This is somewhat related to another post I just started (Top Ten conerns). I noticed in the top ten list a number of swimmers (generally very fast swimmers) who swam their first nationals (or any other masters meet) in 5 years due to being in a new age group. I state this by looking at the past few years top ten lists and not seeing their names. Is this a good thing for masters swimming? Swimmers whose only affiliation with masters swimming is showing up to one meet every 5 years to break a record. These records should be owned by people that are true masters swimmers.
What is a true masters swimmers?- Perhaps doing a few meets a year might work. When I swam on an age group team as a child, I know in order to qualify for our championship meet, we had to swim at least 3 regular meets. Perhaps a rule like that for Nationals could begin to fix this problem-
If not, many of our national records will be held by "ringers"
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Former Member
I agree with Cynthia. After not swimming for 22 years I find that I am as good as when I was 13. (the people at work get a real kick out of me telling them that)
The real problem is that I really improved a lot between 13 and 14. I don't know if I will ever make those 14 year old times.
Reasons: 50 lbs. reduced flexibility, only 10,000 a week (max), no practice competition, greatly reduced expectations, etc.
There is no doubt that I would have maintained most of my skills if I had continued swimming but when I was 22 I was ready to STOP! You have to give a lot of credit to those who have been disciplined enough to never call it quits. And they deserve to be the ones setting the records.
However, it is so much more fun now getting to construct my own workouts and just feeling the water. Improving from my current level is satisfying enough.
I agree with Cynthia. After not swimming for 22 years I find that I am as good as when I was 13. (the people at work get a real kick out of me telling them that)
The real problem is that I really improved a lot between 13 and 14. I don't know if I will ever make those 14 year old times.
Reasons: 50 lbs. reduced flexibility, only 10,000 a week (max), no practice competition, greatly reduced expectations, etc.
There is no doubt that I would have maintained most of my skills if I had continued swimming but when I was 22 I was ready to STOP! You have to give a lot of credit to those who have been disciplined enough to never call it quits. And they deserve to be the ones setting the records.
However, it is so much more fun now getting to construct my own workouts and just feeling the water. Improving from my current level is satisfying enough.
