Does anyone else think the go the distance program is seriously stupid. The prizes stink, it's too hard to get them if you even get the prize you deserved. I don't even think most people are even telling the truth about how much they swim to cheat.
While onlybrit's comments were perhaps a bit harsh, they did resonate with me. I write this as someone who hasn't been in the water since perhaps March, so keep that in mind.
I have participated in GTD for several years, and am nominally participating this year, though I am stalled for now. I'm a guy who's generally a pool swimmer, and who never wears a cap. How many 50-mile caps do I really need? I think it would be nice if the shorter distance goals changed from time-to-time. Maybe a bag tag like the "swimming saves lives" tags or a pair of goggles (Swedes are cheap, for example).
Looking at this year's awards schedule, there appears to be nothing between the 50-mile and 500-mile marks, at which point you get a new suit, which I'm guessing will be of more value to women than men. Despite the prodigious efforts of a number of swimmers, most people aren't going to make that 500-mile goal. For me, it would just mean more shoulder problems. I'd much rather pay for my shiny new swimsuit than for an MRI. Looked at another way, of the 7032 people who have logged at least 50 miles so far this year, if current trends hold, perhaps 750 people will be awarded a swimsuit. I'm sure that's a substantial commitment by the sponsors, but it's likely not an achievable goal by the bulk of the USMS membership.
Just my 2¢...
While onlybrit's comments were perhaps a bit harsh, they did resonate with me. I write this as someone who hasn't been in the water since perhaps March, so keep that in mind.
I have participated in GTD for several years, and am nominally participating this year, though I am stalled for now. I'm a guy who's generally a pool swimmer, and who never wears a cap. How many 50-mile caps do I really need? I think it would be nice if the shorter distance goals changed from time-to-time. Maybe a bag tag like the "swimming saves lives" tags or a pair of goggles (Swedes are cheap, for example).
Looking at this year's awards schedule, there appears to be nothing between the 50-mile and 500-mile marks, at which point you get a new suit, which I'm guessing will be of more value to women than men. Despite the prodigious efforts of a number of swimmers, most people aren't going to make that 500-mile goal. For me, it would just mean more shoulder problems. I'd much rather pay for my shiny new swimsuit than for an MRI. Looked at another way, of the 7032 people who have logged at least 50 miles so far this year, if current trends hold, perhaps 750 people will be awarded a swimsuit. I'm sure that's a substantial commitment by the sponsors, but it's likely not an achievable goal by the bulk of the USMS membership.
Just my 2¢...
