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?
2) Polyester suits.
I bought an ugly Speedo Endurance suit off a clearance rack last summer. I had not bought a swimming suit in 20 years, had not heard of Endurance, and had no clue what I was getting. And the suit will. not. die!
:applaud: to Speedo Endurance suits! I, too, bought an ugly one on clearance, because it was only $28. Mine lasted from June 2009 until October 2010, swimming on average 5x wk, 1:15 per session. It finally died while I was in an overly chlorinated cruise ship pool and the stitching came undone. (Little did I know, I was mooning the other passengers when I got out of the pool and bent over to pick up my stuff off the ground... :blush: ). When I got back to my cabin, I noticed the stitching coming undone EVERYWHERE. But, the fabric never faded and never wore out; only the stitching. And, I'm convinced it's because of the huge amount of chlorine that was in that pool! It was the final blow to my suit... I have another one now and I love it just the same! :agree:
2) Polyester suits.
I bought an ugly Speedo Endurance suit off a clearance rack last summer. I had not bought a swimming suit in 20 years, had not heard of Endurance, and had no clue what I was getting. And the suit will. not. die!
:applaud: to Speedo Endurance suits! I, too, bought an ugly one on clearance, because it was only $28. Mine lasted from June 2009 until October 2010, swimming on average 5x wk, 1:15 per session. It finally died while I was in an overly chlorinated cruise ship pool and the stitching came undone. (Little did I know, I was mooning the other passengers when I got out of the pool and bent over to pick up my stuff off the ground... :blush: ). When I got back to my cabin, I noticed the stitching coming undone EVERYWHERE. But, the fabric never faded and never wore out; only the stitching. And, I'm convinced it's because of the huge amount of chlorine that was in that pool! It was the final blow to my suit... I have another one now and I love it just the same! :agree:
