Darian Townsend entered a masters meet in Mesa over the weekend and broke five world records in the 25-29 age group. This was Townsend's first masters meet. For those of you who are not familiar with him, Townend is a three-time Olympian and gold medalist from South Africa.
Swimswam.com posted a story about Townend's incredible meet. Here's the link: swimswam.com/.../
I found the comments quite interesting especially this one by "HMMM":
I have no problem with athletes making money off of Masters but why have a separate division called Masters if there are no rules or restrictions? None of the sponsored people you mention in their 50′s are training for Rio are they?. Most people in Masters believe they are swimming against recreational swimmers which is why there is a separate Masters division and those records are set by recreational/retired swimmers. If Phelps remains retired and wants to swim Masters, well there goes a few records in his age group but none of us in our club would have a problem with it. We discussed that very subject this morning after practice and Phelps, like Rowdy Gaines is retired and would welcome him. Many of us have swam against and met Rowdy and it is a true honor to share the pool with him in a Masters meet. But our entire team would have a huge problem if Lochte decides to swim a Masters meet while he is still fully training for the Olympics and blows all the records out of the water. If Lochte swims 12 events, he is going to walk away with 12 records. Why have a separate record book? If he can do that, you might as well just call us all USA swimmers and do away with the Masters division. There are meets where fully training pros swim and they are called Grand Prix’s, Nationals, and Worlds. Call us old fashioned, call us Masters swimmers, but we all think Masters should be separate from the training pros..
So I'm curious what the rest of you think. Should someone like Darian Townend or Ryan Lochte be allowed to swim in masters meets when they are professional swimmers who are training full-time? And maybe "allowed" is a poor choice or word. The bottom line is do you think they have any business swimming masters meets?
I'm still waiting for you to tell me how you draw you motivation.While I certainly look at the rankings and the records, I won't say that's the main place where I draw my motivation from. For me, Masters swimming has allowed me the opportunity to reacquire my love of competing -- I had it as an age grouper, but kind of lost that in the latter years of my collegiate experience. At that point, qualifying times (e.g., Trials, NCAAs) and competition became very heavy, pressure-filled events for me. I didn't enjoy competing. With Masters, I love racing again.
So, what are my motivators?
To race - I really, really, really, really LOVE / ENJOY / ADORE racing -- at any time of the year (in shape, out of shape, rested, not rested), in any event, against any type of competitor (e.g., I lost a 50 kick exhibition race to my 10 year old daughter recently and it was a blast), in any type of water (e.g., pool, SCY / SCM / LCM, lake, ocean, ... heck, if there was a race in a Michael Phelps signature swim spa, I'd get psyched).
To stay in shape, to rarely visit a doctor and when I do, to have him tell me my blood pressure, lipids, body fat,... any measurement he can take are awesome. Oh yeah, I compete against myself with those blood pressure machines at pharmacies and grocery stores all the time -- trying to see if my latest bout of training has helped.
To find ways to beat my younger Masters self -- as noted above, I have no illusions of competing against my 20 year old self, but I'm really looking forward to Santa Clara Nationals next year to compete against my 34 year old self since the 2001 Nationals there was my first Nationals ever as a Masters swimmer. What motivates me -- to kick my own ass from 13 years ago!
To race -- did I mention I like racing? I almost think I like racing when I don't win more than when I do ... if the others in the race have pushed to make me faster. A few examples ...
Racing Rowdy Gaines in the 100 free at his eponymous meet in 2009. I was right next him. He kicked my ass ... and I swam faster that I could have ever imagined
Racing in the same heat of the 400 free as Janet Evans in 2011 when she was working on her preparation for 2012. Yes, she beat me. Handily. Like 6 seconds. Hut, it was still my Masters personal best.
The 500 free at Greensboro Nationals (2012) where the entire field of 8 were former Division I competitors of mine, where 4 of us turned at the 450 in a deadheat and where the difference between 1st and 5th ended up being only 3.5 seconds. Oh yeah. I didn't win, but swam my best Masters time ever.
A 1500 at a throwaway LCM USAS meet where I ended up in the first heat with some 13 year old and he and I swam neck & neck the whole way, both of us helping the other to push under 18:00 for the first time (well, me, as a Masters swimmer). Yes, that time was almost 2 minutes slower than my collegiate race, but the race was one of the most fun I ever had. Oh yeah, he touched me out at the end.
