As good as you once were?

I've got mixed emotions on this topic ... On the one hand, I'm 100% in agreement with Wookie on this point: I train to race the best that I that I can on a given day. If I go slower in a race, so be it. If I go faster, so be it. I don't get worked up over times. On the other hand, I get motivated to get up early and do the workouts by setting goal times, so I agree with Tom on this point: I like the challenge of trying to get near lifetime best and you don't have to do 8,000 workouts everyday to do like I did as an age grouper. I think you can do both: set a goal time, but also not be too high pressured or care too much if you don't get it. Masters swimming is so much "less heavy" and fun in that respect than age group or collegiate swimming was where races and times seemed to have so much more "weight" and importance.

I think it's possible for many over 40 swimmers to swim lifetime best times, Dara proved it's possible at the highest level. But it takes a huge amount of work, focus and dedication that few are willing to do. It helps if the swimmer trained at the elite level well into their 30's and never got too out of shape during their break. I bet swimmers like Ian Crocker, Brendan Hansen, Aaron Piersol, Josh Davis, Gary Hall, Neil Walker, Summer Sanders, Natalie Coughlin could make impressive comebacks in their late 30's and early 40's

At 60 I am faster than HS,not as fast as college.At 30 I was faster than in college(which I attribute to more race pace work and focus on sprinting.In college the 200 BR was the only distance we did in duel meets and we didn't do enough fast stuff.)

I'm not whining. Or angry, lol. That's my abrasive east coast personality. ;) I just think it's rather silly to live in or dwell on the past. But if it rocks your boat, go right ahead. :) Seems like a pretty judgemental attitude. Maybe comparing to teenage years is an interesting ruler to measure things for some people. It think it is an interesting physiological issue at the least. The OP didn't say he would be disappointed if he couldn't match his high school times. It doesn't mean he is living or dwelling in the past either.

Seems like a pretty judgemental attitude. Maybe comparing to teenage years is an interesting ruler to measure things for some people. It think it is an interesting physiological issue at the least. The OP didn't say he would be disappointed if he couldn't match his high school times. It doesn't mean he is living or dwelling in the past either. Thanks Hofff, I'm the OP. I enjoy the competition. I like pushing this 47 year old body as much as I can. At Nadadores, in Mission Viejo, there are a group of us who are always racing and pushing each other in workouts and meets. It doesn't matter if your 25 or 65 it's fun to compete and it's fun to get faster. My breaststroke and free times are not as "fast" as when I was a 19 year old (Only year of competitive college swimming). But they are faster than HS. :) I personally think I can go faster in the BR and FR sprints then i went in College because i pay so much more attention to efficiency and proper stroke mechanics; Plus I wasn't blazing fast in college like alot of posters on this forum. Have a good day all. Goals: 50BR - 28.53 100BR - 1:05.98 :cane:

Thanks Hofff, I'm the OP. I enjoy the competition. I like pushing this 47 year old body as much as I can. At Nadadores, in Mission Viejo, there are a group of us who are always racing and pushing each other in workouts and meets. It doesn't matter if your 25 or 65 it's fun to compete and it's fun to get faster. My breaststroke and free times are not as "fast" as when I was a 19 year old (Only year of competitive college swimming). But they are faster than HS. :) I personally think I can go faster in the BR and FR sprints then i went in College because i pay so much more attention to efficiency and proper stroke mechanics; Plus I wasn't blazing fast in college like alot of posters on this forum. Have a good day all. Goals: 50BR - 28.53 100BR - 1:05.98 :cane: I wish I knew exacly what my times were in high school. But I don't remember them well and I can't find a written record anywhere (mom? dad? didn't you save some of this??). I did not swim in college except as a once a year intramural swim meet. I know that as a 51 year old who realistically quit swimming at 17 I am about as fast as I was in races 100 yds or less. In longer races I am clearly slower - the best comparison is 200 IM in high school about 2:12 and 2:20 at age 49 at SCY Nationals two years ago. I simply have had great difficulty regaining aerobic fitness. I'm very happy overall with my 29.98 50 *** and 1:00 100 IM. For some reason I can't match my intramural 50 fly time and I continue to work on that.

Short answer: No I consider myself an evolved swimmer that realistically will never go sub-4:40 in the 500. (However sub 5:00 would be nice) Evolved meaning I have a job, family, kids sports, etc like most 43 year olds. Sure it would be nice to have 6 hours a day to train, lift & do dry lands. The real satisfaction comes from doing tough sets and getting the base intervals down approaching college practices. Completely agree with previous posts about training with a group that challenges each other. I would rather train to do an epic set in practice than go to a meet any day. Tree What you say reminds me of the T-shirt everyone wore when I was a kid: "I LOVE SWIMMING it's the practice I hate". As a grownup, I LOVE practicing. I love working hard, I love paying attention to my stroke and trying to make it perfect, I love kicking, hell- I even love BREASTROKE!!! To answer the OP: I am not as fast as I once was. I think it may be possible. Partly because I was wasn't that great. And partly because I'm a lot smarter now. I had what was considered a very nice efficient stroke as a kid (thanks to a terrific early coach) but I think I understand what I'm doing a lot better than I did then. I'm not sure if that's going to bring me to that point I was at when I was at my peak as a kid, but it's at least POSSIBLE if I work hard enough for long enough.

I am faster than I was in high school, though it took me more than two years to get to that level. Some strokes came back faster than others, for me backstroke was easier to remember how to swim than free or fly, and my breaststroke has never been all that strong. The good news is that now that I can swim the 50 fly I can get a lifetime best since I haven't done that since I was 12 years old. 18 / 21 / 46 22.7 21.0 21.4 (conv) 50 free 48.8 45.5 47.7 (conv) 100 free 54.5 52.1 54.4 100 back (now with flip turns, SDK, tech suit) The real reason I've kept swimming, though, is that I really like the people I swim with. It is also great seeing people I used to swim with at the meets, still plugging away and staying healthy.