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'm a very slow swimmer, but I still enjoy meets when I can get to them--also open water swims, which if you find those where swimmers have a wide range of ability, you don't have to worry too much about whether you're fast enough. I finish typically at the back of the pack in these races, but I still enjoy them as a way to connect with other swimmers, test myself, and get a chance to swim in places that normally might not be open for swimming. I'm a runner who added swimming to my routine b/c it gave me another avenue to explore and also allows me to work out harder and recover sooner--and see life from a different perspective! :)
I'm a very slow swimmer, but I still enjoy meets when I can get to them--also open water swims, which if you find those where swimmers have a wide range of ability, you don't have to worry too much about whether you're fast enough. I finish typically at the back of the pack in these races, but I still enjoy them as a way to connect with other swimmers, test myself, and get a chance to swim in places that normally might not be open for swimming. I'm a runner who added swimming to my routine b/c it gave me another avenue to explore and also allows me to work out harder and recover sooner--and see life from a different perspective! :)
