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.
"I also think our poster is someone in disguise trying to drum up comments! So here was mine!"
You know, that thought crossed my mind a few days ago too. Glad to see it's a good discussion item!
I just wish I could upload my much more functional Excel tracker directly into GTD instead of having to type it all over again. I have about 6 months of data to catch up on entering for 2014 ;)
Other than that, it's a great program.
Counting yardage and only yardage is like trying to train for a short drag race by driving a Prius going across america's highways at 68 mph. Yes, you'll log in a lot of mileage, but it won't be race specific.
Only a handful of swimmers on my team compete in meets regularly (and based on my unofficial guess from dropping in with other groups, I'd say this is more often the case).
There are quite a few more who do open water swimming, and truthfully, when you're swimming a distance, slow and steady is the way to go.
Racing 100m in a lake isn't such a good idea...not when you'd still have 3900m (or far more) to go :afraid:
Actually, GTD is a pretty good training tool for much of this. Our Triple Crown swimmer used GTD, quite successfully.
Go The Distance is what you make it. At first I did not understand why everyone did not achieve 500 miles or better. Then I slowly realized some people only swim one or two day per week. Some people have life events that prevent them from swimming. I have decided to remain quiet on this topic of acheiving 500 miles.
A couple of years ago Aqua Sphere sponsored a GTD type of event. It was Men vs Women. The prize was 10,000.00 British pounds sterling. Men came out ahead at the end, but the winner was everyone 60%, if I remember correctly, of the 10,000.00 was donated to Prostate Cancer Research, the other 40% was donated to *** Cancer research. Some Olympic swimmers even signed up. I was glad to have participated.
Also a while back I also participated in another GTD type of event in 2012. The goal was to swim the length of the Thames River, by the time the 2012 Olympics started. (see my USMS Blog).
I am comfortable with the prizes Nike kindly provides.
The validation I receive from GTD was more validation than I received from my former swim team.
GTD has a good and honest purpose. I challenge you to find your purpose in swimming GTD or not swimming GTD.
I have been using the FLOG tool since it was first introduced (and was an excel spreadsheet). I find it very valuable to track my yardage. It can be a helpful bit of motivation to keep my distance together between races or when life gets in the way. I used to do the same for many years when I was running for my primary sport.
That being said, I don't use it to compare myself to others. So if someone is cheating for the external validation, I am afraid that they are not getting it from me! Sorry.
It's an awesome fitness motivator.. I love the 50 mile cap.
its keeps me in the pool and trying to stay above the set goal.
and FYI...most folks do not cheat....even the guy with the most amount of miles is true and honest....
sorry you can't find value in this free program and thanks usms for offering it.
sorry you can't find value in this free program and thanks usms for offering it.
Have you all noticed that onlybrit has posted ONCE and has never been back? :bolt: Definitely the sign of a troll. :rolleyes:
Onlybrit, how about a response?:banana: I challenge you to give us a valid reason why we shouldn't utilize this FREE program. +1 on thanking USMS for offering it. :applaud:
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.
I think the program is fantastic! Thanks to Nike for donating or subsidizing the prizes. You're getting prizes for things you'd be doing anyway. I'm completely okay with the fact I'll probably get a cap and nothing else this year. It's more than I would've gotten without the program! And yes, some people probably cheat. But they'll get bad karma, so it's okay in the end.
