So, I'm going to Nationals this summer. It will be my first meet... ever. I know I'm a really slow swimmer (part of that comes from being 5'2") and will likely be the slowest one in my events.
But I still want to do it!:D
I'm swimming 50 ***, 100 ***, and 50 free. I had to take 2mo off this spring because our van broke and it took us a while to get it fixed, so I wasn't able to swim from mid-March to mid-May. I'm back in the water now and am building up my training to swimming 5 days a week (in another week our Masters group will be meeting 5:30-7a M-F). Right now we're swimming short course still but when we switch our schedule, we'll be switching pools and swimming long course.
I had to time myself last week so I'd have my seed times for registration. In the past week I've already taken 6sec off my 50 *** - which, I think, is pretty good progress.
I'm not expecting to win my heats or get any awesome times at Nationals, but I'm super excited to be going and am anxious to see how much I've improved my own times.
Has anyone else been the slowest swimmer out there before? Any tips on staying positive? :blush:
While I agree most people at masters meets are positive, there are a few who aren't.
I've only done 1 USMS nationals, back when my team hosted it in 2003. After my 2nd event, the 200 yard ***, I was chatting with another guy in the warm-down pool. He asked me what my time was. I don't even remember the time, but it was good for me, and I don't think I was last in my heat. After I told him, he said, "it's people like you who make these meets so long."
That is really unfortunate; I'm sorry that happened to you. How completely cold and rude of that :censor: to say that to you!
I was fortunate to have just the opposite experience at my first Nationals. In addition to what I posted earlier in this thread, I would like to share something else that had a lasting impression on me:
I don't remember, now, if it was after the 200 breaststroke or 100, but, I was greeted at the wall at the end of my race by somebody* I had never met in person before; another swimmer who had read my posts on the forums and had commented on my the breaststroke videos I had posted. He gave me excellent, constructive feedback about my race, complimenting me on what I did well and suggesting what I could do better. It was great feedback! And, this was somebody who had to prepare for a breaststroke race of his own, in an upcoming heat. But, he took the time, without me knowing he was going to watch my race, to be there afterwards to coach me. :angel: And, he has done it at every Nationals we have both been to since. Even his wife was there to cheer me on at a couple of them!
THAT is what USMS is about and should be about; not catering to jerks like the one who was so rude to you.
*By the way, that 'somebody' was Allen Stark, who I like to affectionately call "King Frog", because he is the most humble non-egotistical person I have met (besides my husband who very intelligent and talented, but humble to a fault). (King Frog will be the last to tell you how good he is, but he broke the world record in 200m breaststroke at Auburn Nationals.)
So, K.F., now that I have embarrassed you, :bolt:
While I agree most people at masters meets are positive, there are a few who aren't.
I've only done 1 USMS nationals, back when my team hosted it in 2003. After my 2nd event, the 200 yard ***, I was chatting with another guy in the warm-down pool. He asked me what my time was. I don't even remember the time, but it was good for me, and I don't think I was last in my heat. After I told him, he said, "it's people like you who make these meets so long."
That is really unfortunate; I'm sorry that happened to you. How completely cold and rude of that :censor: to say that to you!
I was fortunate to have just the opposite experience at my first Nationals. In addition to what I posted earlier in this thread, I would like to share something else that had a lasting impression on me:
I don't remember, now, if it was after the 200 breaststroke or 100, but, I was greeted at the wall at the end of my race by somebody* I had never met in person before; another swimmer who had read my posts on the forums and had commented on my the breaststroke videos I had posted. He gave me excellent, constructive feedback about my race, complimenting me on what I did well and suggesting what I could do better. It was great feedback! And, this was somebody who had to prepare for a breaststroke race of his own, in an upcoming heat. But, he took the time, without me knowing he was going to watch my race, to be there afterwards to coach me. :angel: And, he has done it at every Nationals we have both been to since. Even his wife was there to cheer me on at a couple of them!
THAT is what USMS is about and should be about; not catering to jerks like the one who was so rude to you.
*By the way, that 'somebody' was Allen Stark, who I like to affectionately call "King Frog", because he is the most humble non-egotistical person I have met (besides my husband who very intelligent and talented, but humble to a fault). (King Frog will be the last to tell you how good he is, but he broke the world record in 200m breaststroke at Auburn Nationals.)
So, K.F., now that I have embarrassed you, :bolt:
