Masters Swimmers Acting Like Triathletes

Triathletes with ironman tattoo's that can't swim a 100 under 3:00 but have $7000 bikes Master swimmers with shark and/or bovine tattoo's that can't swim a 100 under 1:00 but have $500 LZR's Might this be what Mr. Negative was getting at? If so, god speed all of you masters swimmers who are supporting Speedo and Blue 70, therein supporting masters swimming.

This thread needs to be moved off "General Swimming-Related Discussions"; it no longer has anything to do with swimming! If people want to spar, belittle each other, or just screw with each other that's fine.....but please just take it to another forum........maybe the dysfunctional personality forum. I personally am sick of this SH__! (I know I should just stop reading it but it's like a sick malignancy that just keeps spreading and contaminating healthy and happy attitudes). :blah: :confused: :badday:

This thread needs to be moved off "General Swimming-Related Discussions"; it no longer has anything to do with swimming! If people want to spar, belittle each other, or just screw with each other that's fine.....but please just take it to another forum........maybe the dysfunctional personality forum. I personally am sick of this SH__! (I know I should just stop reading it but it's like a sick malignancy that just keeps spreading and contaminating healthy and happy attitudes). :blah: :confused: :badday: Sounds like you already know the cure...just stop reading it.

Let's see if we can answer those initial questions? Why does it appear many masters swimmers are taking USMS so seriously? I (note the "I" statement Paul) can't answer this and neither can anyone but you. Can't say why it appears, to you, that many masters swimmers take USMS so seriously. What's the difference between the typical "selfish train all day", "it's all about me" triathlete and a masters swimmer who seriously trains as hard as they can.... particularly to focus on setting masters records? I think the biggest difference is that a masters swimmer who is focused on setting masters records probably doesn't spend nearly as much time on the bike as the "selfish train all day", "it's all about me" triathlete. And, the masters swimmer who is focused on setting masters records probably is a better swimmer than said triathlete. Seems like there is a growing parallel between triathletes and many masters swimmers these days. This isn't really a question, but I wanted to hear myself type, so I put a response anyway. Isn't it just "masters swimming" for health and fun in the end? Perhaps it is; but for some, the means to that end is the competition. I have a tendency to get bored with things unless I can find some way to compete at them. I am nowhere near any record swim times, but I still enjoy competing. AND...if I want to throw out $450 for a damn swim suit, it's certainly my right to do so. Now, I will admit that I'm the first person to tease somebody who can't break 1:05 in the 100 free (that would be me), but is still wearing the latest suit. Does a masters record really mean that much? Perhaps not to someone who had a tremendous amount of success way back in their day, but if I were anywhere near setting a masters record, it would mean a great deal, but only to me and perhaps people close to me. Is this a good thing? ..... or a turn off for those who look on with amusement. I personally don't care if some formerly elite swimmer is turned off by the bunch of us jawing at each other, or some middle-aged swimmer dedicating themselves to breaking a record, or just someone who takes their swimming perhaps too seriously. If they want to swim with some truly great people and have a good time, they'll get over the fact that in any group of people, there will always be one or two who are over the top and way too serious. Now, if we could just get Paul to quit voting for the Badnariks of the country and vote for somebody who will affect some real change...:bolt:

What happens when we stop acting and simply accept what we are? In my particular case, about 35 extra pounds happened. I've gone back to acting.

If you are still following me, I think what emerges from all this is that we who are still writing anything at this point are doing so not because we expect to change anyone's mind, or even add clarity to the debate. My personal opinion is that network mediums such as this message board are used with acute curiosity by posters who openly share their inner perspective of the human psyche. The fascination kicks in when you are left projecting a destructive thought which in most cases is stretched to a place of pure fiction. The majority of these thoughts could never be real outside the mind, that would imply a consensus of interaction with our accepted modes of reality. Instead they act like shadows that simply disappear when you turn the lights on. Let's see if we can answer those initial questions? What happens when we stop acting and simply accept what we are?

