Armstrong and USMS - Swimming world article

If someone's 40 years old and taking Masters swimming very seriously, they have issues....when you've got 40 and 50 year old men taking warm-ups so seriously you wonder if they'll punch you in the face, that's about where I draw the line. I think you're confusing "taking swimming seriously" and being an a-hole.

I think you're confusing "taking swimming seriously" and being an a-hole. Agree. The fact is that many masters athletes take their sport seriously, including triathletes, runners, rowers, etc. It's pretty judgmental to say someone "has issues" simply because they want more out of their sport than basic fitness and health. The desire to compete or win doesn't just vanish when you graduate from college. "So many people are giving up sprinting"?! The sprints are still the most popular events at masters meets. It sounds like you've given up competition because you're annoyed with the slow people causing the 500 free to last too long for your taste. To me, that is "ridiculous."

And by the way - having fun doesn't mean you're Joe Slow in heat 1. I know many swimmers, myself included, that had fun no matter if it was our best event and we're in the final heat, or we're swimming something we'd never do and line up against the 65yo woman in heat 1. It was all a blast. Sadly many of us don't compete anymore, for a lot of the same reasons. It takes a special kind of mindset to swim and train as you age. Lance has it. Let him compete. Although I've never seen him at a Masters meet but I could see him taking himself too seriously as well. and,having fun can also mean you're racing in the fastest heat and chasing specific times. Lighten up rain man and recognize that each of us finds his bliss in different ways. Also, you can take the sport seriously without simultaneously taking yourself too seriously. I think you need to come back to more Masters meets. Even at Nationals, my experience is a thousand plus people chilling out, having fun and doing some racing. USMS is a blast. As for Lance, I would love to see USMS welcome him into the fold.

:cheerleader:Michael Phelps:carolers: is :banana:back :bump:in the pool :bouncing:www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/.../33158.asp How's that for creating a diversion in a failthread?

If someone's 40 years old and taking Masters swimming very seriously, they have issues. I guess I have issues. I can live with that.

Did anyone read the Both Sides of the Lane Line issue on testing for PEDs in masters? I was kind of shocked by Jeff Erwin's contention that USADA says you can't put on muscle mass past 30 without PEDS. I thought that was directly contrary to research. It is contrary to the research.I have found articles about people in their 80s increasing muscle mass via weight lifting.In fact, that same issue of Swimmer has an article on people,average age 59, gaining muscle mass.I could not find anywhere that the USADA made such a claim.

It doesn't change the fact that Masters meets are still a ridiculous charade. :troll_with_sign:

Rain Man...why are you posting such negative comments on a "postive" forum? Maybe you can train with a usms practice group that doesn't have such cocky triathletes like the ones you can't stand listening to!? As far as usms being a "charade", I'm not understanding what you mean. We don't pretend. We like to swim fast, train, have fun and compete while being good sports....it is part of our lives. If we don't swim well, then we deal with it and look forward to the next meet. But apparently masters swimming wasn't a good fit for you.

B+ I think would have gone with a "Not Sure If..." meme, myself. You’ve got a point, the last 24 hours in the sports world have been like a crazy memefest. A wild Lance Armstrong appears! Lance uses Celebrity Apology Tour! It’s not very effective! A wild Manti Te’o appears! Manti uses Fake Girlfriend! It’s not very effective! A wild Michael Phelps appears! Michael uses Swimming Workout! It’s super effective! :banana:

"Masters swimming is a ridiculous charade anyway." Dude, that's a way too harsh of a comment. I (and I imagine many other masters swimmers) swim for health, enjoyment, and friendship. Why do you call masters swimming a charade? Is something someone does for health, enjoyment, and friendship a ridiculous charade? Your comment right up there with Schubert calling USMS a "glorified losers round." There's plenty of way worse things that people do with their time and money.