Hi everyone. I'm a slow fitness swimmer who hasn't competed since I was 14, but I'd like to start participating just because it looks fun. I understand that anyone *can* swim up to 3 events at Nationals, but do non-qualifiers take advantage of that? What proportion of heats 'd like to go, but don't want to slow everyone else down.
Honestly, this is one of the things that I always loved about swimming. Even in High School, when someone was feeling down because they didn't win, or came in last, my first question was always, "But how was your time?" Often the answer was that it was a best time, or close to it. What more can you ask for? You just swam faster than you ever have before! "Doing well" is relative to the individual, and in swimming, you get to experience the "team" atmosphere, while still achieving personal goals.
Glad to see this mentioned. One of the (in my mind) best aspects about almost all levels of competitive swimming is that everyone in a heat can be happy with their swim.
My forum picture is from the end of a 100 free where the person in the lane next to me went over 3 seconds faster than I did. But I was so happy with the time it didn't matter at all.
Honestly, this is one of the things that I always loved about swimming. Even in High School, when someone was feeling down because they didn't win, or came in last, my first question was always, "But how was your time?" Often the answer was that it was a best time, or close to it. What more can you ask for? You just swam faster than you ever have before! "Doing well" is relative to the individual, and in swimming, you get to experience the "team" atmosphere, while still achieving personal goals.
Glad to see this mentioned. One of the (in my mind) best aspects about almost all levels of competitive swimming is that everyone in a heat can be happy with their swim.
My forum picture is from the end of a 100 free where the person in the lane next to me went over 3 seconds faster than I did. But I was so happy with the time it didn't matter at all.
