Originally posted by 2go+h20
But will ION age gracefully?
Keep tuned for the next episode of "As the Chlorine Churns"
I'm trying, really really hard, but i just can't visualize anything graceful, or even gentlemanly about Ion.
I bet he beats old ladies to the spot in a supermarket line too.
I just read this entire thread from the beginning in one sitting. I can only say that never have so many people shown so much patience when dealing with someone who plainly is not interested in civil discussion and give-and-take. I have tried to show understanding in previous threads of different cultural backgrounds etc., but I have concluded that Ion is a lost cause.
Ion:
The facts clearly say you aren't among the fastest in your age group. We have meet results to show that.
Show us the facts that you are faster than 80% of your age group. You can't, it's that simple.
Give it up, you are toasted...again.
"That 90% of USMS -including you, Connie and lots of posters in this thread- are slower than me in the 1,000 free and beyond?"
Ion,
What is your time for a) a 5km distance? b) a 10km distance?
c) a 25km distance? d) a 34km distance? e) any other distance swum over 5kms.
HAve you ever participated in the open water section of the World MAsters Swimming Championships? If so where, when, water temperature, what distance and finishing time.
When giving these results please include if it was a FINA sanctioned meet, what the water temp was, and where it took place.
Ion, the issue is the constant "qualifying" you add to your claims and accomplishments. If you are measuring yourself by time against others, that means you are only interested in the COMPETITIVE swimmers in USMS. That being said, the numbers you are offering (faster than 80 to 90%) isn't fair because as you note, less than 10% of the 40,000 registered swimmers participate in meets. Therefore, comparing you to only those that compete (4,000), you have to look at your subset (men's 40-44) and there are less than 200 (I'd guess). None are classified as "late bloomers", "former high school swimmer", "DI swimmers", "late-late bloomers" (started in 30's), etc; just SWIMMERS. That is the group you are in, the only groups we are scored, ranked, and compete against, and in that group you ARE NOT RANKED HIGH. If you just listen and take some healthy advice (repeated often by many), you CAN improve with attention paid to technique, diet, and mental preparation. Just try it for one season. Tell no one where you got the advice; be brilliant and claim a newfound training routine! Just try expanding your training horizon and see what happens. What do you have to lose? You are a competitor and should only be looking at/comparing yourself to (if you REALLY must) to competitors, not registered swimmers. It is apples to oranges and does not reflect your efforts and how far you can still improve.
Originally posted by Peter Cruise
I just read this entire thread from the beginning in one sitting. I can only say that never have so many people shown so much patience when dealing with someone who plainly is not interested in civil discussion and give-and-take. I have tried to show understanding in previous threads of different cultural backgrounds etc., but I have concluded that Ion is a lost cause.
Two thoughts.
1) Ouch, you read this all in one sitting? You must be a distance swimmer!:D
2) There is some patience here. I think the use of this forum helps. Just imagine if this was a face to face conversation! As it stands now, everyone has time "off" from the conversation to cool down. If this was face to face over an hour or so.... just imagine the anger on everyone's face.:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: Would we be separating Ion and Geek? Or would we be saving Ion from Connie?:D
I think it is sad we have slipped down the slope we call “being civil”. Being away from these posts for the better part of a week has allowed me to look at them in a different light then before. The thoughts and feelings of many of the people who post here are very raw right now. Decency, understanding, compassion, patience and kindness have been lost to pain and anger.
I have learned some very valuable lessons over the past nineteen months. Often, anger is directly driven by pain. I read pain into many of the post here. People have offended one another and tramped on each others toes and people have been hurt emotionally.
Gosh, I am the farthest thing from a counselor or referee for that matter, but I am qualified to say that each of us has good days, and each of us has bad days. Without exception, EVERY SINGLE POSTER was decent, understanding and compassionate towards me during a very tough time in my life. Ion has a way of invoking anger and hostility in people. Having said that, he reached out to me during a very tough time and demonstrated a very different and compassionate side then the one we see here.
My point, in the final annalists we call life, what more do we really have then one another. We are a body of swimmers who share a common bond for the love of swimming and adult exercise in the water. Let us keep to this course as opposed to offending one another and fracturing our beloved sport with pain, hard feelings and anger. We are different, yet, we are the same. We all love our children, we all want to excel in life, we all want to think of ourselves are winners, we all want to be free people, we all want to raise our families and enjoy life as best we can. Regardless of how fast we are, how smart we are or anything else…. in the final toll….we all want and strive for many of the same things. As we all did on playgrounds all over the world as children, let’s shake hands and make up….
Originally posted by aquageek
Ion:
The facts clearly say you aren't among the fastest in your age group. We have meet results to show that.
...
As it was pointed before, you know it, but you argue for the sake of the argument, people who compete in USMS are faster than the majority in USMS who doesn't compete, and amongst age groups the men 40 to 44 is faster than others.
Thousands of Connies -who whines that I compare with her- and Swampygeek -who whines that he cannot do a 1,000 free- make the 90% slower than me.
Originally posted by Conniekat8
Comparing yourself to the people outside your class aghain, ay?
...
I point to your attention deficit that it is old dog who first compared with me.
But remember, since you made so that "...the gauntlet has been thrown down..." by issuing me a challenge, you and me we do compare now.
Originally posted by Conniekat8
who cares.
Again, why are you posting then?
Just so that you bicker.
