Anyone going to start practicing in a in the big rubberband?
Former Member
Anyone out there going to start doing some pool practices in a wetsuit due to the new "proposed" rule change of allowing wetsuits in USMS open water swims? :frustrated:
The thought of practicing in a pool in a wetsuit absolutely makes me want to barf; however, I don't want to be penalized (and I've not yet learned to swim in one of these rubber bands) if this rule change goes through for next year.
Any thoughts on how to deal with the ridicule in practice?
The way things are going, I guess I had better learn to swim with fins as well. . .
Maybe with the approval of wetsuits and fins, the powers that be will approve swimming with paddles and buoys - then I'm in! :party2:
I'm thinking that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. :doh::doh::sad:
Chris, are you pleased with how USMS Swimmer pitched this story?
" . . . is credited with (or blamed for) authoring the controversial measure."
That gives me too much credit (or blame), but I started the ball rolling in our LMSC and did the writing, reflecting the contributions of the other LMSC officers. At the last convention, there seemed to me to be a very clear intention to try to attract triathletes into USMS through open water swimming and this was essentially our response.
If you are interested in this sort of thing, I've attached what our LMSC board sent to Marcia Cleveland, chair of the OW Committee (what used to be the Long Distance Committee). I do not know exactly how, or if, the OWC changed the proposals, or if they omitted any part of it; I haven't really had time to check. I will do so as the convention approaches, I suppose.
When we debated this within our own LMSC, there was really no concern like the one you expressed. The biggest fear was the fear of success, that allowing wetsuits too much would make events too popular by attracting too many triathletes. The Lake Reston swims that I linked to in my last post are an example; some long-time participants in our LMSC remembered fondly when the event was less popular.
But look at the Open Water championships on the USMS web site. For example, here are the ones from last year
www.usms.org/.../
With all due respect to those who organize them -- they do a great job, in my experience -- participation is incredibly low, it is almost embarassing to call them "national championships."
Chris, are you pleased with how USMS Swimmer pitched this story?
" . . . is credited with (or blamed for) authoring the controversial measure."
That gives me too much credit (or blame), but I started the ball rolling in our LMSC and did the writing, reflecting the contributions of the other LMSC officers. At the last convention, there seemed to me to be a very clear intention to try to attract triathletes into USMS through open water swimming and this was essentially our response.
If you are interested in this sort of thing, I've attached what our LMSC board sent to Marcia Cleveland, chair of the OW Committee (what used to be the Long Distance Committee). I do not know exactly how, or if, the OWC changed the proposals, or if they omitted any part of it; I haven't really had time to check. I will do so as the convention approaches, I suppose.
When we debated this within our own LMSC, there was really no concern like the one you expressed. The biggest fear was the fear of success, that allowing wetsuits too much would make events too popular by attracting too many triathletes. The Lake Reston swims that I linked to in my last post are an example; some long-time participants in our LMSC remembered fondly when the event was less popular.
But look at the Open Water championships on the USMS web site. For example, here are the ones from last year
www.usms.org/.../
With all due respect to those who organize them -- they do a great job, in my experience -- participation is incredibly low, it is almost embarassing to call them "national championships."
