Interview(s) with the Champion(s)

Sigh...there are people out there my age (Sean Murphy, Ron Karnaugh to name two) who can usually thump me in the backstroke but haven't bothered to race lately, so the "champ" business is a bit much...two weeks ago was the very first time in my life I ever shaved or tapered for a SCM meet so getting PBs wasn't really too hard. I don't think I ever swam SCM in college. But even with the old turns and the lack of underwater SDK, I was still a much faster backstroker in college (heck, even in high school). My college times were decent, second-tier stuff, please don't make too much of them. The fly WR was in the 53s (Matt Gribble) until Pablo broke it around the time of the LA games (though he got beat by Michael Gross that time). I missed finals there by 0.2 and ended up 12th -- like I said, second-tier stuff. I am happy with my college career but please tone down the hyperbole, okay? :) All this talk of people who may be hypothetically faster is redundant... Until they actually break your World Records, you are the CHAMPION. You might think of yourself as second-tier, but that sounds more like a rationalization, a way to accept your accomplishment(s) without actually having to take any credit for those performances... It's easier being 12-16th place, you might tell yourself... I've heard that before, but now you went and swam faster than anyone else, in all history for your age category... You can't simply dismiss this fact as meaningless.... Being fast once is admirable, but continuing to be fast as we age is astonishing. The fact is, most people lose something with age, and to be able to continue to perform at an elite level propels you further ahead of the curve in terms of athletic ability... This is not second-tier stuff... When looking at athletics from a purely physical perspective, having the ability to maintain performance over longer periods of time can be arguably seen as an even greater accomplishment... Not to mention the sheer will-power it takes to continue to train at an elite level... This can only be done if there is at least some level of joy gained from the process. A process that is equally enjoyable regardless of the place you are on the scoreboard. Masters, especially swimming, could become even more popular in the public mind. With the aging demographic and our mutual obsession with youth and vitality, to be able to show an alternative, one where you actually stay healthy and strong; this is bound to draw a larger interest. Happy Swimming,

This can only be done if there is at least some level of joy gained from the process. A process that is equally enjoyable regardless of the place you are on the scoreboard. Yes, absolutely! Here's the thing, I am not trying to denigrate myself or my accomplishments by referring to my past swimming as "second-tier." I have a very healthy ego, believe me, but a realistic picture of myself as someone whom did not cause the "big guns" to worry overmuch in the past. So what? I worked hard and I got plenty fast. One great thing about swimming is the stopwatch. Ultimately you are competing against the clock. Being first or breaking a record is a great feeling...but it depends on others "cooperating" by being slower than you. I believe pride in accomplishment should not depend too strongly on such external factors. Dorothy is very rightly proud of doing no-breathers in practice for the very first time after years of attempts. That accomplishment is not cheapened by any little bit the fact that others can do it (and many others who cannot). Terry is also rightly proud of his perserverance in the sport and eventually finding events (OW swimming) that bring him the most satisfaction. Although he didn't mention it, he should also be proud of spreading the joy of swimming to many others through TI (and right now I am using his book & DVD to further my ongoing project to bring my recently-retired parents into swimming). Records will be broken. There is always someone out there faster -- if not now, then in the future. Again, so what? We can and should use others' performances as motivation but their accomplishments should not lessen our pride in our own. Chris

you're welcome and thank you Ande Thank you Ande, for joining this thread... You Are A Champion, and that's no exaggeration!

I've been undecided about jumping in this since it started, but here goes. I'm far from a champion in the strict sense of the word but in my own mind my swimming accomplishments are satisfying. I, like Dorothy started swimming 8 years ago as an adult. I was 48, overweight and out of shape and and wanted to change that. A former runner who quit in my mid 30's because of burnout, I had no desire to run again but when my 8 y.o. daughter joined the swim team I thought "Hey! I can do that." So I started going to the pool every morning and thrashing my way across the pool as many times as I could until I was thrashed (at first about 4 laps was all I could do and then :drown:). I lost the excess weight and eventually improved enough that I decided to enter swim meet. That was so much fun that I was totally hooked. I eventually improved enough that I made (5) NQT's for short course nationals last year and made the trip to my first nationals meet. I'm having the time of my life because it's all so new to me and at 55 I am setting PB's regularly.

Masters swimming is about friendship, staying healthy, and having fun only compare your performances to yourself make it easy to feel good and hard to feel bad the social aspect is awesome you get to see and support your friends in their events The best part is the stories and beer after each day or the end of the meet Meets are fun. Training is too. Ande Thank you Ande, for joining this thread... You Are A Champion, and that's no exaggeration!

The experience to be valued is not in the destination, but instead, it is in the journey. I really got this this morning as I meditated in the pool. Paul

Nope and nor, apparently, am I an English teacher. :mooning: Paul

The experience to be valued is not in the destination, but instead, it is in the journey. I really got this this morning as I mediated in the pool. Paul Are you an attorney?

Nope and nor, apparently, am I an English teacher. :mooning: Paul Ha! Sorry, it was too difficult to pass up.

And I'm SURE you applied all your considerable willpower too :weightlifter: :shakeshead: Paul