Lots of folks on this board are pretty experienced competitive swimmers (and you're awesome), but I'm wondering how many of us are in it just for fun/fitness. Is Masters really about competition, or is there room for the fitness swimmer, too?
Of course, I'm looking to get better, improve my stroke and kick and get a little faster. But only because it ups the fitness quotient. I didn't get into swimming to compete, but because my hereditary arthritis started kicking in and I figured it was a safe, effective way to exercise and drop those pounds my doctor's been hounding me about.
Who out there is a non-competitor, how many times a week to you swim, and do you count laps, time, or just do whatever feels good?
I agree with all of the posts so far, and thanks to Jayhawk for posting those stats again! She's posted them before, and I don't think they've changed much since I've been on the USMS forums.
While I really don't care for most meets (there are a few exceptions), I do like the whole open water experience. You go, swim, then you're done. I recently swam a 5k and spent less than half the time at the event venue than I do for most swim meets (and got in much more actual swimming :) )
Personally, I just don't like much of the waiting around that can happen at a large meet (unless you happen to be waiting with good company).
If I had to take a guess, I'd guess that 10% of so of the swimmers on my team compete regularly, or at least 1 meet per year in each of SCY, LCM, and SCY. My team has some former college swimmers (I think one gal went to a US Olympic trials), and other swimmers who are just happy to get in the water and swim.
Many on my team do an occasional meet (maybe one per year), especially if it is a, "team invite," type meet. Typically small and fun. I've seen some masters swimmers in their 80s go off blocks for the first time in their lives--quite a site to see--as well as others who broke USMS and/or world records, all in the same meet.
I agree with all of the posts so far, and thanks to Jayhawk for posting those stats again! She's posted them before, and I don't think they've changed much since I've been on the USMS forums.
While I really don't care for most meets (there are a few exceptions), I do like the whole open water experience. You go, swim, then you're done. I recently swam a 5k and spent less than half the time at the event venue than I do for most swim meets (and got in much more actual swimming :) )
Personally, I just don't like much of the waiting around that can happen at a large meet (unless you happen to be waiting with good company).
If I had to take a guess, I'd guess that 10% of so of the swimmers on my team compete regularly, or at least 1 meet per year in each of SCY, LCM, and SCY. My team has some former college swimmers (I think one gal went to a US Olympic trials), and other swimmers who are just happy to get in the water and swim.
Many on my team do an occasional meet (maybe one per year), especially if it is a, "team invite," type meet. Typically small and fun. I've seen some masters swimmers in their 80s go off blocks for the first time in their lives--quite a site to see--as well as others who broke USMS and/or world records, all in the same meet.
