We did the swim at Olympus, which is a really nice pool. There were a bunch of other people from the Olympus club swimming the 1-hour postal at the same time and it was fun to be doing it as part of a big group.
I felt pretty good for the first 1,000 yards, and averaged a 1:20 per 100 yard pace. After the first 1,000, I started getting a little tired and felt like I was going slower. Sure enough, my second 1,000 yards averaged 1:22 / 100 yards. I averaged 1:23 / 100 yards on the third 1,000 and 1:24 on the fourth 1,000 yards. I chose to wear a cap, which I don't usually do, and it was giving me a headache. It was bad enough that it was distracting me and I kept thinking about stopping to take it off. In the end I decided to just keep going.
When I finished, Mike told me I had done 4,400 yards plus about 37 yards. I couldn't believe it! That was only slightly less than I did last year when I was in much better condition. I submitted my results to USMS and was feeling pretty good about my swim. However, when I plugged the splits into my spreadsheet, I noticed an error. Since Chris and I were both swimming in the same lane, I think Mike accidentally recorded a split on my sheet that shouldn't have been there. It was pretty easy to see where the mistake was because it showed a 50 split at like 12 seconds (which is impossible) and all of my other splits were between 38 and 43 seconds. I made the correction and contacted the event organizers to adjust my yardage in the final results. So, long story short, my actual 1-hour distance was 4,380, which makes a lot more sense.
I always like to do some analysis on my splits afterwards to get a better idea of my pacing was like. In this case, it revealed that my conditioning isn't where I would like it to be, and I kept getting slower rather than holding a steady pace all the way through.
Here are my results (after making the correction):
Yards | 50 Split | Cumulative | 100 Split | 500 Split | 1000 Split | 1650 Split |
50 | 0:00:38 | 0:00:38 | ||||
100 | 0:00:38 | 0:01:16 | 0:01:16 | |||
150 | 0:00:40 | 0:01:56 | 0:01:18 | |||
200 | 0:00:40 | 0:02:36 | 0:01:20 | |||
250 | 0:00:40 | 0:03:16 | 0:01:20 | |||
300 | 0:00:41 | 0:03:57 | 0:01:21 | |||
350 | 0:00:40 | 0:04:37 | 0:01:21 | |||
400 | 0:00:40 | 0:05:17 | 0:01:20 | |||
450 | 0:00:41 | 0:05:58 | 0:01:21 | |||
500 | 0:00:39 | 0:06:37 | 0:01:20 | 0:06:37 | ||
550 | 0:00:41 | 0:07:18 | 0:01:20 | 0:06:40 | ||
600 | 0:00:40 | 0:07:58 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:42 | ||
650 | 0:00:41 | 0:08:39 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:43 | ||
700 | 0:00:41 | 0:09:20 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:44 | ||
750 | 0:00:38 | 0:09:58 | 0:01:19 | 0:06:42 | ||
800 | 0:00:41 | 0:10:39 | 0:01:19 | 0:06:42 | ||
850 | 0:00:41 | 0:11:20 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:43 | ||
900 | 0:00:40 | 0:12:00 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:43 | ||
950 | 0:00:40 | 0:12:40 | 0:01:20 | 0:06:42 | ||
1000 | 0:00:42 | 0:13:22 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:45 | 0:13:22 | |
1050 | 0:00:40 | 0:14:02 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:44 | 0:13:24 | |
1100 | 0:00:39 | 0:14:41 | 0:01:19 | 0:06:43 | 0:13:25 | |
1150 | 0:00:41 | 0:15:22 | 0:01:20 | 0:06:43 | 0:13:26 | |
1200 | 0:00:41 | 0:16:03 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:43 | 0:13:27 | |
1250 | 0:00:40 | 0:16:43 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:45 | 0:13:27 | |
1300 | 0:00:41 | 0:17:24 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:45 | 0:13:27 | |
1350 | 0:00:41 | 0:18:05 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:45 | 0:13:28 | |
1400 | 0:00:41 | 0:18:46 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:46 | 0:13:29 | |
1450 | 0:00:42 | 0:19:28 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:48 | 0:13:30 | |
1500 | 0:00:40 | 0:20:08 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:46 | 0:13:31 | |
1550 | 0:00:42 | 0:20:50 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:48 | 0:13:32 | |
1600 | 0:00:42 | 0:21:32 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:51 | 0:13:34 | |
1650 | 0:00:40 | 0:22:12 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:50 | 0:13:33 | 0:22:12 |
1700 | 0:00:42 | 0:22:54 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:51 | 0:13:34 | 0:22:16 |
1750 | 0:00:41 | 0:23:35 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:37 | 0:22:19 |
1800 | 0:00:41 | 0:24:16 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:37 | 0:22:20 |
1850 | 0:00:42 | 0:24:58 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:38 | 0:22:22 |
1900 | 0:00:41 | 0:25:39 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:39 | 0:22:23 |
1950 | 0:00:42 | 0:26:21 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:41 | 0:22:24 |
2000 | 0:00:40 | 0:27:01 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:39 | 0:22:24 |
2050 | 0:00:42 | 0:27:43 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:41 | 0:22:26 |
2100 | 0:00:42 | 0:28:25 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:27 |
2150 | 0:00:41 | 0:29:06 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:54 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:29 |
