My backstroke start is improved!

We do a lot of starts in practice.  I take pride in the fact that I have an above average backstroke start.  Since changing my start last year, my focus has been getting off the pad faster.  For example, my start from the 2008 Olympc Trials was a 0.68, my start Sunday was among the fastest of the meet at 0.57.  A tenth of a second off the pad is a great improvement!

I ran a few stats, I compared my start time against the field of 66 swimmers.  5 swimmers started faster than me, the fastest being Joseph Canlan-Shaw at 0.54 seconds.  Arguably, not a huge difference between my 0.57 and his 0.54.  I'm tied with the 6th through 11th fastest backstroke start at the meet.  This is not to say I'm better than the other 55 swimmers, clearly because a huge chunk of them beat me in the race, they still have an edge.  I just throught it was interesting to note that if I had been equal to my 2008 self, then I would have been 62nd in the meet off the pad, rather than 6th-11th.  I'm improving!