Jep, the guy posting above me is right.
With 6 or better athletics the shorter range ~70 blunt and pierce weapons become viable.
With 5 or better power strike the range ~100 cut damage swords become viable.
So if you have low powerstrike, stick with light or very light armour and go for high athletics. The maces and picks are really great weapons, but they lack the range. You make up for that by moving faster. High athletics is a must and you should dress accordingly. No use wearing heavy armour if everyone keeps kiting you.
The longer swords are great, but they deal cut damage. When your power strike is below 5, you'll notice your swings will glance a lot, especially against better armour. Tincans take 9+ hits to die. Stay away from them and go after softer targets.
With higher powerstrike, swords become more effective against heavy armour.
But don't forget you can also bring both: take a nice, long sword with you and bring a pick or mace as a secondary weapon. The weight of most one hander weapons is pretty small, so it will not cripple your movement speed.
Pick a weapon that suits you. Try them all and find out what works best for you. It's all down to playstyle and build, really. If you're going to use a short weapon, compensate with high athletics and consider wearing light armour. If you're going for a nice, long sword, make sure you have enough power strike or a pierce or blunt damage side arm to fall back on.
Oh, and go for headshots to avoid glancing.