Triathletes

I don't know how you can make these bizaree statements about swimming in Georgia, especially Atlanta, and Florida. First off, as mentioned above, Dynamo is one of the best swim clubs in the nation and has huge attendance. Secondly, there are many USMS meets in and around Atlanta yearly. Florida is awash in OW and pool meets every year. I count 30 meet results already this year on dixiezone.org. That doesn't include non USMS events, such as the annual swim around Key West, very popular event. The USMS places to swim lists 32 places to swim/clubs in Georgia, although many probably don't have coaches. When I was in ATL last December, I had three teams I emailed about practice times and all were very welcoming. Charlotte, a small version of Atlanta, has an absolutely enormous year round community, not to mention the summer leagues of six divisions with dozens of teams with 100+ kids each. And, that is small by Fort's standards in DC. There are at least three organized USMS teams here snd probably twice that of swimmer on their own at regular times. Stop being a chlorine hater.

So let me get this, in a sport that can't decide what is or isn't a legit stroke you try to pick one those who endeavor to answer the question, "who's the best athlete?." That question is what created Triathlons. I've only been on one "team"; of the 20-30 members, all did triathlons. IMHO, some were great swimmers and swam meets, but that was very few. That's probably because of the popularity of TRIs in FL. Everyone did all the strokes (except fly because some of us hadn't learned yet). If swimmers aren't doing the Coach's workout that a coaching and discipline thing. I would love to learn Fly, but can't find a coach in Atlanta. Most adults don't like to seem stupid so they don't ask questions. I know I have a lot to learn in swimming and want to improve. It would be nice if you "swimmer" assumed that and offered help and not just criticism. I have learned a lot here about technique and etiquette. I'm always the first to share my lane or circle swim, but if I went to your pools I'd have no idea which lane to swim in unless it were marked by time or ability. BTW: does anyone other than the swimmers waiting to swim and parents even watch swimming? Millions of non-participants/athlete watch: running events, cycling events, and Tris. Does swimming even have a publication that rivals Runner's World, Cycling, or Triathlon where none are sponsored by the governing organization? If there is I'd like to read it. Never found one. All swimmers in the pool need to obey the coach and workouts regardless of being a "swimmer", "triathlete", or "exerciser", but if it wasn't for the latter two, I think our pools will be turned in to skate parks very soon. :2cents::2cents: Four cents because I got long winded, sorry.:wine:

I would not want to be coached by anyone who tells me what I have to do for a work out. I would be happy if they could tell me what I am doing wrong technique wise. If they try to give me drills, or tell me to do breaststroke or backstroke I would tell them where to go. I have never obeyed a coach who dictates a workout. I only do what I want to do. If he says use a pull bouy I do not do it I do arms only. If he says breaststroke I do not do it.

Um, yes. Swimming was THE BIGGEST thing in the last Olympics, No that was Sychronized swimming. As much as I enjoy the other two disciplines (there you go, Smiths), lets face it, anyone can run or bike, not saying they do it well. It's the swimming that is the gatekeeper to the sport, except for the 1% of us that can actually swim good and then get punked out of the water. I should start counting the number of tris that tell me "if I could only swim good, I'd be much better at tris." Not really, but it too short. I agree with an earlier comment it should play a bigger role. As far as kids go, check out kids swim meets versus kids tris, the ratio is like 100:1, if you are lucky. I love invented facts Oh, and triathloning is a new Olympic sport, not one of the originals. The idea is to determine the best out-all athlete. Is that why so many specialist are injured? As to magazines, that's a strange comment. It's about advertising. No its about growth, interest and the future of the sport. Spitz proves my point. We all remember him swimmer and non-swimmer. How many non-swimmers know or care about Phelps, Thorpe, Sanders, and "whats her name" who is only known for being on/in Playboy? :duel:

I should start counting the number of tris that tell me "if I could only swim good, I'd be much better at tris." That's funny. Around here they say, "If I could only swim well, I'd be much better at tris." Must be the proximity to The University of Texas.

