This new thread occurred to me while reading posts comparing Spitz to Phelps, as well as reflecting upon mortality considering heart attacks etc. In swimming we immortalize individuals or teams for various feats or contributions, but do little to preserve a feeling for subsequent generations of enthusiasts about what it was like to train and compete 'back in the day'. Just what day am I talking about? Exactly: there have been many 'days' or more properly 'eras' that can be narrowly characterized by differences in equipment, distances swum and trained, coaching methods or more widely by larger factors: world war, global depression, racial segregation, inequality of the sexes. All of these can contribute to very different experiences than what are common today to the younger swimmer; hence, 'what was it like'. I visualize a thread that continues to be added to as new people read it and remember their own experiences. As well, experience can vary with national origin, not just era. There have already been posts on this topic scattered in various threads, please feel free to copy or quote material from them to here.
Please remember that this is not about how fast a particular swimmer was, but about the conditions that defined competitive swimming of that day.
We also have a priceless resource out there: aging swimmers in their 80's or 90's who may be less likely to read or hear of this thread; why not ask them for some of their memories or impressions and pass them on to us, while we still can?
Parents
Former Member
I will start with a small contribution: training without goggles in the early-mid 60's. When I was doing two-a-days, going to school in the morning each day was a memory of a green haze surrounding lights and itchy, red runny eyes.
When it was hay fever season I was always doped up and had to wear dark sunglasses, even on cloudy days. Everything was a blur under water (sometimes a blessing) and turns could be a guessing game.
Lest people think we are just remembering the negative things, I remember several summers when we bundled up the family and travelled to various 'regattas' on lakes to compete. These were great fun, with attendant carnivals, rides and lakeside barbecues. Usually, there would be 'half-time entertainment' at finals, exhibition diving, acrobats and clowns etc. The swims would be either open water or in floating wooden pools with grandstands (no gutters ever, just flat plywood sides: the waves were incredible).
I will start with a small contribution: training without goggles in the early-mid 60's. When I was doing two-a-days, going to school in the morning each day was a memory of a green haze surrounding lights and itchy, red runny eyes.
When it was hay fever season I was always doped up and had to wear dark sunglasses, even on cloudy days. Everything was a blur under water (sometimes a blessing) and turns could be a guessing game.
Lest people think we are just remembering the negative things, I remember several summers when we bundled up the family and travelled to various 'regattas' on lakes to compete. These were great fun, with attendant carnivals, rides and lakeside barbecues. Usually, there would be 'half-time entertainment' at finals, exhibition diving, acrobats and clowns etc. The swims would be either open water or in floating wooden pools with grandstands (no gutters ever, just flat plywood sides: the waves were incredible).
