Who can swim their age?

RE: Who can swim their age?

orca1946 — Thu, 01 Jan 2015 11:59:33 GMT

Soon to be 69 - so yes I can swim my age. Maybe only once, not any repeats!!

RE: Who can swim their age?

Sportygeek — Wed, 31 Dec 2014 09:40:45 GMT

As for Laura Val, do you know if she, or any other woman, has accomplished the feat in LCM? If not, it doesn't really matter. Beating your age is kind of an arbitrary distinction (as is, for that matter, the selection of the 100 as the designated length, be it yards, short course meters, or long course meters.) New Year's Day researching. Short answer: LCM, no. SCM, maybe. The SCM record lists include: Laura Val, 2013 (so age 62, I think?) - 1:03.84 Yoshiko Osaki, 2009 (born March 1938, so 71) - 1:12.97 ...either or both may have done similar times a year or two later!

RE: Who can swim their age?

jim thornton — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 09:31:16 GMT

Dave Radcliffe is a great guy and ageless though I imagine there is a picture of him somewhere that is showing it's age. On the women's side,in yards-Laura Val(who else) went 54.83 at age 55. Maybe USMS should come up with an honor we could call the Radcliffe Cup. I do think it's amazing that an 80 year old guy can swim over 8 seconds faster in the 100 LCM than his age. I wonder if he will continue to extend his gap? As of now, it often seems people have their best times when first entering the new age group. If pursuit of making the Top 10 in the Radcliff Cup were to catch on, then maybe we all would have more motivation to do better times throughout the age group. As for Laura Val, do you know if she, or any other woman, has accomplished the feat in LCM? If not, it doesn't really matter. Beating your age is kind of an arbitrary distinction (as is, for that matter, the selection of the 100 as the designated length, be it yards, short course meters, or long course meters.) The Radcliffe Cup, as I am now envisioning it, would be the difference between a swimmer's age and his or her time in the 100 in any course. The greater the discrepancy, the better the placement. So, for instance, in the 100 LCM breaststroke, Allen, your 79.88 at age 65 (differential + 's 83.65 at age 70 (differential + 't have the energy to rummage through all the other times, but I think you guys are the top two 100 LCM breaststrokers in the Radcliff Cup sweepstakes. I suspect somebody with training in computer processing could easily run the event rankings and/or Top 10 lists each year through some kind of mathematical Cuisinart at the conclusion of each season and calculate the Top 10 Radcliff Cuppians for all 100s in SCY, SCM, and LCM. I think it could be an excellent way to motivate us geezers! Jim, I suppose the criteria should be your yards age for yards and your meters age for meters. However, someone like Jim McConica who ages up in December gets an entire year in meters in the next age group three days after he actually ages up in December. So Jim will be 64 at the end of December, but come January 1 he will be 65! Say goodbye to my 400 SCM record. Enjoy it while you own it! As Jimmy Carter so aptly put, Life is unfair! You have the advantage of being slightly older than Jim McConica. I have the advantage of being slightly older than Jack Groselle. Michael Phelps, should he swim masters one day, has the advantage of being slightly older than whatever phenome quickly supplants him. You have done remarkably well, Glenn, and I must say that I truly admire you for your efforts!

RE: Who can swim their age?

Glenn — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 08:53:49 GMT

Jim, I suppose the criteria should be your yards age for yards and your meters age for meters. However, someone like Jim McConica who ages up in December gets an entire year in meters in the next age group three days after he actually ages up in December. So Jim will be 64 at the end of December, but come January 1 he will be 65! Say goodbye to my 400 SCM record.

RE: Who can swim their age?

Allen Stark — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 08:12:02 GMT

Dave Radcliffe is a great guy and ageless though I imagine there is a picture of him somewhere that is showing it's age. On the women's side,in yards-Laura Val(who else) went 54.83 at age 55.

