TY - JOUR
T1 - A Novel Method to Characterize the Pacing Profile of Elite Male 1500-m Freestyle Swimmers
AU - McGibbon, Katie E
AU - Pyne, David B
AU - Heidenreich, Laine E
AU - Pla, Robin
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors wish to acknowledge Dr Lachlan Mitchell for his support and assistance with statistical analysis. This work was supported by the Queensland Academy of Sport’s Sport Performance Innovation and Knowledge Excellence unit.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 Human Kinetics, Inc.
PY - 2021/6
Y1 - 2021/6
N2 - PURPOSE: Pacing, or the distribution of energy expenditure, is particularly important in swimming; however, there is limited research examining pacing profiles in long-distance freestyle events. This study aimed to characterize the pacing profiles of elite male 1500-m freestyle swimmers using a novel method to provide a detailed analysis of different race segments. METHODS: The race data for 327 male 1500-m freestyle long-course races between 2010 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The raw 50-m split times for each lap were converted to a percentage of overall race time. The races were classified as a fast-, average-, or slow-start strategy (laps 1-2); as an even, negative, or positive pacing strategy (laps 3-28); and as a fast-, average-, or slow-finish strategy (laps 29-30) to give an overall pacing profile. RESULTS: Slow- and average-start strategies were associated with faster overall 1500-m times than a fast-start strategy (mean = -21.2 s; 90% confidence interval, -11.4 to -32.3 s, P = .00). An even pacing strategy in laps 3 to 28 yielded faster overall 1500-m times than a positive pacing strategy (-8.4 s, -3.9 to -13.0 s, P = .00). The overall 1500-m times did not differ substantially across the finish strategies (P = .99). The start strategy differed across age groups and nationalities, where younger swimmers and swimmers from Australia and Great Britain typically spent a lower percentage of race time in laps 1 to 2 (faster start strategy; -0.10%, -0.01% to -0.23%, P ≤ .02). CONCLUSION: Adopting a relatively slower start strategy helps conserve energy for the latter stages of a 1500-m freestyle race.
AB - PURPOSE: Pacing, or the distribution of energy expenditure, is particularly important in swimming; however, there is limited research examining pacing profiles in long-distance freestyle events. This study aimed to characterize the pacing profiles of elite male 1500-m freestyle swimmers using a novel method to provide a detailed analysis of different race segments. METHODS: The race data for 327 male 1500-m freestyle long-course races between 2010 and 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The raw 50-m split times for each lap were converted to a percentage of overall race time. The races were classified as a fast-, average-, or slow-start strategy (laps 1-2); as an even, negative, or positive pacing strategy (laps 3-28); and as a fast-, average-, or slow-finish strategy (laps 29-30) to give an overall pacing profile. RESULTS: Slow- and average-start strategies were associated with faster overall 1500-m times than a fast-start strategy (mean = -21.2 s; 90% confidence interval, -11.4 to -32.3 s, P = .00). An even pacing strategy in laps 3 to 28 yielded faster overall 1500-m times than a positive pacing strategy (-8.4 s, -3.9 to -13.0 s, P = .00). The overall 1500-m times did not differ substantially across the finish strategies (P = .99). The start strategy differed across age groups and nationalities, where younger swimmers and swimmers from Australia and Great Britain typically spent a lower percentage of race time in laps 1 to 2 (faster start strategy; -0.10%, -0.01% to -0.23%, P ≤ .02). CONCLUSION: Adopting a relatively slower start strategy helps conserve energy for the latter stages of a 1500-m freestyle race.
KW - finish strategy
KW - pacing strategy
KW - start strategy
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85102468479&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0375
DO - 10.1123/ijspp.2020-0375
M3 - Article
C2 - 33291067
SN - 1555-0265
VL - 16
SP - 818
EP - 824
JO - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
JF - International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance
IS - 6
ER -