Announcing the new 2007 USMS Fitness Event: Go the Distance!
A new fitness event is being offered by the USMS Fitness Committee. The name of this new challenge is “Go the Distance”!
The objective of this event is for participants to track the distance they swim during the year 2007. When participants achieve specific distance milestones of 50 miles, 100 miles, 250 miles, 500 miles, 750 miles and 1000 miles – they will be recognized on the USMS website and awards will be available for purchase (for a minimal fee).
There is no cost to enter this event. Participants are requested to email (or use snail mail) to submit the total distance they swim each month. A list of miles per month and cumulative mileage will be tabulated for each swimmer. Once a distance milestone is achieved awards will be available for purchase. They will include swim caps, certificates, patches and t-shirts with the event logo and the distance of the milestone achieved. Details on these awards and how to purchase them will be available soon.
Each month the results will be updated on the USMS website in the Fitness Section. There will be lists to recognize all those that have achieved each distance milestone. Participants will also be able to look up their current total as well as view their progress toward the next distance milestone. In addition there will be graphs illustrating the participation for each zone, lmsc, age groups etc..
This event was designed to encourage folks to track the distance they swim in order to review their progress and to be recognized for their achievements. There is no time limit for the distance milestones (except that it must be in 2007) so speed does not count – just the effort to attain the next goal. We wish to recognize participation and achievement of goals with this event.
There will be an entry form, monthly results, award request form and a “distance tracking log” available on the USMS website (fitness section) soon. The log can be used to track one’s daily distance swum but is not required.
The Canadian Masters have a Million Metre Challenge that is quite successful. This event is similar in design but will be implemented a bit differently in the beginning. And of course, our goals will be in miles instead of meters!
I would very much appreciate it if you could spread the word to folks and consider participating yourselves! If you need any more information or would like to comment and make suggestions please contact Mary Sweat at gothedistance@swimoregon.org
Wishing you lots of fun swimming in 2007!
Mary Sweat
For the USMS Fitness Committee
Former Member
Mary,
I LOVE this - the concept and the excel sheet. Thank you so much for putting this together! Finally, I have a reason to write down my workouts after each morning swim. It's great to mentally go through the workout - sort of as a postmortem.
I'm at 41.90 miles so far. So, I've got some work to do (I was thinking I was averaging 5000 yds a day). Thursdays at my club we swim with stretch cords and parachutes for half the workout which causes our yardage to go from our usual 5000+ to under 4000. Plus, I do lots of stroke and fly. . .
It's super hard, so I guess it's worth it!
Hey - and at the same time, that amount of mileage sort of sounds crazy, if not psycho, to the average person. . . I had no idea I swam 80+ miles a month. :laugh2:
Great event!! THANK YOU!
I feel so inadequate right now.
I've only done 6 miles but I only do 2k a training session 3x a week ( I was sick the first week and did less than half). It's working for me though Or at least so my belt and stopwatch say! I know I'd do more yards with a team though.
/flex
I feel so inadequate right now.
I've only done 6 miles but I only do 2k a training session 3x a week ( I was sick the first week and did less than half). It's working for me though Or at least so my belt and stopwatch say! I know I'd do more yards with a team though.
/flex
Hey Rich!
I love your avatar! Is that your dog? I have a fawn colored pug named Frappuccino.
I feel very inadequate next to Blainesapprentice - slow start at 50 miles already this month?! :rofl: Sheesh! I remember when I started up swimming by myself years ago - and it's true in that I'd never be able to do that much yardage by myself. I've got some coaches who really "crack the whip" so to speak!! Thank goodness!
Congratulations on your "belt" and "watch" knowing what really counts! It's a great feeling to have clothes fit well!! Keep up the super work!!
Hey Rich!
I love your avatar! Is that your dog? I have a fawn colored pug named Frappuccino.
Congratulations on your "belt" and "watch" knowing what really counts! It's a great feeling to have clothes fit well!! Keep up the super work!!