RE: Who can swim their age?

jim thornton — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 07:23:19 GMT

Thanks Jim. You did, however, miss one in the LCM times...me. I went 1:03.01 (63.01) this summer as a 65 year old. Did not in any way mean to rob you of your fantastic accomplishment, Glenn, and let me add my even greater congratulations on your 400 SCM world record. I was listing folks who beat their age by multiple seconds (i.e., close to 3 or more) and I should have noted you in this rare fraternity. The younger you are, the harder it is--obviously, few toddlers at age 3, for example, can swim a sub-3 second 100 LCM freestyle! The reason I included Jack was that, as far as I can tell, he is the youngest person to have ever accomplished this, at least in the US, and the only one I could find who has yet done it in the 55-59 age group. As a fellow mathematically fascinated older swimmer, what do you think should be the criteria for official admittance into the "beating your age" club? Should the swimmer have to go with actual age or FINA age, for instance? I don't know if you saw my earlier post, but I too would qualify for admission to the rarefied fraternity if FINA age counts, but if it's actual age (in my case, FINA 62 minus a couple months till my birthday), I would have missed it by a few hundredths. Am I deluding myself, in other words, when I say to you, brother Glenn, I salute you, fellow Death-Defying Sub-Ageman?

RE: Who can swim their age?

Glenn — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 07:09:52 GMT

If you do the same thing with LCM times, the number is quite a bit less. Other wide multi-second gappers include: Rick Colella, 63, 59:04 Lee Childs, 66, 62.89 Jack Groselle, 60, 57.79, was the youngest person who I could find who beat his age. Thanks Jim. You did, however, miss one in the LCM times...me. I went 1:03.01 (63.01) this summer as a 65 year old.

RE: Who can swim their age?

jim thornton — Thu, 30 Oct 2014 07:00:35 GMT

USMS Meet Results Database Rankings If I did this correctly, here is a list of 99 men ages 60 and above who have swum their age or better in 2013 - 2014 SCY season. If you do the same thing with LCM times, the number is quite a bit less. I started going through the times to see who beat their age by the widest margin, and if my math is correct, the honor goes to: David Radcliff, 80, who swam a 71.82 (1:11.82)--an 8 second gap; followed by... Dave Quiggan, age 70, who swam a 64.19--very close to a six second gap! Then... James Elder, 71, 65.79--just over 5 seconds Other wide multi-second gappers include: Rick Colella, 63, 59:04 Lee Childs, 66, 62.89 Jack Groselle, 60, 57.79, was the youngest person who I could find who beat his age. I couldn't find anyone under the 60-64 age group who accomplished their age or less in the 100 LCM freestyle. Dan Stephenson, 57, came closest with a 57.7. In 2013, Jack Groselle, then 59, swam a 58.51, which may be youngest to do this. I checked the great Rich Abrahams, who beat his age at 60 and 61 but didn't make it while a 55-59 year old, the closest he came being the 58.23 he swam at age 57. At this point, I would say a strong case could be made for Jack being the greatest "young old" 100 LCM free swimmer; Dave being the greatest "slightly less young old" swimmer; and David Radcliffe being the currently undisputed champion of the world!

RE: Who can swim their age?

rtodd — Wed, 29 Oct 2014 10:00:39 GMT

The Montgomery Ancient Mariners had three swimmers accomplish this feat for SCY at a local meet last month (swim faster than their age for a 100 yard free): Clay Britt (age 53) Keith Wilson (age 57) Dave Harmon (age 65) That's impressive. I hope to do it someday!

RE: Who can swim their age?

jroddin — Tue, 28 Oct 2014 11:58:42 GMT

RE: Who can swim their age?

knelson — Mon, 27 Oct 2014 01:16:19 GMT

Wow. Very impressive. Go Bill!

RE: Who can swim their age?

Swimosaur — Sun, 26 Oct 2014 08:28:46 GMT

Bill is a tough guy. Here's the workout Bill Lauer swam today, on his 80th birthday. Warmup: 400 choice Main sets: 80 x 100 as 10 sets of 8 x 100, with 1 min rest between sets. 1. 8 x 100 free on 2:00 2. 8 x 100 kick w/ fins on 2:00 3. 8 x 100 pull on 2:00 4. 8 x 100 IM on 2:15 5. 100 fly, 100 free, 100 back, 100 free, 100 ***, 100 free, 50/50 fly/back, 50/50 ***/free. Strokes on 2:10, free on 1:50 6. 50/50 fly/free x 2 on 2:00 50/50 back/free x 2 on 2:00 50/50 ***/free x 2 on 2:00 100 IM on 2:00 100 free on 2:00 7. 25 fly, 75 free on 2:00 2nd length fly on 2:00 3rd length fly on 2:00 4th length fly on 2:00 same for back (4x100 on 2:00) 8. same for *** (4x100 on 2:00) 4 x 100 IM on 2:15 9. 8 x 100 pull on 2:00 10. 4 x 100 descend on 2:00 4 x 100 swimdown on 2:00 80 years old. The guy did the whole thing, as written. Did all the strokes, made all the intervals. The rest of us stopped after #79, and let Bill do the 80th one by himself, while we all cheered. He swam fly on the last length of the 80th 100, because why not? It was awesome to watch.

