As an "outsider" to the world of "hardcore" swimming ...
Former Member
I swim a lot and really enjoy it. It's something I've done all of my life, growing up in Southern California, and it's my main form of exercise. I'm good at it, but I do it primarily for health and enjoyment.
I've noticed from lurking around this board for several years that there seems to be a very self-congratulatory, cliquish tone to many threads and posts. It seems like it's often a small group of people who post relentlessly, as if they are engaged in some sort of private conversation where they're trying to outdo each other.
Maybe I'm the only one who feels that way. Maybe that's part and parcel of the world of "hardcore" competitive swimmers. Or maybe it's because there wouldn't be anything else to talk about, unless there weren't a constant focus on who's the "best" at this or that.
A race is something that happens once in a while, whereas a lifetime of swimming lasts, well, a lifetime. Yes, it's great to break a certain time in a certain race, but it's also great to have the self-discpline to keep at a daily swimming program and work on improving one's technique and endurance. Both are valid, and, to my mind, neither is more worthy of praise than the other.
Jim Thornton, if I recall correctly, noted a while ago that there were a lot of people lurking around the board and not really participating. If that is the case, I would propose that may be due to the general off-putting tone of things on here. (I won't give examples at this point, although I could.)
It is frustrating at times. Over 90% of USMS swimmers swim for fitness and don't compete, but the magazine and forums tend to obsess over competition. It's crazy, and that disconnect can be maddening. I've been meaning to complain about it, but I'm usually too whipped from swim practice and a beer after.
You've been meaning to complain about the forums? Really? And on what basis? There is no "rule" that competitive masters swimmers can only post 10% of the time or discuss racing or competition 10% of the time. If you want to talk about fitness swimming, feel free to start your own thread. But there is really no need to call us or our desire to compete or discuss competition "crazy"in a pejorative way. (Now, being called "crazy" in a nice way, is fine.)
If you are not interested in the trash talk or post-meet discussions or other postings, don't read them. Competitive masters swimmers are an obsessive subculture. Many come to this forum for workouts and/or to discuss technique, racing, tech suits etc. or to engage in light hearted banter. I have no idea why it would be beneficial to eliminate this from the forum, especially when many of these same swimmer regularly offer advice to competitive and fitness swimmers alike. Similarly, most competitive swimmers are pretty respectful about people who swim for fitness (and in fact also swim for fitness themselves) -- except of course about noodlers, who would not be reading this forum anyway as "noodling" is not "swimming." So why begrudge us our chit chat?
As for the alleged clique-ish aspect of the forums, many of us know each other personally and have either met or see each other regularly at meets. Would you feel better, sftom, if we pretended to be strangers?
It is frustrating at times. Over 90% of USMS swimmers swim for fitness and don't compete, but the magazine and forums tend to obsess over competition. It's crazy, and that disconnect can be maddening. I've been meaning to complain about it, but I'm usually too whipped from swim practice and a beer after.
You've been meaning to complain about the forums? Really? And on what basis? There is no "rule" that competitive masters swimmers can only post 10% of the time or discuss racing or competition 10% of the time. If you want to talk about fitness swimming, feel free to start your own thread. But there is really no need to call us or our desire to compete or discuss competition "crazy"in a pejorative way. (Now, being called "crazy" in a nice way, is fine.)
If you are not interested in the trash talk or post-meet discussions or other postings, don't read them. Competitive masters swimmers are an obsessive subculture. Many come to this forum for workouts and/or to discuss technique, racing, tech suits etc. or to engage in light hearted banter. I have no idea why it would be beneficial to eliminate this from the forum, especially when many of these same swimmer regularly offer advice to competitive and fitness swimmers alike. Similarly, most competitive swimmers are pretty respectful about people who swim for fitness (and in fact also swim for fitness themselves) -- except of course about noodlers, who would not be reading this forum anyway as "noodling" is not "swimming." So why begrudge us our chit chat?
As for the alleged clique-ish aspect of the forums, many of us know each other personally and have either met or see each other regularly at meets. Would you feel better, sftom, if we pretended to be strangers?
