LCM is the Olympic distance and my favorite venue,but even though it is "long course" it gets short shrift. With SCY Nationals completed,my thoughts turn to LCM,but here in Oregon,and I suppose many other LMSCs, most swimmers either think about open water or about vacations. Many areas don't have easy access to 50M pools,but I find I can train SCY to swim LCM with a few modifications.It can be hard to find meets though.In Oregon,I have been told by coaches, that it is hard to schedule LCM meets since almost every weekend has an open water swim scheduled.Open water is fine for the people who like it,but come on,LCM is the Olympic distance. LCM Nationals tends to attract about half the entries that SCY Nationals does,for a variety of reasons,but I would hope that more of you would accept the challenge.Try it,you'll like it.
In Pittsburgh, I can think of 4 LCM pools, 2 indoor and 2 outdoor. Well, there are 4 county summer pools (3 are wave pools) that can host LCM as well. But good luck getting anyone to host the dang thing! There are plenty of meet opportunities for the kids though.
I love LCM, especially since Meniere's prevents me from doing flip turns, and my open turns aren't as fast as my flip turns used to be (prior to developing Meniere's). I also love the feeling of just going andnot having to break my rhythm so soon.
Unfortunately, there is nowhere near where I live to train LCM. :sad: The Steve Lundquist Aquatic Center converts to LCM ony for about one week in July for a meet. Otherwise, it's short course. It's a bummer.
The Steve Lundquist Aquatic Center converts to LCM ony for about one week in July for a meet. Otherwise, it's short course. It's a bummer.
So there's a 50 meter pool that is essentially never set up as long course? That's more than a bummer, it's plain shameful!
So there's a 50 meter pool that is essentially never set up as long course? That's more than a bummer, it's plain shameful!
Yep! I couldn't agree more!
There is a small potential a LCM aquatic center will be constructed within 3 miles of my house!
I currently have two 50m pools for training just 15 min and about 30 min out, but one is blockless, and both are not competition capable. The nearest LCM meet available for me is 3.5 hours away.
I don't necessarily enjoy the LCM pain and suffering, but my times rank higher on the motivational chart so I try to target them.
Just my two cents, but here in Illinois, I think the greatest impediment to having LCM meets is the relative lack of LCM pools. I'm aware of only a few in the Chicago area, most affiliated with local universities.
If a new pool was to be built at a YMCA, health club or other non-college venue, what are the odds that they would build anything other than a SCY pool?
Just my two cents, but here in Illinois, I think the greatest impediment to having LCM meets is the relative lack of LCM pools.
Same problem here in Western Washington. There's the great facility in Federal Way (25 miles south of Seattle), Colman Pool which is outdoor and only open in the summer, and South Kitsap which isn't much of an option for most people in Seattle since it requires a ferry ride or long drive. And that's it as far as I know. Pretty pathetic for a metro area of close to four million people.
That said I love long course swimming and train it as much as possible in the summertime at Colman.
It looks like we have 4 LCM meets this summer here in AZ:
* Phoenix Swim Club, May
* Goodyear, May (odd, looks like the week after)
* Scottsdale, July
* Flagstaff, August
Additionally, there's a SCY meet in Sedona in June.
All of our open water events here in AZ are typically in April/May and Sept/Oct (occasionally a June or Aug). The lake water just gets too warm for serious summer swimming.
I enjoy swimming LCM workouts, other than that the water gets rather warm in the summer.
The pool I swim in is usually setup LCM in the summer, but quite often masters gets relegated to the diving well--or even the warm-up pool.
There are many LCM pools here in Metro Phoenix, way too many to count. As far as I know, all are outside.
It has been about 2 years since I've done a meet. Perhaps I'll do one this year, if my health allows.
Hi Allen,
Nice topic.
We have the same issue in Germany. Masters swimming is growing up here and becoming more popular. 5 years ago there is a new event beeing generated: the german SCM championchips. Every year since than the number of entrance is growing up and this year this event will expand from 2 to 3 days including more events.
So you have now 3 national events: german masters LCM "long distance" includig some of the 200m strokes in april, than you have the german LCM "short distance" in june and the new german SCM champion chips in november.
If you want swim some of the internationals events like european masters championchips or the worlds...you have no chance to be in good or best shape everywhere around.
The reason why SCM are more popular is simple: If you don't train enough as masters swimmer, you don't want feel the pain. The SCM events you can swim always with less effort and input so you going out there and don't care.
LCM is always painfull, LCM is just a question of character.
I love the LCM, I love the pain and I enjoy the winnings more at LCM events.
