Another try at the 50m Backstroke world record

I chose to stay in Geneva, Ohio for the evening and attend day 2 of the "SPIRE Masters Winter Classic Swim Meet" and attempt another 50m backstroke.  After a relatively successful Day 1 even after a long drive, I was hopeful that a good nights rest and a few meals would give me the ammunition to drop the 0.11 seconds needed to break the 30-34 USMS world record of 24.81 seconds in the 50 meter short course backstroke.  Planning wise, everything went well.  A few meals, a local hotel and a solid 8 hours of rest and I was ready to swim again Sunday morning.  I mentioned a few times during the evening and the morning that followed that I was confident that if I performed my 50 back without flaws, I would achieve a world record.  I still believe that.

I prepared for the race well considering I had 1 day of rest and no shave/taper.  I knew I would need a flawless race to swim under the 24.81 world record time.  As I prepared for the offical to hit the buzzer, I ensured I recited some important points I would need to remember during my race.  When the buzzer went off, I had a near perfect start and underwater kicks, nearly nothing could be improved upon.  Unfortunately I didn't have a good transition to my breakout which is especially disapointing since it was something I had been working on lately.  I kicked a bit too far and had to surface quickly to avoid exceeding the 15m marker.  My stroke rates on the first 25 were ideal, under or near 1.00.  My turn was above average but still not as fast as I would have liked.  My underwater kicking on the second 25 were solid but I could tell they would be better with rest.  As I was doing my second breakout, my hands got a bit caught together, I can't really remember how it happened but it's an embarassing error considering my race experience, it caused another mediocre breakout.  My last 10 meters was around 1.10 rates, a bit slower than ideal.  I thought it was a good race overall.  I looked up to see a "24.97" on the board.  I missed the world record of 24.81 again. 

I feel a bit defeated but in the same breath, hopeful that eventually a week of rest, a shave and taper will yield the tenth or two I need to break the record.  My prediction still rings true in my mind: I needed to do everything right to have a chance at the record, I didn't do everything right.  I made a few small errors which could have easily added up to the 0.11 - 0.16 seconds I needed to secure a world record.  Add on top of that the fact that I'm sore and run down from a week of training and I know I could have raced much better than I did today.

The rest of my races were not fantastic.  I tried to swim a 100m Fly less than 5 minutes after my 50 back and it didn't go well.  I can honestly say I was a bit embarassed.  I just fell apart after the 50m mark.  Very slow turnover and poor underwaters, I was just exhausted.  I finished in a very slow 1:01.86, probably my slowest time of my life in the event.  It was one of the first races I didn't even look at the scoreboard, I knew it was ugly.  I shook it off and prepared for my 50m free.

I had a bit of rest before my 50 free.  I had time to warm down and sit for a few minutes and prepare.  I won't do the play-by-play but it was a sloppy race.  I botched both breakouts and should have taken another stroke on the finish.  I touched in a 23.51, one of the fastest times of my life.  If I had done a few more things right, that would have been a lifetime best.

In the end, I'm very happy with my meet.  I tagged two more lifetime best times, got to meet a lot of nice people and see an amazing swimming facility.  I sincerely hope I get to race at the Spire Institute again soon!