Here are a couple of articles that talk about how Ryan Lochte always swims slower in season than he does at the year's big meet (or meets), which in 2013 would be US Nationals and Worlds in June-July.
Click on the links for the full articles.
Mike Gustafson article - USASwimming.org
3. Ryan Lochte will be ready to go by the World Championships.
There probably won’t be mid-season world records for Ryan Lochte. Not this year, not next year, and, probably, not ever. That’s because Lochte keeps his eye on the prize. Ryan Lochte’s focus is not on Grand Prix meets. His focus is on the National Championships, the World Championships, and the Olympics. If you remember, Michael Phelps had that similar “championship focus” between 2008-2012. Lochte will endure grueling, puke-in-the-gutter training under Greg Troy throughout the swimming season. He’ll swim relatively off his personal best times throughout the year. Then, at the World Championships, count on Lochte to swim lights-out. That’s just what he does. Fans who are relatively new to the sport of swimming, who started following the sport after last summer’s Olympics, need to understand that Ryan Lochte is just fine, even if he’s not challenging world record times every time he competes. Swimming isn’t like football or basketball where athletes can replicate top performances night after night. Swimming is like climbing a mountain. You reach the apex only once every journey, and it’s a long, treacherous climb.
Sandra Johnson article - Yahoo.com
Ryan Lochte Doesn't Always Expect to Swim Fast
After years of training under Troy's tutelage, Lochte expects to swim slower times during the season. During the past weekend at the Austin Grand Prix, for example, Lochte won the 200-meter individual medley in a time of 2:00.98. Lochte holds the world record in the same event, and the record of 1:54.00 is nearly seven seconds faster.
