Today, I swam the 200 yards free in 2:09.11.
This beats my previous best of 2:09.54 from April 1994.
I challenged the 2:09.54 in the past 11 years, over 20 times, many times under what I learned the hard way to be the wrong preparation, and never came close.
My result will be posted officially in the USMS databse.
I won't be able to make the 2005 Short Course Nationals, but hopefully I will make the 2005 Long Course Nationals.
The reason that I bring this success here is that there are some lessons to learn from it:
1.) to pursue virtue and excellence by meeting the intrinsic requirements that come to having a worthwhile goal (in my case, the goal is to stay in my prime intellectually and physically, for longtime), that's intelligence and tenacious work;
I immigrated to U.S. and relocated within U.S. on job skills in science to live my lifestyle;
this lifestyle comprises now, over 39 weeks of the 2004-2005 season so far, of 1,093 kilometers of training (an average of 28.025 kilometers per week, or 30,828 yards per week, no matter the holidays, tapering or illness, that includes kicking, strokes, and technique quotas), the most mileage I slowly built my late starter physiology up to in life, mostly under a Masters club with primarly college and age group swimming expertise, which I searched for and choosed;
I also cross train consistently in weights and running;
2.) I scrutinize self-indulgence and greed (to an employer who was asking me to work overtime like his Japanese employees do, even though I was ahead in schedule in a project, and who thought that I am a slave to him giving me a work visa, I stated "You know, my life doesn't depend on you." and I walked away from a near six-figures salary because it was jeopardizing my swim training; I looked for and found another) and I scrutinize good intentions backed up by feelings without hard data.
2:09.11 and staying in my prime, that's a tribute to 1.) and 2.).
Former Member
Originally posted by gull80
Mary was questioning your claim that the 10 year old girl is faster because of hormones.
And I answered that with coach Bowman on prepubescent swimmers, and with the conversion of fibers being age specific.
Ion
my 30 minute 1000 yards was 5 years ago when I started at age 38. That was when I first was learning and gaining confidence and had never swum anything over 50 yards before. If you read my posts, you know I refer to this when people are struggling to swim any distance at first. I slowed way down to achieve the distance, and to especially achieve the mental thought to be able to achieve the distance.
Last March I swam 1000 yards in a race. I did it in under 16 minutes. So I would say I had a PB, and have you had that percentage of rate of improvement in 5 years?
Guess what. This year I could only get in the water 3 times a week 45 minutes at a time because I changed from part to full time, and still kept my full time Mom job(never give that up).
I did what I could each practice, concentrating alot on form, and really focused on turns. Because my goals are not soley based on times. My goals are to be able to finish races such as the 1000 free, and the 400 IM and the 100 fly. Things that 5 years ago I could not even dream of. My goal for the 1000 was to 1. finish 2. do all flip turns 3. get under 16 minutes. In that order. I also even split it, 7:56 and 8:00 500's, which I was actually very please with.
My goals are very different than yours, please honor that other people have different goals. I tried to do that with you, you want to be faster and faster.. work on your turns and other problems with your stroke. You can prove that as you approach 50, you can continue to train massave yardage, but I got news for you. At some point, your body will not be able to do that. It is a fact of life. We age. And the way you are going to improve after that is technique.
:) My breaststroke is OK, but my fly is better, and my IM not bad(except backstroke!) Thanks guys you made me laff again.
Got to get in to work way to early so I can make the Friday night set-up at the meet. Later gators.
Edited later for Ion. Be careful about cutting other peoples times down. I am well versed in what age group kids times are around the country. The record in Illinois for 10 and under girls for the 200 free is 2:03. That girl was on our age group team, and she was a little teeny tiny thing. So you compare your times to mine, I can compare your times to a 60 pound 10 year old girl! Since VO2 is really not developed until the 12-13 year old in girls(yes Ion, I actually have heard your theory from coaches, I am not just a dumb middle age woman, I have a little knowledge), those 10 year olds that are faster, have not developed it yet. She had, and still has massive talent and great technique.
Former Member
Originally posted by SwiminONandON
Tom Ellison, you're my hero (said just like Cameron Frye) ;)
Don't be so impressionable.
That's an easy trick.
Former Member
Ion, you have NO idea why I said that ... so butt the heck out!
Former Member
If I may ask, what exactly are you trying to prove? I think it's a given that a late starter in any sport is at a significant disadvantage, one that likely cannot be overcome regardless of the amount of training. And clearly there are physiological changes that occur with exercise in adolescents that adults cannot replicate. But the other ingredient is talent, which many of us lack. No one ever said life was fair.
Former Member
Originally posted by Tom Ellison
........Ops, be careful there....I know a few 10 and under swimmers that would give you a good race.....
My coaches daughter was faster than Ion at 10 years old. I think she was faster then him at 8 yeas old as well.
Right now, at 16, she can do any stroke much faster than Ion's free.
I don't think Ion swims other strokes at all, Does he?
Former Member
Hey,
Please leave me out of this. I am a medical doctor too. I am a clinician scientist trained in endocrinology-- I study hormonal regulation of phosphate metabolism and am at home writing a paper for a peer-reviewed scientific journal. (In other words I am currently procrastinating) This is why I had and still have a problem with your lack of data. In fact, you said that you quote newspapers because that is all you have. I don't think that is good enough to support the claims you are making. If you are going to argue something so vehemently then you should be able to have a reasonable debate that is support by facts not hearsay.
Former Member
Originally posted by gull80
If I may ask, what exactly are you trying to prove? I think it's a given that a late starter in any sport is at a significant disadvantage, one that likely cannot be overcome regardless of the amount of training. And clearly there are physiological changes that occur with exercise in adolescents that adults cannot replicate. But the other ingredient is talent, which many of us lack. No one ever said life was fair.
Ask what Connie tries to prove.
In her last post.
And ask what geek tries and fails to understand.
In his last post.
Me, I know this.
Hence my process.
Former Member
Heather, your brass is showing......;)
Former Member
Originally posted by Ion Beza
Don't be so impressionable.
That's an easy trick.
if it's so easy, how come you're not doing it?