2200 | 0:00:41 | 0:29:47 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:29 |
2250 | 0:00:41 | 0:30:28 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:45 | 0:22:30 |
2300 | 0:00:40 | 0:31:08 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:29 |
2350 | 0:00:41 | 0:31:49 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:51 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:29 |
2400 | 0:00:43 | 0:32:32 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:46 | 0:22:34 |
2450 | 0:00:41 | 0:33:13 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:45 | 0:22:34 |
2500 | 0:00:41 | 0:33:54 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:46 | 0:22:34 |
2550 | 0:00:42 | 0:34:36 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:46 | 0:22:36 |
2600 | 0:00:41 | 0:35:17 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:45 | 0:22:37 |
2650 | 0:00:42 | 0:35:59 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:47 | 0:22:37 |
2700 | 0:00:41 | 0:36:40 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:46 | 0:22:38 |
2750 | 0:00:42 | 0:37:22 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:54 | 0:13:47 | 0:22:41 |
2800 | 0:00:42 | 0:38:04 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:56 | 0:13:48 | 0:22:42 |
2850 | 0:00:40 | 0:38:44 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:55 | 0:13:46 | 0:22:41 |
2900 | 0:00:43 | 0:39:27 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:55 | 0:13:48 | 0:22:44 |
2950 | 0:00:41 | 0:40:08 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:55 | 0:13:47 | 0:22:44 |
3000 | 0:00:42 | 0:40:50 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:56 | 0:13:49 | 0:22:45 |
3050 | 0:00:41 | 0:41:31 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:55 | 0:13:48 | 0:22:45 |
3100 | 0:00:41 | 0:42:12 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:55 | 0:13:47 | 0:22:44 |
3150 | 0:00:43 | 0:42:55 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:56 | 0:13:49 | 0:22:47 |
3200 | 0:00:43 | 0:43:38 | 0:01:26 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:51 | 0:22:48 |
3250 | 0:00:41 | 0:44:19 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:57 | 0:13:51 | 0:22:47 |
3300 | 0:00:41 | 0:45:00 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:56 | 0:13:52 | 0:22:48 |
3350 | 0:00:42 | 0:45:42 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:53 | 0:22:48 |
3400 | 0:00:42 | 0:46:24 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:57 | 0:13:52 | 0:22:49 |
3450 | 0:00:43 | 0:47:07 | 0:01:25 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:54 | 0:22:51 |
3500 | 0:00:41 | 0:47:48 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:54 | 0:22:50 |
3550 | 0:00:41 | 0:48:29 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:53 | 0:22:50 |
3600 | 0:00:42 | 0:49:11 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:54 | 0:22:50 |
3650 | 0:00:42 | 0:49:53 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:54 | 0:22:52 |
3700 | 0:00:43 | 0:50:36 | 0:01:25 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:53 |
3750 | 0:00:42 | 0:51:18 | 0:01:25 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:53 |
3800 | 0:00:41 | 0:51:59 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:55 | 0:22:53 |
3850 | 0:00:41 | 0:52:40 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:53 |
3900 | 0:00:43 | 0:53:23 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:55 |
3950 | 0:00:41 | 0:54:04 | 0:01:24 | 0:06:57 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:56 |
4000 | 0:00:42 | 0:54:46 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:57 |
4050 | 0:00:41 | 0:55:27 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:58 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:55 |
4100 | 0:00:41 | 0:56:08 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:57 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:55 |
4150 | 0:00:42 | 0:56:50 | 0:01:23 | 0:06:57 | 0:13:55 | 0:22:56 |
4200 | 0:00:40 | 0:57:30 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:54 | 0:13:52 | 0:22:54 |
4250 | 0:00:41 | 0:58:11 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:53 | 0:13:52 | 0:22:54 |
4300 | 0:00:40 | 0:58:51 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:51 | 0:22:52 |
4350 | 0:00:41 | 0:59:32 | 0:01:21 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:50 | 0:22:52 |
4380 | 0:00:28 | 1:00:00 | 0:01:09 | 0:06:37 | 0:13:36 | 0:22:38 |
50 Split | 100 Split | 500 Split | 1000 Split | 1650 Split | ||
MIN | 0:00:38 | 0:01:16 | 0:06:37 | 0:13:22 | 0:22:12 | |
MAX | 0:00:43 | 0:01:26 | 0:06:59 | 0:13:56 | 0:22:57 | |
AVERAGE | 0:00:41 | 0:01:22 | 0:06:52 | 0:13:44 | 0:22:41 |
And here is the graph of my 50 yard splits. The trend line shows that I was getting slower over time, going from 38 seconds near the start to 43 seconds near the end.
This compares to last year when I was in pretty good shape, and I actually got slightly faster during the 1-hour swim with an average pace of just under 1:21.
Anyway, I'm glad I did it and it gives me motivation to get back into shape for the 5K and 10K postals that are coming up next.