What is stopping you from competing?

No one will laugh at you. Everyone will be supportive(unless you are George,we all are waiting to laugh at George):rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: We'll point at George too...so that everyone can join in... Nobody laughs at anyone...well except once you've gotten to know them and you then only swim 6 lengths instead of 8 in a 200...:laugh2: Actually the worst thing you'll ever hear is an "oooh" if you belly flop your dive but that more of a "that's gonna leave a mark" ooh because everyone has done it.

I don't think any one has to fear being laughed at if they try. It is me - I do not want to swim if I cannot swim well. I have set my goals to swiim as close as I can to 1 min for the 100m and just do not want to swim slower than 1:10 and right now I am too slow to do 1:10. My 50 fly is also too slow 36 sec for a 50m I want to swim 32. I cannot get my time below 31 for 50m fr at this time, my goal is 28. I would like to be a winner but that is me laughing at myself.

I'm simply trying to get my nerve up to swim in a meet:violin: It would help if I had someone to go with me as support!! I also need to see if I can still dive:whiteflag: into the pool. It has been YEARS (decades actually) since I have done that, and I have not had an opportunity to do so anywhere. After having recently been a volunteer at Nationals, I realize that I can do this swim meet thing (slowly, but oh well), :shakeshead: and no one laughs at anyone. and there is quite a variety of abilities and speed as well as sizes, shapes and ages. Now I just need to find one that is nearby and will fit into my schedule! Another thing I have been "waiting" for is to perhaps join a master's team to get more experience and better training (me as my own trainer only gets me so far) but there is not a team that swims at a time of day and is close enough for me to get to. The time of day will soon change as I am nearing retirement, and will be finding a team to work out with after this summer. I am quite interested in trying my first meet and seeing where it goes from there. So I appreciate reading all your stories and support for we who have yet to do so.

I'm simply trying to get my nerve up to swim in a meet:violin: It would help if I had someone to go with me as support!! I also need to see if I can still dive:whiteflag: into the pool. It has been YEARS (decades actually) since I have done that, and I have not had an opportunity to do so anywhere. Nancy, just do it!! I did! I had no one on the side lines cheering me on, I do it for myself. I started back 1 yr ago after 27yrs and 2 kids....I started at the "Y" then heard about what our High school coach does for Master swimmers. I contacted the high school swim coach - who was my HS swim coach back in the"day". He lets me come in and practice starts, then told me to come and do time trials that he does for his teams. I now practice at least 1 time a week with his grade school kids - some of who are pretty fast. It doesn't bother me to swim with 6th graders, we have 3 - 4 moms that come swim pretty regularly. Contact your local HS or College (if they have a swim team), you maybe surprised at what they will let you do. My Coach just wants people to swim, and if you want to be coached he'll do that too. I had time trials just this week and alot of the adults who came to watch their kids were wondering why these "older" people were swimming and how can they do the same. I get alot of looks and support all at the same time. It's fun...

Pregnancy! And, I hate to swim in meets when I haven't been training well. (Which is usually how it ends up, but I still hate it!)

:fish2: Thanks to all who are really encouraging me to "jump in, the water's fine"! Kirk -- I had thought of entering the Pentathalon but my other activity passion (cycling) has me tied up for that weekend. I am planning to do the Columbia River swim (it is non competitive) over Labor Day weekend, and am thinking about doing the lake swim on Orcas Island the following weekend. I'lll be gone all of July and August so will not be around to join OW swims in our area during that time. I welcome any and all info about other swims happening. Concho -- your idea of checking into some help from the schools may work for my diving phobia. and Fort -- I am chuckling about your mishaps early on now that I read how much you swim and how successful you are. And InnerFish, I am very interested in Senior Games -- the first one I am able to think about joining is also in September! Looks like I am going to have a busy month. I like your "glacially slow" description and will probably be using it! Thanks everyone.

I contacted the high school swim coach - who was my HS swim coach back in the"day". He lets me come in and practice starts, then told me to come and do time trials that he does for his teams. I now practice at least 1 time a week with his grade school kids - some of who are pretty fast. It doesn't bother me to swim with 6th graders, we have 3 - 4 moms that come swim pretty regularly. Concho, are you swimming with David Hague? If so, please tell him hello for me. Great guy and he coached there while I was in Midland in the 1980's. Thanks!

I just don't like being at a pool for a whole day, swimming a little, and waiting for most of the day. That's one reason I like the postal swims (another is that I can't really sprint so there aren't that many events at a masters meet which appeal to me). Do it and go home. Also, you get to schedule them to fit your schedule as opposed to deciding between going to the meet or going to your kid's hockey game. Skip Montanaro

Sam, yep!! Coach Hague is the our coach. He's been really helpful.

I just don't like being at a pool for a whole day, swimming a little, and waiting for most of the day. I agree with you there. Often I'll enter all my events in the first half of the meet so I can swim and get out of there. Nancy: you might want to consider the Pentathlon meet in Oak Harbor on September 23rd: www.swimpna.org/.../09232007_SCM_Pentathalon.pdf Not a whole lot of pool meets in the summer in our neck of the woods, but if you like longer swimming there are quite a few open water events. Those are lots of fun and you won't even have to worry about diving in! :)