im new to the forum and relatively new at swimming. i started to swim this past winter to cross train for track and im finding out that i really enjoy it. ill be going to college soon and lately ive had the urge to get into competitive swimming (im going to a d-3 college and they are pretty cool about ppl joining things there) i plan to run in college (even though im not that good) but ive felt the urge to drop running and take up swimming. is it possible with someone with limited experience to become a serious competitor in a couple years if he works hard enough? im very competitive and dont want to get into swimming if i have no chance of becoming good. but i think im built more like a swimmer than a runner anyway, big palms, stocky upper body (definatly not like a distance runner haha). any advice would help and im sorry if you are sick of reading by now but if you have a response of and kind please give it.
-kevin-
I'm quite a bit older than college age (I only look young) ;) and also a competition newbie. My goals are simply to improve my swim times, develop a respectable looking flip turn, and enjoy the experience/camaraderie--and to help my running. Yes, like you, I also run. (Of course, way slower than you, I'd guess.) Originally, I joined the masters' group partly out of curiosity and interest in the challenge--and partly to help my running. I got both!
As a runner, you might be interested in the fact that not only did my swim times improve, so did my running times! In a 1/4 swim/5k run, I did my best 5k of the year. (My swim was okay-ish too--sighting needed work but the time wasn't inconsistent w/ practice times.)
So if the coaches involved don't object, I'd say go for both! A guy I was talking with at my local h.s. track (during one of my running workouts) told me that he was on his track and swimming teams and they fed into each other, so he did well in both track and swimming.
Good luck!
I'm quite a bit older than college age (I only look young) ;) and also a competition newbie. My goals are simply to improve my swim times, develop a respectable looking flip turn, and enjoy the experience/camaraderie--and to help my running. Yes, like you, I also run. (Of course, way slower than you, I'd guess.) Originally, I joined the masters' group partly out of curiosity and interest in the challenge--and partly to help my running. I got both!
As a runner, you might be interested in the fact that not only did my swim times improve, so did my running times! In a 1/4 swim/5k run, I did my best 5k of the year. (My swim was okay-ish too--sighting needed work but the time wasn't inconsistent w/ practice times.)
So if the coaches involved don't object, I'd say go for both! A guy I was talking with at my local h.s. track (during one of my running workouts) told me that he was on his track and swimming teams and they fed into each other, so he did well in both track and swimming.
Good luck!
