Tech Suit Eulogies

My favorite poem is WS Sonnet 29, and RW A Late Aubuad Okay but this is a eulogy: Dear LZR, It is said that death is life's way of saying you're fired. Well you're fired.

There are many Masters swimmers who criticize those whose use wetsuits in open water swimming or triathlons. Even after they adopted wetsuits (i.e. tech suits) for masters pool competitions, the criticism continued. Now their pool wetsuits are banned, and many masters are whining. I am always amused by the irony in life.

Wired- I don't think that people are necessarily whining over the tech suits being banned. I heard a lot of people saying at LB this weekend that "it's fun to swim in these suits". It is fun to swim fast. IMHO, the suits have been out too long to be banned now. The damage has been done (to the record books). Had they banned them when people started swimming "stupid fast" out of the blue, we wouldn't be in this situation. But here we are. I'm just really curious to see what will be the fastest suit, legal, that doesn't rip and cost a fortune? I will have a hard time justifying paying $500 for a suit that may very well rip and I might get 5 swims out of. Not saying I won't buy a Fastskin (although I don't like Speedo racing suits), but it was a lot easier to buy a B70 knowing that it would last a whole season (or more). I hope that whatever comes out is under $200, because that seemed to be the number that people still grumbled over, but paid. I'm kind of excited to see what's on the horizon. I had fun with the B70, but I know I can still swim faster without it (time permitting to train properly). So the challenge to myself isn't to worry about suits but rather how much time and effort can I put into training. Because without training it really doesn't matter what you wear. :2cents:

I don't think that people are necessarily whining over the tech suits being banned. .... So the challenge to myself isn't to worry about suits but rather how much time and effort can I put into training. Because without training it really doesn't matter what you wear. Well, you say potato...the whole purpose of this thead is to whine, isn't it? Not that there's anything wrong with that, recovering addicts and all. :) I agree, it is nice not to worry about the suits but on training and (un-enhanced) performance. Thank goodness that time is coming soon (hopefully...if FINA sticks to its guns, not a sure bet by any means...).

There are many Masters swimmers who criticize those whose use wetsuits in open water swimming or triathlons. Even after they adopted wetsuits (i.e. tech suits) for masters pool competitions, the criticism continued. Now their pool wetsuits are banned, and many masters are whining. I am always amused by the irony in life. I'm a proud member of this club, thank you very much.

I would like to offer a brief remembrance for a member of the tech suit team who has thus far received little attention, the "backstroke" suit. When I first saw it advertised, I thought the "backstroke" suit, with front zip and fetching little nubs on the shoulder blades representing someone's intricate theory of hydrodynamics, was just a way to part the gullible from another $150+. Then I bought one on ebay for much, much less. And maybe I am just gullible, but I have loved that suit. Ah, backstroke suit, how you embraced my torso, giving me the abs I needed to stand up tall and to SDK my way out to the middle of the pool. Plus, your front zip was so fetching when lowered just enough to permit deep breathing but not so much as to be indecent.

Would someone going to nationals and/or worlds please tell my LZRs and my B70 I said "Hi!". You will find them hitching a ride with Laura Glass and Lynn Morrison. Tell to them to behave and swim fast. And remind them to call! Thanks!

Now I'll know that when I'm passed by faster swimmers: It wasn't the suit!

hard to believe it's less than a month away, till we say farewell to fullbody suits. Would anyone like to say anything?

The end of May I'm going away for the weekend with a stranger. I hope our brief time together will inspire me, and help me swim the times I entered at Nationals. My new red friend was a replacement for the B70 (actually 2 B70s that ripped in the exact same place first time out of the box). The sad thing about my new friend Jake D is that if I am really impressed and infatuated, I still need to kick him to the curb. It's just not fair :badday: Oh Jake D, I hardly knew thee.