Anyone going to start practicing in a in the big rubberband?

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."

Woa! 60-80 OW races! That is a record in and of itself. Very impressive! :bow: Guess that clears up my question. Don't worry. Be happy! It’s not any sort of record at all. Lots of people do 6 or 8 1- to 3-mile OW races a summer. Anyway, I didn’t give you a number so that I could boast. I gave you a number so that you could see how much data I have to support my conclusion that the opportunity to wear a wetsuit will not alter the dynamics of USMS-sanctioned OW races. Interesting philosophy on the racing. I can't say I subscribe to that approach. As to the racing philosophy: Just like I don’t race men for prizes, I don't race wetsuit swimmers for prizes. They are different divisions. A wetsuit doesn't interfere at all with my swim, unless I wear one. So I can't think of any good reason to care if they happen to be running a wetsuit race, or a men’s race, on the same course at the same time as they run my race. I can still race them all head-to-head and see where everybody comes out.

Can't do *** in one. Never tried fly. Flip turns are a hoot.

Question pertains to training with a wetsuit in a pool during masters practices . The issues that I have with wetsuit and techsuits include: Expense $ Learning curve/ change in training or technique during races to best use the equipment Speed disadvantage sans the suit Looking like he-man Am I buying my ranking? Am I really faster than when I was 16 or is it the suit? Opens floodgate for more approved toy usage in races - fins, paddles, buoys, etc. I'd hate to show up to a bike race with a pair of Nikes (and no bike) and expect to do well. So I join in with whatever the rules are. My educated guess is that once the wetsuits are allowed in OW championships, you will no longer see just the "slower" swimmers using them. You will see a trend towards the fastest swimmers using them. I think that the intentions of the rule change are good (to include more people), but the impact will be profound on USMS. :2cents: I've seen wetsuits turn mediocre swimmers into pretty fast swimmers. Imagine what they can do for fast swimmers when used correctly. Can't say I'm looking forward to the added expense and effort (much less the taunting from the kids)! I think I had better reserve my wetsuit practices to masters! From what I've seen in 5 years of masters is a trend to pile on as many toys as possible to go as fast as possible in practices. People, myself included, want to be fast and feel good about themselves. I think that is inevitably going to carry over to competitions. I don't like it as I learned to swim well without the toys. However, I've got to pony up and learn to use the toys (just like I had to learn to swim fast with paddles and a buoy) to be competitive.

Wet suits if they are allowed will certainly improve times for OW events.

Chris, are you pleased with how USMS Swimmer pitched this story? " . . . is credited with (or blamed for) authoring the controversial measure."

Woa! 60-80 OW races! That is a record in and of itself. Very impressive! :bow: Guess that clears up my question. Don't worry. Be happy! Chris is right: you can relax. And even if someone in a wetsuit comes in ahead of you, you can always say, "well, s/he had an advantage from the wet suit." (When a man outswims me, I like to console myself by thinking "well, he had an advantage from the testosterone.") Interesting philosophy on the racing. I can't say I subscribe to that approach.

I've done a few triathlons wearing a thin guage BodyGlove which is really meant for early summer surfing. The abrasions from the suit can be brutal...especially around the neck and arms. Long story short..there's no question that the suit offers a very welcome buoyancy factor and protects from jellyfish stings. It helped quite a bit. Get yourself a jar of Vaseline before putting it on. PS...the starting line at triathlons and open water swims can be a treacherous place. Aside from the errant foot thrashing...there's also clawing, clobbering, and all sorts of run-ins. If anything, at least the suit has some protective value.

I used to swim 10 marathon races in the summer early fall. One 10 miler, one 15 miler, three 20 milers and the rest 25 to 33 miles. Also a couple of 44 K races at the end of October over seas. Never wore a wet suit except for training, it was only a tube that covered my stomach to my lower thighs. That was when the ice broke in the rivers and you hade to avoid the ice and the logs coming down the river. :shakeshead: It’s not any sort of record at all. Lots of people do 6 or 8 1- to 3-mile OW races a summer. Anyway, I didn’t give you a number so that I could boast. I gave you a number so that you could see how much data I have to support my conclusion that the opportunity to wear a wetsuit will not alter the dynamics of USMS-sanctioned OW races.

I used to swim 10 marathon races in the summer early fall. One 10 miler, one 15 miler, three 20 milers and the rest 25 to 33 miles. Also a couple of 44 K races at the end of October over seas. Never wore a wet suit except for training, it was only a tube that covered my stomach to my lower thighs. That was when the ice broke in the rivers and you hade to avoid the ice and the logs coming down the river. Woa! George, that is really amazing. I wish you had some footage of your avoiding ice and logs and who knows what else! Guess if you were in the Hudson, it would be bodies.