I feel a little like our old friend Ion Beza. He always complains about the age groups that he swam in and how unfair it is. Anyway, I saw the NT's for my age group and in the 100's there were 2 second drops from last year and in the 200's 4 seconds drop. Anyway, it drives home on how medicroe I am and worst in my middle age than my youth. Granted, I can swim butterfly better than last year but the best stroke breaststroke hasn't improved since last summer. Anyone else feel the same way. I know that in your middle years swimming should be more of an exercise and I don't want the shoulder operations or knee prpblems that some master swimmers had.
Parents
Former Member
I too am in the dreaded, late baby boomer age groups. The good news is that USMS was well established when we got into it, and we have benefitted from all the hard work of the Masters swimming pioneers who went before us. The bad news is so did all the other folks our age who were also world or national class swimmers when we were younger.
Check out the cover of Swim magazine. The Jan-Feb cover-girl, Caroline Krattli, was pushing Tracy Caulkins as a teen; now she owns Masters world records. Don't even get me started about the Men's 40's age groups. Sometimes it seems like the same set of about 15 of the usual suspects consistently come up with 10 quality swims (if not more) each and every year that put the NQT outta sight for we dedicated, but mere mortals. Bottom line on NQT's: talent rules. If you had it as a youngster, you're in there. If you didn't, you're not.
HOWEVER, who cares? As Aqua Geek pointed out, you can swim three events at Nationals without an NQT. Moreover, the big regional meets are getting more competitive, and you will find 10-20 folks in your age bracket contesting your event. There is plenty of competition out there if you accept your challenges as they come.
Finally, to circle back to my original point, isn't it wonderful that we get to be part of such a healthy USMS organization? Moreover, just how "bad" are we? Most of us do things in a routine workout that 99.99% of the population could not even dream of attempting. If you want to stare at the names at the top of the list and give yourself an inferiority complex, go ahead. But, anyone, with the possible exception of Michael Phelps or Ian Thorpe, will be able to find someone who makes them look slow by comparison. A healthy view of your talent is to recognize BOTH the gap between you and the Masters record holder, and the gap between you and the side-stroking water aerobics crowd. BOTH are a reflection of reality.
So quite grousing already, and learn to appreciate the sublime beauty of your own well rested butterfly (before the piano falls on your back).
Matt
I too am in the dreaded, late baby boomer age groups. The good news is that USMS was well established when we got into it, and we have benefitted from all the hard work of the Masters swimming pioneers who went before us. The bad news is so did all the other folks our age who were also world or national class swimmers when we were younger.
Check out the cover of Swim magazine. The Jan-Feb cover-girl, Caroline Krattli, was pushing Tracy Caulkins as a teen; now she owns Masters world records. Don't even get me started about the Men's 40's age groups. Sometimes it seems like the same set of about 15 of the usual suspects consistently come up with 10 quality swims (if not more) each and every year that put the NQT outta sight for we dedicated, but mere mortals. Bottom line on NQT's: talent rules. If you had it as a youngster, you're in there. If you didn't, you're not.
HOWEVER, who cares? As Aqua Geek pointed out, you can swim three events at Nationals without an NQT. Moreover, the big regional meets are getting more competitive, and you will find 10-20 folks in your age bracket contesting your event. There is plenty of competition out there if you accept your challenges as they come.
Finally, to circle back to my original point, isn't it wonderful that we get to be part of such a healthy USMS organization? Moreover, just how "bad" are we? Most of us do things in a routine workout that 99.99% of the population could not even dream of attempting. If you want to stare at the names at the top of the list and give yourself an inferiority complex, go ahead. But, anyone, with the possible exception of Michael Phelps or Ian Thorpe, will be able to find someone who makes them look slow by comparison. A healthy view of your talent is to recognize BOTH the gap between you and the Masters record holder, and the gap between you and the side-stroking water aerobics crowd. BOTH are a reflection of reality.
So quite grousing already, and learn to appreciate the sublime beauty of your own well rested butterfly (before the piano falls on your back).
Matt
