I used to be excited to take part within the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet this yr! I had been coaching constantly for the 1500 meters. Coaching is relative, I did nearly no intervals or “speedwork” however I received into the pool a number of instances per week for wherever from 3000-5000ish meters (or 60-90 minutes).
In school, the 1000 yards was usually my favourite occasion. The five hundred yards felt too quick and whereas I did get pleasure from swimming the 1650 yards, there wasn’t as many alternatives to swim it. I recognize within the few swim meets I’ve completed over the previous couple of years, there are some alternatives to swim the 1500/1650.
Concerning the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet
The 2024 U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) Summer season Nationals was hosted in Mission Viejo, California. It was nice, as a result of it was only a quick 2 hour drive for me. Most years I must fly, and I’m unsure I might for a 20 minute occasion. I might wish to do it with pals and do extra occasions to make it “value it”.
The USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet came about from August 21-25 on the Marguerite Aquatics Complicated, with almost 1,300 swimmers. Swimmers needed to qualify in at the least one occasion to compete in a number of races. Nevertheless, to compete within the 1500 meters, you particularly wanted to satisfy the qualifying customary. It is smart, the 1500 meters was actually the one race swam on day 1.
The meet was held in a long-course meters pool, which is twice the size of a typical pool. I used to be relieved as a result of fewer flip turns are all the time higher for me—my flip turns go away a lot to be desired. To a standard individual, they give the impression of being “good” however to a aggressive swimmer, they aren’t.
Earlier than the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet
Main as much as the occasion, I used to be in Colorado the week prior and solely managed to swim twice. Ideally, I might’ve preferred to get in 4 classes, however typically you simply should work with what you’ve received. My final swim earlier than the meet was in a surprising pool in Ouray, Colorado, so I actually can’t complain about that!
Thankfully, my husband had the break day and was in a position to come down with me the night time earlier than. The 1500 meters was the primary occasion of the meet, scheduled all day Wednesday, with about 150 swimmers registered. We left on Tuesday after work and arrived round 7 p.m. I used to be exhausted and fell asleep nearly instantly—getting a stable 10 hours of relaxation was precisely what I wanted after an extended few days earlier than! My race was set to begin round 10 a.m., which felt unusual as a result of I’m used to getting up and being lively earlier. It was a bit odd simply hanging round till we left for the meet at 8 a.m.
As soon as on the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet pool, I did a 1500-meter warm-up, turned into my competitors go well with, after which swam one other 300 meters. The Enviornment go well with felt quick (and at over $400, it higher be!). I used to be as prepared as I could possibly be.
In school, we swam wherever from 7-9 2-hour practices per week (with someday off). There’s zero likelihood I’m doing that nowadays, so I don’t count on to PR and even come near that. For me now, swimming is only a enjoyable factor to do. I don’t actually get pleasure from swimming quick until I’m racing, so I don’t do a ton of intervals on my own.
USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet Race Recap: 1500 Meters
As talked about, the 1500 meters was the one race I used to be actually concerned with. If the meet had been a single-day occasion, I’d’ve additionally completed the five hundred. If I may’ve competed in each the 1500 and 800 meters, I might need added that as nicely. However you can solely do both the 800 or 1500 meters. Distance occasions are lengthy, and there’s solely a lot time to suit them in.
The final time I swam the 1500 meters was simply over a yr in the past in Santa Barbara, the place I swam a 24:08—undoubtedly slower than I’d hoped. I knew simply on a superb day, I could possibly be quicker. However I additionally skilled a bit extra since then.
My dive into the water marked my first dive since that Santa Barbara meet. LOL, as a result of the swimming pools I swim at don’t enable dives, I hadn’t even completed any dives since (on or off the block). Fortunately, it went easily—my goggles stayed on, and I felt robust off the blocks. On the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet, I used to be in warmth 5 of 9, swimming in lane 8. Being in lane 8 meant I used to be the slowest seeded swimmer within the warmth. I wasn’t thrilled on the thought of ending final, however most swimmers in my warmth had instances 15-30 seconds quicker than mine. Actually, I simply didn’t wish to swim alone for over 20 minutes.
My husband counted my laps for me. After I began, I rapidly observed that I used to be maintaining tempo with one other swimmer, which gave me a psychological increase. The primary 500 meters felt prefer it was dragging, despite the fact that I felt quick. As swimmers know, feeling quick doesn’t all the time imply you’re swimming quick! The swimmer I used to be maintaining with began to tug away, so I discovered myself sandwiched by about 10 seconds between two swimmers.
The second 500 meters felt a bit extra sluggish, despite the fact that the time appeared to fly by. By the point I reached size 20, I knew I solely had 500 meters left. At 25 lengths, I spotted I used to be closing in on the swimmer I’d been pacing with earlier, so I gave it every little thing I needed to attempt to catch her. Sadly, simply as I used to be closing the hole, she kicked it into excessive gear, and I couldn’t fairly catch her.
After I touched the wall and seemed up, I used to be pleasantly stunned to see 23:01 on the clock—a full minute quicker than my earlier race! It’s humorous how, throughout a race, you actually do not know what tempo you’re truly going till you end. It’s a giant distinction between working and swimming. I may have completed wherever between 23 and 25 minutes and I might haven’t been stunned.
Trying again at my splits, they had been fairly even (which is loopy with no method to tempo besides your self).
Last Ideas on the USMS Summer season Nationals Swim Meet
General, I’m actually proud of my 23:01—it’s the quickest I’ve swum in a few years. Contemplating I don’t do structured units and often keep on with relaxed swims as a result of that’s what I get pleasure from, I’m happy with the end result. I consider I’m able to moving into the low 21s with targeted coaching, however we’ll see. I’m unsure after I’ll do my subsequent swim meet—most likely throughout the subsequent yr since I common about one per yr.
You may see extra race recaps right here and Strava right here.
Questions for you:
Have you ever completed a swim meet?
Have you ever ever come again to a sport after years off?