I honestly don't thinking the TT rankings motivate me. I look at them, but they're kind of a crap shoot based upon who got to swim what in what kind of shape each year. As for the records, there are certainly some that motivate me ... until they don't.
Am I motivated currently by the 400 IM National records in my age group (45-49) - for sure; they seem within my grasp. If I get one, will it be cool? Absolutely. If I don't, will I lose my motivation? Absolutely not.
Am I motivated by the world records for the 400 IM in my age group -- absolutely not. Nicolas Granger of France dropped such sick times in the last year or so that they are, barring some miracle, just not within my reach. Does that fact diminish my motivation? Not at all. Fortunately, I'm motivated enough by all the above that I don't need any additional motivation.
I'm still waiting for you to tell me how you draw you motivation.While I certainly look at the rankings and the records, I won't say that's the main place where I draw my motivation from. For me, Masters swimming has allowed me the opportunity to reacquire my love of competing -- I had it as an age grouper, but kind of lost that in the latter years of my collegiate experience. At that point, qualifying times (e.g., Trials, NCAAs) and competition became very heavy, pressure-filled events for me. I didn't enjoy competing. With Masters, I love racing again.
So, what are my motivators?
To race - I really, really, really, really LOVE / ENJOY / ADORE racing -- at any time of the year (in shape, out of shape, rested, not rested), in any event, against any type of competitor (e.g., I lost a 50 kick exhibition race to my 10 year old daughter recently and it was a blast), in any type of water (e.g., pool, SCY / SCM / LCM, lake, ocean, ... heck, if there was a race in a Michael Phelps signature swim spa, I'd get psyched).
To stay in shape, to rarely visit a doctor and when I do, to have him tell me my blood pressure, lipids, body fat,... any measurement he can take are awesome. Oh yeah, I compete against myself with those blood pressure machines at pharmacies and grocery stores all the time -- trying to see if my latest bout of training has helped.
To find ways to beat my younger Masters self -- as noted above, I have no illusions of competing against my 20 year old self, but I'm really looking forward to Santa Clara Nationals next year to compete against my 34 year old self since the 2001 Nationals there was my first Nationals ever as a Masters swimmer. What motivates me -- to kick my own ass from 13 years ago!
To race -- did I mention I like racing? I almost think I like racing when I don't win more than when I do ... if the others in the race have pushed to make me faster. A few examples ...
Racing Rowdy Gaines in the 100 free at his eponymous meet in 2009. I was right next him. He kicked my ass ... and I swam faster that I could have ever imagined
Racing in the same heat of the 400 free as Janet Evans in 2011 when she was working on her preparation for 2012. Yes, she beat me. Handily. Like 6 seconds. Hut, it was still my Masters personal best.
The 500 free at Greensboro Nationals (2012) where the entire field of 8 were former Division I competitors of mine, where 4 of us turned at the 450 in a deadheat and where the difference between 1st and 5th ended up being only 3.5 seconds. Oh yeah. I didn't win, but swam my best Masters time ever.
A 1500 at a throwaway LCM USAS meet where I ended up in the first heat with some 13 year old and he and I swam neck & neck the whole way, both of us helping the other to push under 18:00 for the first time (well, me, as a Masters swimmer). Yes, that time was almost 2 minutes slower than my collegiate race, but the race was one of the most fun I ever had. Oh yeah, he touched me out at the end.
I honestly don't thinking the TT rankings motivate me. I look at them, but they're kind of a crap shoot based upon who got to swim what in what kind of shape each year. As for the records, there are certainly some that motivate me ... until they don't.
Am I motivated currently by the 400 IM National records in my age group (45-49) - for sure; they seem within my grasp. If I get one, will it be cool? Absolutely. If I don't, will I lose my motivation? Absolutely not.
Am I motivated by the world records for the 400 IM in my age group -- absolutely not. Nicolas Granger of France dropped such sick times in the last year or so that they are, barring some miracle, just not within my reach. Does that fact diminish my motivation? Not at all. Fortunately, I'm motivated enough by all the above that I don't need any additional motivation.