RE: Who can swim their age?

Swimosaur — Fri, 24 Oct 2014 11:34:23 GMT

Another way to "swim your age": age x 100 free (on some interval) Who is the oldest person to do it? This Sunday 10/26/2014, to celebrate his 80th birthday, Bill Lauer will try it. 80 x 100. I don't know the interval, or if he'll take any rests. UTK student aquatic center. Bill is a tough guy. He won World Championships this summer in M 80-84 100 fly, 200 fly, 400 free, and 400 IM. If anyone can do it, Bill can.

RE: Who can swim their age?

Former Member — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 15:31:00 GMT

Shooting your age is also a thing in golf. The record for oldest person to do was set in my home town when someone shot a 103 at age 103.

RE: Who can swim their age?

ande — Tue, 21 Oct 2014 12:08:07 GMT

I'm 51 pretty sure I can do a 51 in the 1 free long course maybe when I'm 59 or 60, doubt I can go a 57 or 58

RE: Who can swim their age?

knelson — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 12:28:02 GMT

How do we do 500's ? How about five seconds per year of age? Dave Radcliff first made it at age 73 with his 5:57 (73 * 5 = 365 seconds or 6:05). Make it six seconds per year and it gets a tad easier. Someone 50 would need to swim a 5:00.

RE: Who can swim their age?

orca1946 — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 11:11:12 GMT

As NOT a sprinter, I can do my age of 68 1/2 for a 50. How do we do 500's ?

RE: Who can swim their age?

Glenn — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 08:02:49 GMT

Looks like I didn't get it to send. Go to Meet Results Database Rankings. Change Season to 2013 - 2014 Fill in age 60 through 99 Change Display Top: to 100 First name should be Doug Martin age 60, 51.33 in the 100 free Number 99 should be Carl Selles age 67, 1:01.16 The oldest to do 1:00 is Tom Landis at age 72 (1:00.76)

RE: Who can swim their age?

Glenn — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 07:55:25 GMT

USMS Meet Results Database Rankings If I did this correctly, here is a list of 99 men ages 60 and above who have swum their age or better in 2013 - 2014 SCY season.

RE: Who can swim their age?

secondheart — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 03:42:50 GMT

Swimming times will degenerate geometrically with age, so using a straight line approach to estimate a relationship between age groups may be misleading. Also, outliers such as Rick Colella and Laura Val would further skew this relationship.

RE: Who can swim their age?

Rob Copeland — Mon, 20 Oct 2014 01:43:36 GMT

Make it six seconds per year and it gets a tad easier. Someone 50 would need to swim a 5:00.6 seconds; really?!? Now you’re making it too easy. I was hoping to see you shoot for the 3:45 500SCY.

RE: Who can swim their age?

wnt2bfst — Sun, 19 Oct 2014 11:30:10 GMT

You people are depressing me. At fifty I was was just trying to be 60. Missed it by .03.

RE: Who can swim their age?

Sportygeek — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 10:20:55 GMT

I'm perhaps missing the point of this whole challenge...but then again I am 30. A 50 is too short/fast to be impressive, and I am about 22 years away from the 100. Can you do 50 in all form strokes, LCM? Not so easy - check the backstroke and breaststroke TT times: www.usms.org/.../toptenlist.php. And our Australian TT: www.portal.aussi.org.au/.../ranking.php

RE: Who can swim their age?

rtodd — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 08:38:24 GMT

It's really a thing for older masters and quite an achievement all the way up till...........

RE: Who can swim their age?

SLOmmafan — Wed, 08 Oct 2014 06:42:56 GMT

I'm perhaps missing the point of this whole challenge...but then again I am 30. A 50 is too short/fast to be impressive, and I am about 22 years away from the 100.