Masters Motivational Times

I still remember the patches and stars that kids in my area wore on their sweats to indicate A/AA times that they've achieved (five stars total, one for each stroke + IM, different color stars for A and AA times). my mom still has my warmup top that she sewed all of the AA, then AAA and then AAAA (quad A) patches on from when i was 10. i think my top was as much patch as it was real material. oh the great memories. we dont need any such thing in masters. heck if you dont like the workout you change it. if you dont like the intervaul, you change it. heck if the water it too cold .... let's go to starbucks! one of my biggest motivations is my HDL and triglycerides. maybe because i never stopped eating like i did when i was 18. i'm on a seefood diet. i see food i eat it what diet? steve

Someone else could take it up if s/he chooses. I think I can do this. I think I can automate it completely (using javascript, my weapon of choice). I have a question. OP wrote, ... Eventually I decided to create my own masters' motivational time standards, using the same method that is used for the kids. Does anyone know what that method is? I think it's something like, "AAAA = three year average of 10th place time plus 10% for each category", but that could be wrong. Before I start, I'd like to know that I'm calculating the right thing.

we dont need any such thing in masters. I may not need it; however, the chart comes in handy when I tackle a new event or one I don't often swim. The chart helps me compare how I am doing in that particular event compared to my core events, and it gives me goals to shoot for. It also helps me compare how I am doing in non-core events compared to each other, such as my 400 IM compared to my (extremely slow) 200 fly. Thanks to the chart, I have learned which events I was better in that I thought- and events that, well, never mind that negativity! :afraid:

I think I can do this. :cheerleader: Does anyone know what that method is? I think it's something like, "AAAA = three year average of 10th place time plus 10% for each category", but that could be wrong. Before I start, I'd like to know that I'm calculating the right thing. Unfortunately, I think sjstuart has gone AWOL. I sent him a PM once about writing another chart; however, he never got around to doing it. I haven't seen him on the Forums in a long time.

one of my biggest motivations is my HDL and triglycerides. maybe because i never stopped eating like i did when i was 18. i'm on a seefood diet. i see food i eat it what diet? steve I approve of this message. One of the biggest benefits of vigorous exercise as an adult is being able to continue recreational eating.

FYI - I believe Stevenson created this rating calculator www.vaswim.org/.../rcalc.cgi which is a little more user effort but is more detail (rating 2 decimal accuracy ) I find it useful in comparing events. I also have this in spreadsheet form. It is slightly too large to upload to these forums (seriously, a 400K limit?) but here is a link that I think should work to download it to your computer (there are no macros in the file): dl.dropboxusercontent.com/.../RatingCalculator.xlsx Also more user effort but there are some examples already loaded. The 2nd sheet (Swim Converter) is a way to compare events directly. Or even to account for the effects of aging on a given event; for example if you haven't swum an event in four years and want a comparable time for a meet entry. Note that I added fitted curves from a more recent database of records (2012) as an option for conversions/ratings so if you use those fits you'll get different results from the web page. More generally, responses on this page mostly match the reactions of the R&T committee towards the concept: some liked it, some indifferent. But some members thought it might discourage people if publicized anything like USA-S does with their standards.

I also have this in spreadsheet form. It is slightly too large to upload to these forums (seriously, a 400K limit?) but here is a link that I think should work to download it to your computer (there are no macros in the file): dl.dropboxusercontent.com/.../RatingCalculator.xlsx Also more user effort but there are some examples already loaded. The 2nd sheet (Swim Converter) is a way to compare events directly. Or even to account for the effects of aging on a given event; for example if you haven't swum an event in four years and want a comparable time for a meet entry. Note that I added fitted curves from a more recent database of records (2012) as an option for conversions/ratings so if you use those fits you'll get different results from the web page. More generally, responses on this page mostly match the reactions of the R&T committee towards the concept: some liked it, some indifferent. But some members thought it might discourage people if publicized anything like USA-S does with their standards. Thanks for the additional information. It's ashame that your system is not used for the NQTs, it would be more equitable than the current system. For example - Men 25-29 1500 23:56 (your rating 68.6), 50 br. 35.92 (rating 79.3), Men 60-64 1500 23:25 (rating 79.7), 50 br. 42.19 (rating 80.8). Even a history major would have to be oblivious to the fact that the men's 1500 25-29 is an obvious outlier. Your system reveals this error. " But some members thought it might discourage people if publicized anything like USA-S does with their standards. " :laugh2::laugh2::laugh2::laugh2::laugh2:

I think I can do this. I think I can automate it completely (using javascript, my weapon of choice). Wow - that would be awesome! Who knew it was so complicated? for what it's worth, I obviously agree with the folks that find these things useful. I've been using the original for a few years to measure my progress and it gives me concrete goals. Might sound silly, but every time I get a new best time, I can't wait to get home and see if I made it to another step. This also motivates me to work harder in practice (and I need all the motivation I can get because, as someone noted above, we're adults now and if we would prefer to sleep in or get out of the pool early or whatever, we can!). I haven't heard anyone here say it would demotivate them.. just some expressing vague concerns that it *might* demotivate someone. By that logic, we shouldn't be posting top 10 times or yearly rankings - or are there concerns about these things, too?

Motivational times provide me with motivation to try and swim faster. I don't know if it would provide the same motivation or not if I were 11.

Whether kids or adults, one thing that I'd always advocate, and the research supports, is the use of self-referenced goals. That is - whether I'm fast compared to others or not, what can I do to become faster? That said, I also think the opposite of Sunruh - that kids should be actively discouraged from using this sort of thing as their athletic and other identities are still being formed, while as adults the horse has already bolted!