People have tried to make it clear to you, Ion, that you will not be recognized by USMS or SWIM magazine unless you swim a lot faster. They have also tried to point out, in a nutshell, that your attitude comes across as sour grapes.
I am going to postulate that you would like to be recognized for overcoming whatever it is you have overcome. SWIM magazine doesn't have the space to do it. And they certainly don't have the manpower (interviewers and photographers) to cover every story there is to tell, especially in regard to overcoming adversity.
So, here it is. I wish everyone would take the chance to tell their stories. Think of it as a SWIM web page for sharing of personal histories.
I know Tom Ellison has an amazing story that I wish he would put here. I know of many other swimmers who have overcome tremendous adversity. I hope this thread will become an inspiration to us all, and that we will all realize, as I have lately, that: looking at the past can be painful, so don't (as long as you don't repeat it!), who knows what the future holds, so quit worrying about it, and be happy in the present because it's the only thing you really have control over.
Parents
Former Member
Surprisingly, that is what I discovered. It just feels really, really good to swim. It made me understand why my children go to practice without too much complaining. Why they can be in a terrible mood before practice and come out whistling.
I can feel good after a hard weight lifting session, or a cardio class of some sort, but not the way I feel after swimming.
It also made me understand how difficult it is. And how a child can not be expected to go to a meet and attain best times everytime. Another thing I see parents do. I think every swim parent should get in and try a meet. It will make them understand how much meets take out of their kids and that every competitor just does what they have in them that day. No child purposely throws a race.
Another topic, I know.
Surprisingly, that is what I discovered. It just feels really, really good to swim. It made me understand why my children go to practice without too much complaining. Why they can be in a terrible mood before practice and come out whistling.
I can feel good after a hard weight lifting session, or a cardio class of some sort, but not the way I feel after swimming.
It also made me understand how difficult it is. And how a child can not be expected to go to a meet and attain best times everytime. Another thing I see parents do. I think every swim parent should get in and try a meet. It will make them understand how much meets take out of their kids and that every competitor just does what they have in them that day. No child purposely throws a race.
Another topic, I know.
