When I first started training for triathlons, I swam with some masters groups, but it was always in the slow lane. With triathlons you focus on swimming long distances, while swimmers focus on swimming short distances quickly. I find a very close parallel between sprinters and marathon runners; while both technically run, how they run is so different that they can't relate to each other. My swimming is all about the long haul, and usually I would never participate in a swim meet.
The one exception is the Kansas City Corporate Challenge, or as I call it, the "nerd-lypics". The corporate challenge is an athletic competition between companies of Kansas City. The events are spread out across a month and include everything from track and field to pool and darts. Companies are split into divisions based on their size, and points from the individual events contribute to your company's total. Individuals also compete against their age groups (grouped by 20-29, 30-39, etc) which evens the playing field as well. You get a broad range of participants, from those who are incredibly good to those who are trying for the first time. The corporate challenge is incredibly inviting. Where I work we often are low on swimmers in my age group and doing triathlon's qualifies me as a swimmer. I end up swimming a lot of events I would never do otherwise.
The swim meet was Monday through Thursday, and I had events Tuesday through Thursday.
- Tuesday - 100 IM
- Wednesday - 50 Freestyle
- Thursday - 50 Backstroke, 50 Butterfly
The individual medley, or IM, is a combination of four strokes - butterfly, backstroke, breath stroke, and then anything that isn't the previous three. Here is some instruction on how it's done correctly.
For me, it was pretty painful, because two of the four strokes I really struggle with. I had an advantage with butterfly because the dive start meant I didn't have to start swimming until I was halfway down the lane, but on the breath stroke I didn't get nearly enough push off the wall. I was pretty happy with my 50 freestyle. Of the events it is the most competitive, because anyone can swim it. I came in with a personal best of 33 seconds which I was really happy with. I think my 50 backstroke went fairly well, but my 50 butterfly was just painful. If you watch, you'll see that I'm not getting much of anything out of my lower body; it's just my upper body pulling me through the water. I'm less of a racecar than a tow truck pulling a race car.
Overall, I'm pretty pleased with this years meet. As stated before I'm not a swimmer, but I don't mind I'm pretending I am one for the team.
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