I'm trying to figure out if I'm crazy for signing up to participate in the USA Masters Games in Greensboro this summer. Anyone else going? Which events? How competitive are you?
I have mostly signed up because open water swims are hard to come by in areas that I can get to and from pretty easily just the day of. I have done a few open water swim competitions over the years, but I'm not particularly competitive (read: I'm not very fast). I'm wondering if I've set myself up for a situation where I'm not just last, I'm way behind. Don't get me wrong, I'm basically at this for my health and fitness and because I genuinely enjoy swimming (especially open water) so I don't mind being at the back of the pack, but I'm curious about where I'm likely to fall as I prep.
I'm looking forward to getting to watch some of the pool events as well. I have never gotten up the guts to sign up for a pool meet - I do not have a local Masters group to swim with so I don't have a group to go with or the training in starts and turns and all that stuff that would make me feel comfortable competing in the pool, but maybe this will get me going.
I'm interested in hearing from other who have signed up or are considering signing up. Thank you!
Although this is the first I've learned of it, USA Masters Games seems very similar to the National Senior Games (aka Senior Olympics), which I've known of and have participated in, but only at the NJ state level. I think the senior games age only goes down to 50ish. Based on their websites, the USA Masters Games seem to be in even years and the National Senior Games are in the odd years. There are state National Senior Games in NJ each year even though the National games are only in odd years. In swimming you can qualify for the National Senior Games by achieving NQT (I think they are the same as USMS) or by placing (I think 1st-4th or maybe more?) in your state's events typically held the year before the national games. At my age (65-69) this is relatively easy to do, since there are rarely more than 4 swimmers in an age group at the state meet in NJ.
Last years (2015) National Senior Games were in Minneapolis I think in July, and although I planned to go, I didn't make the trip. Next years (2017) games are in Birmingham and scheduled for early June. I don't believe they include any OW events at the senior games. The state meet in NJ is USMS sanctioned and connected as my times from the state meet show up in my usms database. I also know you can check the past state meet times on the state meet website in NJ. I'm not sure whether they post the national meet times.
Although this is the first I've learned of it, USA Masters Games seems very similar to the National Senior Games (aka Senior Olympics), which I've known of and have participated in, but only at the NJ state level. I think the senior games age only goes down to 50ish. Based on their websites, the USA Masters Games seem to be in even years and the National Senior Games are in the odd years. There are state National Senior Games in NJ each year even though the National games are only in odd years. In swimming you can qualify for the National Senior Games by achieving NQT (I think they are the same as USMS) or by placing (I think 1st-4th or maybe more?) in your state's events typically held the year before the national games. At my age (65-69) this is relatively easy to do, since there are rarely more than 4 swimmers in an age group at the state meet in NJ.
Last years (2015) National Senior Games were in Minneapolis I think in July, and although I planned to go, I didn't make the trip. Next years (2017) games are in Birmingham and scheduled for early June. I don't believe they include any OW events at the senior games. The state meet in NJ is USMS sanctioned and connected as my times from the state meet show up in my usms database. I also know you can check the past state meet times on the state meet website in NJ. I'm not sure whether they post the national meet times.