The word "obey" just creeps me out. Masters swimmers have to adapt the workouts to meet their individual needs, abilities and physical condition. I'm like George, no pull buoys or paddles please! Fort: Sorry for the "obey" , my military background is showing. I don't know enough about swimming to vary too far from my coach. I understand good and bad pain and that will cause me to alter the plan, some. Funny, my swim coaches had everyone using zoomers, long fins, small pads and large ones, buoys, and boards. Both are USMS certified and one swam in the 96 Olympics for Bulgaria. I read the workout (e-mail) and then stack all my toys as neatly as possible. The other swimmers just stare. So I'm the swimming version of the guy with white tape on his glasses and a pocket protector.:cry: I even follow Speedo Swimmer's workout to the letter! I read here that most of y'all don't use any "toys", but I HAVE to do what my coach says....resistance if futile! :dedhorse:

Ask anyone who the star of the Olympics is and everyone will say Phelps. Since I actually hang out with people who participate in other sports. Most of them point to track as the premier events. How many kids tris or kids swim meets you been to lately? Go check em out and draw your own conclusions. I would love to but there aren't any. Hopefully next year, I can volunteer at one. Since when do triathlons determine the best over all athlete, as you say? That's best track and field athlete. Like the fastest human is the winner of the 50m. No Johnson was faster, at top end speed. C'mon, man, get your sports history right. Get your whole post right, for that matter. Trithlon goes back to the 70's and swimming is not one of the originals in the first Olympics or the modern Olympics. Get your facts right.

Having attended both, Bill, I would say this is not an "invented fact." There is never, ever, enough seating at USS meets or even at small summer league dual meets. Age group swimming is huge, and just keeps growing. By comparison, very few age groupers are running before high school and even fewer are doing triathlons. Swimming is vastly more popular. I agree, I'm just yanking Geek's chain 'cause it so easy. But swimming is huge the way Gymnastics is. Kids love and then abandon it. When I swim, I usually have the pool (4 lanes) to myself. On rare occassion the pool will fill up and then empty out within minutes. The people who swim may swim for 200-600m and call it a workout. I have missed more TRIs for filling up than roadraces. I've been to triathlons with my teenager where there is barely a spectator or very few. However, I'm sure Lake Placid or Kona are better attended. The little sprints are that way and TRIs don't even lend itself to being spectator friendly. Yet I see people out lining the roads for the bike and run. They even cheer! Probably cause it free entertainment. Every TRI I did last year closed. Most Hald IM and IMs close in 24 hours. I did St Anthony's it closed in 5 hours! Here in Atlanta and back in Tampa there are virtually no swim events. I think Tampa had an Aquathon and a OW distance swim. I went on-line after (S)he male said there was a summer program. It was cancelled. Maybe swimming is just more localized than TRIs.

Go learn fly! Can't be a great athlete without that. :thhbbb: Is it possible without a coach? I watch people do fly and think, "If I tried that, my arm would 'fly' off". I'll wait until I find a coach and learn it right the first time.

Having attended both, Bill, I would say this is not an "invented fact." There is never, ever, enough seating at USS meets or even at small summer league dual meets. Age group swimming is huge, and just keeps growing. By comparison, very few age groupers are running before high school and even fewer are doing triathlons. Swimming is vastly more popular. I've been to triathlons with my teenager where there is barely a spectator or very few. However, I'm sure Lake Placid or Kona are better attended. Heck, I love swimming as a standalone sport or as part of tri, so I don't really have a side in this "discussion". However, I think it's a relatively silly comparison to say that swimming must be more popular because you can't get one of the few hundred seats around most pools, and Tri is less popular because it's so easy to find a seat along the 140.6 mile of the venue. :doh: On the other hand, great point about swimming being the (or at least one of the) highlighted sport of the summer olympics. Of course, downhill skiing and curling get a lot of attention for 14 days every four years too. :bolt: