My team, Rockwall Aquatic Masters is having a long course meet on 6th July and I am actively trying to convince team mates to sign up. On my blog I was describing my disappointment that more of my team mates had not signed up. One commenter posted the following, "Why do they have to participate? I have more fun going to practice than I do meets. I don't find meets fun anymore." I guess I had assumed that most people enjoy meets and I found it strange that my team mates did not want to sign up. This got me thinking and I wondered why people compete or don't compete? Any thoughts?
I compete in meets because I need a goal to shoot for during the season ... this is what keeps me coming back to practice and working hard. But there are many that I swim with who have a much different goal ... just doing something that keeps me going. My wife, who is a runner, ran almost 2,000 miles last year and has no desire to compete. It's taken me a while to figure that one out, but I finally understand that she does it primarily for her mental health ... it's her time to get away from it all when she's on her daily run.
I am swimming in a USS meet this weekend ... the last time I swam this meet I was 19 years old. I'm petrified. I get nervous enough in Masters meets when I'm swimming against people much closer in age. Now it's me against the 13-18 year old kids in the heats. I'm actually swimming in some of the same events as the son of a guy I swam with in college. I called him and told him to let his son know not to worry as I wouldn't be tapering for this meet ... hah! He's only 20 - 25 seconds faster than me in the 200 free. I'm just hoping not to make a fool out of myself and will try to have "fun".
I compete in meets because I need a goal to shoot for during the season ... this is what keeps me coming back to practice and working hard. But there are many that I swim with who have a much different goal ... just doing something that keeps me going. My wife, who is a runner, ran almost 2,000 miles last year and has no desire to compete. It's taken me a while to figure that one out, but I finally understand that she does it primarily for her mental health ... it's her time to get away from it all when she's on her daily run.
I am swimming in a USS meet this weekend ... the last time I swam this meet I was 19 years old. I'm petrified. I get nervous enough in Masters meets when I'm swimming against people much closer in age. Now it's me against the 13-18 year old kids in the heats. I'm actually swimming in some of the same events as the son of a guy I swam with in college. I called him and told him to let his son know not to worry as I wouldn't be tapering for this meet ... hah! He's only 20 - 25 seconds faster than me in the 200 free. I'm just hoping not to make a fool out of myself and will try to have "fun".
