sprint and I don't see holding that speed for an entire 100. I really don't know if that is fast or not, just amazing to me since I hired a coach and learned to swim in the fall of 2000 (could only doggie paddle, taught myself to dive, that kind of craziness :-O ). I was amazed to be able to swim any distance at all. The swim is the most vulnerable since I haven't been at the sport for all that long. I think I have had some time to breathe and remember that all is not ended for me ;-)! I will post my race report, regardless :-O !
Vanessa

I agree with what Micheal and Kimber said above. Contact the race director. The worst they can tell you is "No". It's not like they are going to come and hunt you down.

You cannot always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside. - Wayne Dyer

 I know with running events and most seeded races will not allow you to move up after you have already turned in a time.  However, these same races usually more often than not will allow a runner to move back in the order no problem.  They would rather have an athlete have to move through the pack if need be rather than put someone ahead that will slow and iritate other runners.   I have no experience with Tri's..........yet!

Don't worry about it, you will be in fine company with the other sandbaggers. The only thing that you will have to worry about is someone grabbing your ankles. Every race that I have ever been in of any kind has had sandbaggers in the front. I ran a race in Australia and as a sponsered athlete I was very close to the starting line for the start. Once we started there were at least 20% of the people fell out of the front within the first half mile.
If I were you I wouldn't worry about it at all you will do fine where you are at. You wont be up so far that you are going to make anyone mad and you will probably have a better finishing time.

Vanessa,

Since swimming is more about technique than speed (especially at our beginner level), working with a coach is an excellent idea. Swimming improvement is still of course a long term process, but I have seen some pretty nice improvements after working with someone for 5 weeks. Check my site for a local coach, www.triswimcoach.com, that can help. Also, sign up for my free newsletter and I'll be sending you tips and workouts every 2 weeks.

Good luck!
Kevin
www.triswimcoach.com

I second (third?) the "contact the race director" advice. When I registered for my mini-tri, I guesstimated that I'd be able to swim 300 M in 8:30; the next week I was down to a 300 in 7:10 (I'm now at 6:30) . I emailed the race director and she told me that I could change my time up to a week before the event.

A caveat, this is a small mini-tri and I they have the time to be customer-oriented. However, I'd be a little suspicious if they couldn't make the change. Isn't it basically just moving a line on a spreadsheet?

Vanessa:  Personally, I wouldn't worry about it as Tate said.  You probably aren't the only one posting a faster time than you can do anyway.  However, if you are THAT concerned about it, contacting the RD is a good idea.  It isn't worth it to feel pressure for a month and a half during training plus the added pressure on race day, which will ruin the rest of the race for you too, if you feel you need to swim faster than you comfortably can to finish the race.  Either way, we're all behind you.

Sharon

Edited by snikpos 2004-02-11 7:17 PM

Well,
I contacted the RD and (um...helps to pay attention to what one is doing), she reminded me that it was a 300 time. Man, I must be losing brain cells. THAT I can do, and in an almost leisurely manner! I had put 7 minutes for a 300 meter distance. I don't know where 500 meters set in. I might have to decrease my time, now ! In the immortal words of Homer Simpson "DOH" (sounds like doe, said loudly as he slaps his forehead in recognition of his ignorance...or in this case, mine ;-) ). All this push and panic over nothing...I need a beer!
Vanessa
P.S. thanks for the website, Kevin, I will give it a look see!