Lifetime best

Former Member
Former Member
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
    Former Member
    Controling the hard working part doesn't change "Whether you start at...50, you are talented...". Starting at 50 and being talented, doesn't exist, no matter the controling of the hard work, period.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Why can't someone be talented at 50?
  • gull: Go ahead, rub it in, you are an early bloomer.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by SwiminONandON Why can't someone be talented at 50? Way to misquote me. I said that starting at 50 and being talented, doesn't exist, no matter the controling of the hard work, period. Starting at 50 allows someone for less talent, it limits that person with regards to talent, no matter the hard work that person puts in. I said it here: Originally posted by Ion Beza ...someone starting at age 50 and making a 200 yards free in 1:38, or 1:49 never existed in the USMS database with results. But there are people starting at 50 and making the 200 in 3:30.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Of course people at 50 can be talented. A talented hardworking 50 year old swimmer would be faster than all of the other 50 year olds. A talented lazy 50 year old and a non-talented hardworking 50 year old would be closley matched, and a lazy non-talented 50 year old would be slower than everyone. (just loose categories, lots of ranges really) But whether a 50 year old could be faster than someone of a different age? Well there are some very different possibilities... But look, ok it's not likely that someone slightly past their prime like that could break an olympic record, but you never know, things like that tend to happen when people least expect it.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Me too, Geek. Same yardage, same time, same coffee break. However, when I *know* my coffee is scalding, I let it cool till it is hot. (I hate that skin peeling off the roof of my mouth.) (How do you stand it, everyday?) ;)
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by Karen Duggan Bill, It's funny to me, actually kind of strange, that people (not you in particular) feel the need to "label" this or that achievement. Or to provide reasons why this or that did or didn't happen. Naturally, you look at things and try to improve, but to give ones circumstances a general label is... I don't know the word... weird? It's seems more natural to be like the Nike ad and "Just do it." My husband and I have joked that we have our life best times and our life best times post having three kids- of course that's just it, we're joking, because we don't feel the need to qualify any of our swims. We know our circumstances and we do the best we can, plain and simple. Our FRIENDS (and I consider you one :) ) also know our circumstances. If it's relevant to something, I'll share, if not I just quietly go about my life :) My .02 (that's two cents, not two hundredths 'ya swimmer!) I have to agree. I'm not an "aging swimmer" or whatever you want to call it. I'm only 15, but I've been swimming for 5 years. That's 1/3 of a lifetime for me. All I know is swimming feels good and I like it. I like feeling new strength when I first get in the water. I like feeling my muscles uncoil on the morning after a hard workout. I just like being in the water, not neccesarilly swimming, but just sitting on the bottom and lookign up at the "sky" and stuff. Swimming is great, who cares about ranking or whatever?
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by ande Congratulations on your swim. Enjoy the moment Ande Thanks Ande. I often read your tips.
  • Good question, gull, and a pleasant diversion form the egocentric discussion this thread is taking. I think the concept of personal best changes as we age. I know I was faster in my 20s. It also took a lot less effort. Now, my concept of personal best is still to break or approach those times but I achieve a great deal of satisfaction in staying healthy as my peers become blobs. When I look at my older teammates in their 50s and 60s, it seems their quality of life is a personal best that swimming plays a part of. An obsession to break a time for 11 years is one way to motivate but a lifestyle improvement through exercise seems much more motivating.
  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Originally posted by aquageek I can tell you this, swimming 28K yards per week with a family and a job would mean a quick trip to divorce court for me! Or bankruptcy court
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