It's been cool for me over the last few years seeing and competing against a number of guys from both my age group and collegiate days. However, when I think back to my college team, in particular, I'm struck by how many guys are NOT back swimming and competing in Masters. I realize this is probably the wrong audience to ask (since we're back in the pool), but, since for me swimming & competing go hand in hand and I love swimming, I'm still puzzled why more people don't come back to the sport and to racing?
Where I train there are 4 other guys,all around my age who are regulars.They work hard and really push each other(they swim standard middle distance freestyle sets,while I am doing my sprint BR stuff in an outside lane.) One is an Olympian with nothing to prove,one was a really fast Masters Swimmer in the 80s who decided he doesn't like meets,one swims about 1 meet a year but meets are not a priority for him,and one had a heart attack 2 years ago and was told he shouldn't swim fast so he doesn't swim meets though he still blasts in workouts.Each has his own reason,but I am the only one who swims meets.(If I tried to keep up with them in a workout it would kill me,conversely I am the only one doing sprints.)
Where I train there are 4 other guys,all around my age who are regulars.They work hard and really push each other(they swim standard middle distance freestyle sets,while I am doing my sprint BR stuff in an outside lane.) One is an Olympian with nothing to prove,one was a really fast Masters Swimmer in the 80s who decided he doesn't like meets,one swims about 1 meet a year but meets are not a priority for him,and one had a heart attack 2 years ago and was told he shouldn't swim fast so he doesn't swim meets though he still blasts in workouts.Each has his own reason,but I am the only one who swims meets.(If I tried to keep up with them in a workout it would kill me,conversely I am the only one doing sprints.)
