I only compete in the summer at regional and state competition. I am also a runner and race most weekends. I'd like to begin to compete in swimming but I live in a small college town in mid Pa. and it's a long drive to any USMS meets.. what to do? I broke records in recent state meet as a 70 year old female. I swim daily.:help:
I only compete in the summer at regional and state competition. I am also a runner and race most weekends. I'd like to begin to compete in swimming but I live in a small college town in mid Pa. and it's a long drive to any USMS meets.. what to do?
I broke records in recent state meet as a 70 year old female. I swim daily.:help:
Hi Judy,
Welcome!
you asked what to do?
The easiest thing to do is just go to USMS meets where they are held.
There's plenty along the east coast. I prefer swimming in end of the season championship type meets.
I'm not sure what your definition or a long drive is?
Your your reasons for not wanting to do a long drive?
Is it the distance, the time it takes, the cost, or just not liking to drive?
You could car pool, join a local/nearby team or make local masters friends. Most masters are fun friendly people.
In Texas, most meets are in Austin (40 miles), Houston (130 miles), Dallas (230 miles), or San Antonio (50 miles).
They are where they are and I just go to a few that make sense for me.
Sometimes I and many USMS swimmers travel to meets out of state and even out of the country. We go where they are, love to see the sights and our friends from all over.
In 2012, USMS SC Nationals are in North Carolina and the 2012 USMS LC Nationals are in Omaha, NB in the same pool where USA's 2012 Olympic Trials are held. I hope to do both and if I had to pick 1 I'd go to Omaha.
There are 3 seasons in masters for pool competitions
SCM Short Course Meters ends 12/31
SCY Short Course Yards ends 05/31
LCM Long Course meters ends 08/31
so SCM is just getting started
National records are recognized in all 3 and WR in LCM & SCM
You might find closer meets by considering USA Swimming meets with kids, you can join USA swimming and enter their meets. Then submit your times to your USMS regional top 10 rep. But if you break a record, the meet may need to be USMS sanctioned and if the pool has a bulkhead, the pool must be measured before and after each session of competition.
Seriously the easiest thing to do is to look at what USMS meets are offered in your area and enter a few that make sense to you.
I suppose you could also do a time trial, but there's certain protocol that must be followed. Which is why it's simplest just to enter USMS meets that are reasonably close to you.
There's also postal competitions.
Good luck with your training and swimming.
Ande
Hi Judy!
I am not all that familiar with USMS events in your part of the country, but I know for sure there are several excellent meets in the Washington, D.C. area every year, which is about two hours south of you. Also there are fairly frequent meets in the suburbs west of Philly, about an hour east. (Where I live, a meet within a two hour drive is considered "close".)
You also have the non-USMS Keystone State Games nearby (senior event here), which is held almost every summer in the Hershey/Harrisburg area.
Check the USMS Calendar of Events periodically (here), and search the Delaware Valley, Maryland, and Potomac Valley LMSCs for the kind of meets you want to enter. Right now there are only two pool events listed, but in a couple of months there should be more.
If you're a distance swimmer, you can also participate in USMS long distance "postal" events, where you swim in your own pool, and mail in the results.
Hope that helps!
I only compete in the summer at regional and state competition. I am also a runner and race most weekends. I'd like to begin to compete in swimming but I live in a small college town in mid Pa. and it's a long drive to any USMS meets.. what to do? I broke records in recent state meet as a 70 year old female. I swim daily.:help:
Hi Judy,
Depending on where in PA you're located, you may also want to check out Allegheny Mountain YMCA/YWCA Masters Swimming at http://www.amymsa.org/. Every year they have a season of roughly 12 short course meets that run from Sep. to March, if you're interested in competing outside of the summer. The meets are located in a variety of places in the western half of PA, so I imagine some of them would be convenient to mid PA, distance-wise.
A great place to find masters meets is the Potomac Valley website: www.pvmasters.org/entry.htm. They list meets in Virginia, Washington DC and Maryland. There are a couple of meets listed between 1.5 and 2.5 hours away from Millersville, PA. The first is in Ellicot City, Maryland this Sunday and the online entry form is still open.
Welcome!! I hope the you continue to find swimming events to go to. It sounds as if you will do well. Look at our list of upcoming events to find some meets, Good luck & keep moving!
I take it you are in Millersville, PA near Lancaster, so here's the link to the Delaware Valley LMSC events page - some meets coming up in Dec., Jan., and Feb. in Reading and other somewhat nearby locations. Looks like specfic dates aren't yet set.
www.dvmasters.org/events.php
Hope it helps
