Hi Folks & GTD Fans,
The USMS Fitness Committee has asked me if the USMS fitness event "Go the Distance" should be offered next year (2008) ... Hmmmm? I promptly responded with I'll try and find out!
I'm interested in what aspects of the event you like and don't like if you are currently participating. If you aren't a GTD participant - it would also be extremely beneficial to hear why not- or better yet - what could be done differently so that you would want to participate!
If you would like this fitness challenge to be offered in 2008 - what would you keep the same? What would you like to do differently? Would you add/change the distance milestones? I'm interested in any and all ideas you have to offer. Now I can't promise that all of your ideas will be implemented - but let's see what you think!
I will compile all of your recommendations and offer them to the USMS Fitness Committee in September at the annual convention. This is when the committee will decide on the future of GTD.
Your help with this is greatly appreciated!
Your GTD pal,
Mary
Mary,
I have been keeping track of my workouts and yardage since 2006 and the spreadsheet is a fantastic tool. Keeps me on track with a goal of making 750 for the year.
I would love to see this back next year too.
Donna:applaud:
Mary,
I LOVE GTD. Gives me some purpose in my workouts.
For the first time ever, I know what kind of yardage I'm putting in.
Keeps me swimming and in the pool.
I tend to have the best attendance possible (unless sick or injured).
Even if I have a terrible workout (like today), at least I can
come home, log the distance, and still feel like I accomplished something.
I hope we keep this event for 2008. Like everything about it. I need to get more of my local swimmer friends into this. Distance milestones look good to me.
Why is it that I never know about cool stuff like this until it is to late? (Probably because in January I was driving by the new pool (and only one) being built in my area daily to see when it would be done. ) I read thru your info just now including your updates, I hope you do it again, cause me and my measly 12-16 miles a month plan on signing up. Heck might take it up to 18-20 miles :) Go For It!
Why is it that I never know about cool stuff like this until it is to late? (Probably because in January I was driving by the new pool (and only one) being built in my area daily to see when it would be done. ) I read thru your info just now including your updates, I hope you do it again, cause me and my measly 12-16 miles a month plan on signing up. Heck might take it up to 18-20 miles :) Go For It!
You can still do it.
Why is it that I never know about cool stuff like this until it is to late? (Probably because in January I was driving by the new pool (and only one) being built in my area daily to see when it would be done. ) I read thru your info just now including your updates, I hope you do it again, cause me and my measly 12-16 miles a month plan on signing up. Heck might take it up to 18-20 miles :) Go For It!
You can join the fun at any time! Just send me an email with your name, age as of 12/31/07, usms id number and the distance you swim in June! It's that easy! If you have a good guess as to how far you swam in the earlier months this year I will be happy to enter those for you too!
Mary
gothedistance@swimoregon.org
Mary, I think this GTD program is awesome, as is the spreadsheet you designed to keep track of our mileage. I would look forward to doing it again next year. And most definitely, add the 365 award. That is about where I'll end up this year at the current pace.
Mary, I think it's a great event. I also think the MAD suggestion is a good idea. I set my goal of a mile a day earlier in the year and thus far I'm still on track. The event helps to get me to the pool on those days I may otherwise skip. Also, I can have cross-country competitions with those I know or are in my age group. Hope to see it extended in '08.
I think it's great. I've always logged my workouts, but up until this event never kept track of my cumulative mileage. I think I've ended up swimming more because of the event. It's also nice to see how you stack up against the other swimmers out there.
I'd definitely like to see the event continue. The only improvement I can think of would be to automate the submission process on the USMS website rather than emailing you every month. Not that this is a big imposition on us, but I imagine it's a lot of work for you, Mary.
I think it's great as well (I'm somewhere between a fitness swimmer
and a competitive swimmer). Mary sent the same request to the current
GTD participants. Here's my reply:
I say keep it. I'm training for the postal series which offers five
goals through the year, but they are generally pretty far apart and
making time for swimming with family committments and what not is more
difficult than I'd like. It's easy to rationalize like so:
Eh, it's only mid-June. I'm not swimming the 10k until late
August. What's the harm in missing today's practice?
OTOH, In GTD every day is a mini-goal. So it goes like so:
OMG! If I don't put in at least a few yards today I'll have lost
that mileage forever!
This week is bike-to-work week in Chicago (maybe across the country?).
I rode in to work every day (13+ miles one way). I added the extra
challenge of trying to get in some swim yardage all five days as well.
Not full workouts, more like 1500-2000 yards, fairly easy either as a
warmup before a ride or as a way to limber up afterwards. Without GTD
as a motivation I might well have taken the whole week off from
swimming. GTD to the rescue!
So, I think it's a great program. Assuming USMS keeps it for 2008 I'm
going to try to get more of my teammates to participate.
Along the lines of things you might use to embellish the event...
Maybe offer a monthly relay challenge. Each LMSC could put together
one or more relays much the same way relays are created for the postal
swims. I don't know how complex you'd want to get with it. The
postal series offers men's, women's and mixed relays. The age group
is determined by the age of the youngest relay team member.
Skip Montanaro
