I just started seriously doing lap swimming and joined USMS at the first of this year. I even did my first swim meet at Colonies Zone in April just to see what they are all about.
I do all of my training alone and I started with doing only 400m total a workout and now I up to 850m. I am adding gradually each month. But I am still the same speed - horribly slow (about 1:00 for 50 free) so I have purchased a Masters workout card.
I figured that I am not getting any faster despite swimming almost every day because 1) I don't know how to improve, and 2) maybe being in a workout will speed me up.
Now I am nervous about 1) showing up and being with swimmers who qualified for Nationals, and 2) having a coach who sees how slow I am.
I have signed up for some swim meets in October/November - mostly 50/100 back, 50/100 free, and 50 fly - and I would like to see my time drop somewhat. Or should I not compete until I see my times in training drop?
I wouldn't give up on that too easily. It takes about 4 years to master something. You might be disappointed if you make this a short term goal. Long term, just about anything is possible so long as you are willing to put in a good bit of effort. NQTs are not the sole domain of ex-High School/College swimmers. I've made a couple after 2 1/2 years and I was a non-athlete in high school. NQTs don't have to be your goal... there's plenty to enjoy from being on a swim team without being fast. I never really made them my goal but I never wrote them off as impossible either. I try to focus more on the small monthly gains and making sure I'm faster at my next meet. NQTs just kind of happened along the way.
My favorite way to win!
All short term stuff. Stick with it and it won't be long before you beat someone in your age group. The fun part about being the novice on the team is that you get to improve faster than everyone else.
I started masters swimming in 1998, and the workouts for the first couple weeks were a struggle. I started in the slowest lane, but within 3 months I was more toward the middle of the pool.
The increases after that were much much slower. I still haven't gone under 1:00 for 100 SCY free, and a NQT is still nowhere within range.
But I'm in nearly the best shape I've been in ever, enjoy swimming with the team, and I'll do a couple meets here/there.
My endurance is definitely higher now than it was then. I struggled with 2,000 yards at first, and now there's days when I'll do 6,000 or even 7,000 yards.
I wouldn't give up on that too easily. It takes about 4 years to master something. You might be disappointed if you make this a short term goal. Long term, just about anything is possible so long as you are willing to put in a good bit of effort. NQTs are not the sole domain of ex-High School/College swimmers. I've made a couple after 2 1/2 years and I was a non-athlete in high school. NQTs don't have to be your goal... there's plenty to enjoy from being on a swim team without being fast. I never really made them my goal but I never wrote them off as impossible either. I try to focus more on the small monthly gains and making sure I'm faster at my next meet. NQTs just kind of happened along the way.
My favorite way to win!
All short term stuff. Stick with it and it won't be long before you beat someone in your age group. The fun part about being the novice on the team is that you get to improve faster than everyone else.
I started masters swimming in 1998, and the workouts for the first couple weeks were a struggle. I started in the slowest lane, but within 3 months I was more toward the middle of the pool.
The increases after that were much much slower. I still haven't gone under 1:00 for 100 SCY free, and a NQT is still nowhere within range.
But I'm in nearly the best shape I've been in ever, enjoy swimming with the team, and I'll do a couple meets here/there.
My endurance is definitely higher now than it was then. I struggled with 2,000 yards at first, and now there's days when I'll do 6,000 or even 7,000 yards.
