100x100s: the mythical set

"Well, I heard there was a secret chord set,
That David played swam and it pleased the Lord Coach,
But you don't really care for music distance, do you?"
So Leonard Cohen didn't sing.

There seems to be a lot of people swimming the 100x100 challenge and posting about it on social media with an almost spiritual zeal. The end of one year/beginning of another seems to be as good a time as any to try it but does it really deserve it's status as THE set to swim. Does it confer some super-human ability to those who do it? Is there a 100x100 secret society that gives it's members special privileges?

Is it even worth swimming?

Well yes....and no.

It is a great benchmark test because by it's nature it's a set most people don't do very often, but it's not that great a test because by it's nature it's a set most people don't do very often. Confused? Let me explain.

I find that when a swimmer (especially a newer swimmer) attempts a test set (e.g. 10x100s) it normally takes 2-3 attempts for them to get the test right. They either start too fast or too slow the first time they do it and then do the opposite on the second attempt. Let's keep the numbers simple: the test set is 10x100s @ 2 mins and because you have a fancy watch you can record the time taken to swim the total (split) 1,000m. This is the first time you have ever done this, you don't want to 'overcook' it. So you start off relatively easy and swim the first few intervals in 1:50. That's feeling pretty easy and you get 10 seconds before you start the next interval. Too easy, so you speed up to 1:45 pace for a few more. Ok, you may be working now but you can go a bit faster, and you do - sub 1:45 for the next 3 and then the last one at 1:40. Well done. You swam 1,000m (without rest) around 17 mins 40 seconds averaging 1:46/100m. Good job, but you know you could have gone faster.

At your next attempt you go for it! 1:43 for the first couple and then halfway through the third 100m you blow out. Physically and mentally spent - you know you had so far to go (another 7x100s) that you wouldn't be able to complete. No matter, you can come back next week for another attempt when you'll probably swim a more sensible and constant 1:44 except for the last few when you start pushing it knowing you're almost there.

Contrast that to the 100x100s. No one starts a set - especially one as big as this - with a view of not finishing. So they'll pick a fairly conservative pace and/or send off. Fine. Get to the end of the set and you have a happy and tired 10k swimmer, and yes I take it that 10k is a long swim by almost everybody's definition. But was it too slow? Could you have gone faster? It's unlikely that you'll get to do this set for quite a while, by which time your fitness will have changed and you can't really compare where you are then with where you are now because your baseline was not right to start with.

That's why I don't think it's a magical set from a pure 'numbers' view. I also think that it's overrated just because everyone has to do it. 100x100s - sounds good doesn't it? It appeals to the OCD that most swimmers have to greater or lesser extent. We like patterns, we like symmetry and we like doing what our peers are doing. As I said above, 10k is a great distance to swim - so what's wrong with 50x200m? Or 10x1k - or any number of other similar sets? I don't think you should overlook those different distances if you want to do some serious distance regularly in your annual plan.

So that's the reasons why I don't rate this mythical set, here are the reasons that I do.

Mental toughness. Without doubt 100x100s is mentally hard. Unlike 10x1k, you get to the halfway point and you still have 50 swims to complete. When you're tired. That's hard. Really hard.

Pace judgement. This set forces you to consider your pace and put it in context against similar sets over shorter distances (e.g. the 10x100s above).

It's a milestone to work towards. 100x100s at the end of a cycle of training is a great achievement.

So do it. Go on, have a go. Anyway you want, it doesn't matter - straight through, taking an extra break after every 10 swims, some with toys - some without, changing the sendoff times. It all counts.

It's all swimming, it's all good. Just don't expect a Damascene conversion, the key to a mythical door or entry to the sect of 10k swimmers - you won't get it.