Hard to believe it's "meaningless" when people are throwing down $500 for Speedo suits and major dollars in travel expenses ... I've seen/experienced plenty of very intense masters swimmers.
"It's only masters" is a odd turn of phrase to me. Does life only exist/have meaning when you're young? We're masters and I assume what we choose to spend time doing matters somewhat to us.
For me, "it's only masters" has resonance. I work hard and try to prepare well, and some would see my commitment as pretty intense, but I only race because I enjoy it and it is a distant third on the list of priorities after family and work. The idea of doping is a compete antithesis to my concept of masters swimming, which for me is not only about fun but about personal achievement. Quite frankly, if someone else wants to put their health at risk, that's their look out, and if I don't win a medal but swim well, it doesn't really matter to me anyway.
Hard to believe it's "meaningless" when people are throwing down $500 for Speedo suits and major dollars in travel expenses ... I've seen/experienced plenty of very intense masters swimmers.
"It's only masters" is a odd turn of phrase to me. Does life only exist/have meaning when you're young? We're masters and I assume what we choose to spend time doing matters somewhat to us.
For me, "it's only masters" has resonance. I work hard and try to prepare well, and some would see my commitment as pretty intense, but I only race because I enjoy it and it is a distant third on the list of priorities after family and work. The idea of doping is a compete antithesis to my concept of masters swimming, which for me is not only about fun but about personal achievement. Quite frankly, if someone else wants to put their health at risk, that's their look out, and if I don't win a medal but swim well, it doesn't really matter to me anyway.
