Out of curiosity, what brought you to swim?
I'm a fitness swimmer now and do OW races for fun. I began swimming as an alternative to running, I had taken a swim class in college that demonstrated routines and corrected my form enough to do well without getting frustrated or feel intimidated. When I had trouble running I would go swim instead. I began swimming regularly to train for the Long beach triathlon years ago. Now I enjoy swimming just as much as running...it's a new challenge as well as a great stress release for me. I'm just finishing up my credential and will be transitioning from a career in IT to teaching, which means that i'll be open to joining a masters team soon! Wohoo!
Here's the question....
Why did you start?
When?
What's your day job?
I learned to swim as a kid (probably at 4 or 5), but it was something you did in the summer when it was warm. I grew up in a very rural area, our only pool was open Jun-Jul-Aug, was about 25 feet across at the longest (maybe 10 feet the other way), and the hub of much social life in summer. There were no swim teams, or any water-related sports, unless you were driven to a city about 20 miles away (the JCC had some swim teams). I did swimming for cub/boy scouts, but otherwise it was just a summer activity.
At my first 'real' job, a co-worker challenged me to do a triathlon (swim was an 825 yrd), he ended up copping out, but I did it, and at the same time discovered masters swimmers. A few years after that, I had a job in a city where I knew no one outside of work, and decided to join the masters team for a way to have something other than work to do.
Ever since I first joined a masters team back in 1998, I've been doing it. Every now and than I'll try a swim on my own, but after being used to being told what to do, and having others do it with you, it is tough working out on your own. I travel a bit, both for work and vacation, and find it fun to find swim groups on the road.
I learned to swim as a kid (probably at 4 or 5), but it was something you did in the summer when it was warm. I grew up in a very rural area, our only pool was open Jun-Jul-Aug, was about 25 feet across at the longest (maybe 10 feet the other way), and the hub of much social life in summer. There were no swim teams, or any water-related sports, unless you were driven to a city about 20 miles away (the JCC had some swim teams). I did swimming for cub/boy scouts, but otherwise it was just a summer activity.
At my first 'real' job, a co-worker challenged me to do a triathlon (swim was an 825 yrd), he ended up copping out, but I did it, and at the same time discovered masters swimmers. A few years after that, I had a job in a city where I knew no one outside of work, and decided to join the masters team for a way to have something other than work to do.
Ever since I first joined a masters team back in 1998, I've been doing it. Every now and than I'll try a swim on my own, but after being used to being told what to do, and having others do it with you, it is tough working out on your own. I travel a bit, both for work and vacation, and find it fun to find swim groups on the road.
