I started swimming Masters as soon as I could at 25(this was before 19 and then 18 year olds could swim Masters-I'm 57 now.)
I gather this is not what most people do. Swimming was the only thing that allowed me to retain a veneer of sanity in college and med school so I was ecstatic at being with an organized group of swimmers at the first opportunity.
Graduated college in '89. Started back in Masters in '99. Job was being down-sized and I needed a way to blow off the steam. Started swimming during lunch hour and now (a few jobs later) I swim in the mornings before work. Days that I skip, I love the sleep but miss the endorphins!
I am surprised at how many other people there are on here besides myself with no prior swimming background. That speaks well for the organization and the sport that it can draw in members and competitors with no prior experience.
started swimming at age 8. swam up through the fall of sophomore year in college then switched to water polo when i got into my major (biochemistry- lots of labs that conflicted with swim practice). discovered our masters team at penn state the summer before my last semester of college and have been doing masters swimming ever since (working on year #4). and loving every second of it.
:)
I quit swimming at 14 or so, although I was mostly just a summer leaguer anyway, to pursue wine, women and song full time for the next 13 years. I guess I finally decided swimming was gonna be an important part of my life again about 5 or 6 years ago, although I have been swimming with Masters teams for about 10 years now.
The best thing about Masters is COMPETITION. There, I said it. I enjoy competing at practice, being pushed at practice and even goofing around at practice.
Gull doesn't like it when I use the term practice.
Oh yeah, and in the past three years I've come to love open water. Such a nice break from the pool, everyone should give it a try, unless you live in Florida with the gators.
Why didn't Paul Smith, his most highness of USMS, cry foul when Cruise swam in our nats? Who allowed that foreigner in?
Had major Asthma when born-Drs said I should rest - Dad thought I should build my lungs and got me into competitive swimming when I was 5-6 yr old.
Swam hard/competitively until I was 20-21.
Took a 20/21 year break and did not swim workouts or exercise.
Looked at my bulging stomach/shirt after wheezing up a flight of stairs and made a plan- 1/05 when I started dryland then started gradually back in swimming end of July/August 2005.
Lost 29 LBs and increased calorie intake- life is good!
I joined in 2003 after a 25 year "break" (over the years I had been in the pool intermittently, at most 1500 yards 2-3x/wk). Wish I joined sooner--great organization and great people (noodles notwithstanding).
Originally posted by aquageek
Why didn't Paul Smith...cry foul when Cruise swam in our nats? Who allowed that foreigner in?
It won't happen again--the National Guard will stop him at the border.
I swam at DePauw University (div III) for two years and then quit competitive swimming in 1962. Once I became aware of USMS in about 1990 I started competing again. In the interim, I trained on my own in convenient recreation center pools - always constant speed swimming and NEVER any intervals.
-- mel