It is my buddy Ben. He can be totally annoying and stubborn, but that's a Beagle. They just live life their way.
Yeah If I keep the progress up. I may have to buy a FS to pose in too ;) hehehe
:bow: I am so glad to read Rich's and Kimberlie's posts! They have helped relieve my feeling of being too inadequate to even participate in this event. To date I have done 7 miles and am hopeful to MAYBE get to 15 by the end of the month. I am not a member of any team and get to the pool three times a week for my solo swim and am verrry slowwww:snore: :snore:
I am a member of your over 50 group Kimberlie -- way over. At 65 I stay very active, and have all of my life. I have done a few sprint distance triathlons (as in Nanytris) but am NOT a runner:shakeshead: :shakeshead: :shakeshead: :shakeshead: , and cycling is my greatest passion (did a tour in France this Fall). I have developed plantar fasciitis and have not been able to do much running although I continue to try to do some. In addition to swimming, I fit in a couple of days of cycling/spinning, a couple of days of strength training at the gym, a few walk/runs when I can (with distant hopes of perhaps more tris this year), and work full time. And then there's life!:joker:
I played on all varsity teams in all sports, but as with Kimberlie my high school did not have a pool, and I have never swum competitively. I was what one would call a "river rat" and spent every day all summer in the river with cousins and friends, so have a love affair with water activities. If a master's team is ever available close by, I will try to join them for work outs. In the mean time I will simply count those yards and meters to rack up what becomes miles (minimal as that might be). I am happy to do a variety of activities and think it good for my body if I mix up how and when I use its parts. I know that I continue to be much more active than any of my highschool classmates and teammates, and take pride in my lifetime fitness choices.
Now I know :D this is much more than anyone really wants to know about me, and I have gotten a bit off topic, but my fingers just kept talking to this keyboard and I couldn't stop them.
Anyway -- thanks for being here -- I will try to keep these fingers under better control in future posts:dunno: , and Mary, thanks for this fantastic event.
Nancy
I also have to say I am loving, absolutely LOVING keeping track of my swimming. I have to be careful and not let all the incredible mileage I see others racking up cause me to feel inadequate. So, for those of us counting by yards at this point rather than miles, and by adding my post here and acknowledging my incredibly low yardage (rather than mileage) I hope to encourage other older (over 50) shoulder-compromised swimmers! Year-to-date my total is a whooping 12,175 YARDS = 6.9 miles. It's ok to laugh--I am. You wouldn't believe how happy I am that I am healthy enough to be swimming again. Striving for 200 miles this year and as I gain strength & endurance and hope to be able to make this goal. My other log-in name is "swim n again" and I am trying to figure out how to get back to using that account rather than this one (don't ask how that happened!)
Oh, and TODAY IS MY BIRTHDAY, 51, happy and loving every minute of being in the pool!
Hapy Birthday...and good for you that you're back in the water.
:applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud:
Impressive stuff.
Nancy, You're an inspiration to me! Wow that would be a lot if you were 25! By that I don't mean 65 is past it...no way, but compared to many of your peers...you have no need to feel inadequate whatsoever. You're way ahead of me!
:applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :applaud: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :notworthy: :drink:
Thanks -- Great to be part of the over-50, in pretty good shape, and in the pool crowd. I was with HS friends last fall (first time in 15 years or so) having a few Friday night beverages around the fire-pit and had to bid my good-bys around 2:00 am so I would be able to get up for my morning workout (gym--not back in the pool yet); none of them could comprehend! Felt great as I walked to my car. These women were the ones I admired as our better HS athletes (b-ball, softball, volleyball & track); my high school had no pool. I was the only one still active in any way -- how sad!
And to Richjb -- Your holding up great to the banters about the new "nick for ***" name. As a breastroker myself I have some trouble watching the beating you are taking about our great stroke of choice. Stay strong in the battle of swim dominance w/breastroke. I've been working w/FlyQueen, slowly bringing her along to the lighter side of breastroke.