Let's see if we can answer those initial questions? I (note the "I" statement Paul) can't answer this and neither can anyone but you. Can't say why it appears, to you, that many masters swimmers take USMS so seriously. I think the biggest difference is that a masters swimmer who is focused on setting masters records probably doesn't spend nearly as much time on the bike as the "selfish train all day", "it's all about me" triathlete. And, the masters swimmer who is focused on setting masters records probably is a better swimmer than said triathlete. This isn't really a question, but I wanted to hear myself type, so I put a response anyway. Perhaps it is; but for some, the means to that end is the competition. I have a tendency to get bored with things unless I can find some way to compete at them. I am nowhere near any record swim times, but I still enjoy competing. AND...if I want to throw out $450 for a damn swim suit, it's certainly my right to do so. Now, I will admit that I'm the first person to tease somebody who can't break 1:05 in the 100 free (that would be me), but is still wearing the latest suit. Perhaps not to someone who had a tremendous amount of success way back in their day, but if I were anywhere near setting a masters record, it would mean a great deal, but only to me and perhaps people close to me. I personally don't care if some formerly elite swimmer is turned off by the bunch of us jawing at each other, or some middle-aged swimmer dedicating themselves to breaking a record, or just someone who takes their swimming perhaps too seriously. If they want to swim with some truly great people and have a good time, they'll get over the fact that in any group of people, there will always be one or two who are over the top and way too serious. Now, if we could just get Paul to quit voting for the Badnariks of the country and vote for somebody who will affect some real change...:bolt: Not sure which "Paul" you keep referring to on your posts but TJ....if you think I'm Mr. Negative your (of White Buffalo, or Mr. Postive) you are wrong. I have no problems with people knowing who I am...it makes it much more interesting at meets when I meet people for the first time, dodging stuff being thrown at me is part of my "elite" training.

Not sure which "Paul" you keep referring to on your posts but TJ....if you think I'm Mr. Negative your (of White Buffalo, or Mr. Postive) you are wrong. I have no problems with people knowing who I am...it makes it much more interesting at meets when I meet people for the first time, dodging stuff being thrown at me is part of my "elite" training. I actually only used your name once and it was in reference to the comment you made about being a Libertarian! I was only yanking your chain.

I hate to respond to an obvious troll but... Why does it bug you so much? If you dont want to compete then dont. If you dont like the competitive talk on this BB, dont read it. If your team is too focused on competition (and I doubt that), find a new one, or swim solo. Do your own thing and stop clucking about what masters swimming "should be" - we are all adults now, who cares about what everyone else is doing? What an epiphany! You're right--the "elite" swimmers should do their own thing and not worry about what the "less accomplished" person is doing--including making fun of someone else's time. If they don't have something good and supportive to say, they should NOT SAY ANYTHING AT ALL. If you have to beat someone down, there is something wrong with YOU. My problem is with people (ANY people) who belittle someone else for achievements that aren't on par with their own. Who's to say the guy's 100 time wasn't his best-ever, just because it was slower than theirs? Who gave anyone the right to make fun of, put down, turn their noses up, or even discuss somebody else's work? They're out there DOING IT, aren't they? They're not sitting on their butts on a sofa...they're swimming the same workout as the "good" swimmers. Yeah, they may be slower. Yeah, their stroke may be a little off. Yeah, they might not look as good as you do in a Speedo. But how can someone stand there and claim to be better than someone else for ANY reason? There is NO excuse for arrogance--anybody with an arrogant attitude never has a reason to be arrogant. If anything, they should be supporting the person in their efforts--not smacking them down to make themselves feel better. People like that don't *belong* in competition, no matter what their level. If they're so good, they can go off and swim with Michael Phelps. At least the person is OUT there. And you can increase a slow time, but there isn't much you can do about a big head. The same people you step on on the way you think is UP are the same people you meet on the way back DOWN. That person you're putting down might never beat you, but hey, he sure is further ahead.