terminology on time/pacing

swimdailyswimdaily Member
edited November 2013 in Beginner Questions
Can someone clarify for me what is meant when we refer to someone as a say 1:40 per 100 m swimmer? Does this refer to their sustainable/holdable pace per 100 m, or does this mean their best/fastest pace per 100 m?

Comments

  • malinakamalinaka Seattle, WACharter Member
    Sustainable. The kind of pace you'd hold for a set of 100 100s. The kind of pace a race director might look at when deciding what wave to put you in, or if you'll make the tide cut-off, or something.

    To make sure you're speaking the same language, you could try asking, "so, what's that in minutes per mile?" to get across that you're not talking about sprints.

    I don't wear a wetsuit; it gives the ocean a sporting chance.

  • Thanks. To my way of thinking, and for us on THIS forum, sustainable pace is the important number. But there are those who think differently....;)
  • IronMikeIronMike Northern VirginiaCharter Member
    edited November 2013
    This is the sustainable pace you'd be able to do a 1500m at. At least, that's my understanding of Swim Smooth's Critical Swim Speed. This is what I coach my triathletes when we time them on a 400 and 200, and then do the math on the iPod. I tell them their 100m pace, and tell them this is the pace they should be able to maintain for a 1500m swim in the LCM pool.

    Then, if they want to do an IM swim (4K-ish), then I tell them to add :05 to :10 per 100m, for example.

    But, bottom line, yes, like @malinaka says, sustainable.

    We're all just carbon, water, starlight, oxygen and dreams

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