MOMENTUM212

The MOMENTUM212 programme started in December 2006 so we're 17 months into the 67 month challenge to break every record in the country by the start of the 2012 Olympic Games - that's 11,152 records across the country! Getting information to us is obviously in the too-hard basket for the Regions but NZL is doing quite well, thank you.

We're at 273 as at the end of the World Short Course Championships. Some of the records have been broken more than once so the actual number of originally-standing records broken isn't that high. Of the 273, 179 have been age group and 94 Open. As there are seven age group categories the Open total is impressive while the age group total needs examination - not too many in the younger groupings and only 11 at this year's NAGs.

The big meets have been the most recent Nationals - 30 at last September's Spring SC, 36 at the December Summer SC, 39 at the Olym;pic trials, together with 30 at WSC.

Of the original 83 listed SC and LC Open records (one was jointly held) at the beginning of the challenge, 45 have gone including, of course, the oldest which was taken out by Kurt Bassett at the Trials. Danyon Loader's distance records look vulnerable but the women's distance records look very safe.

Quadrennial Standards

Just out of interest here are the SNZ Squad standards for 2000, 2004 and 2008. Three different systems were used to produce the times. Some interesting changes but also some interesting similarities.

When the 'old'system was changed in late 2001 for implementation January 1, 2002, there were those who said, 'No-one will qualify [at the World Class level].' There was one qualifier at the 2002 Opens and by the end of the Pan-Pacific Championships in August there were seven. So much for 'no-one' :)

Usual story; click for the full-sized version.

A Question of Balance

As the dust settles from the outstanding performances at the 2008 Absolute Insurance Olympic Trials, for most coaches it is time to take a deep breath and double the commitment to success at the next major meet. Getting the correct balance between the various, sometimes mind-boggling, intensities and modes of training categories is one of the keys to planned and predictable success.

The April edition of SwimmingWorld magazine has an article by Dr. Daniel Carl of the University of Cincinnati titled 'Balancing Aerobic with Anaerobic Swim Training.' The full version of the magazine is only available to Premium members but, as you'll see from the last paragraph, I feel OK in posting the article here.