I just joined USMS Adirondack a couple weeks ago, been swimming on and off for decades, but I have never swum a race except for one 1500 in a Triathlon 30 years ago. I'm a long time runner, 42 yrs and 475 races from 200 meters to half-marathons, shot putter for 25 yrs, and I have been a fitness swimmer for most of my life. I worked summers as a lifeguard in 1964-65.
In 2015 I had to curtail my running because of hip arthritis. I do fine for 3-4 miles but it hurts after 6, so I increased the swimming to compensate. I also have a morning routine where I do multiple sets of push-ups. Lately about 150/day, but I've been known to do 400-500 in a session.
I signed up for a masters swim class next month and my kids bought me a lap watch for Christmas. I have my eye on an OWS in Lake George NY next summer. Currently I'm swimming a minimum of 1000 yds, 4 days a week in a local pool, up to a mile once every 3-4 weeks. I had never timed myself doing laps in the past, but I estimated I would have done a 40 minute mile in the 1980s, 46-47 now. My 1000 yd times are 25-26 minutes though I have no idea if that's typical for my age, 68.
And BTW, I'm also a member of a group called Cardiac Athletes, all of whom have had heart surgery of one type or another and still compete. I got an artificial aortic valve in 1991, it will be 25 years next July.
