Since most of us aren't teenagers any more, I'm pretty sure a large masters population is having to overcome all kinds of health issues on order to getin shape, and go as far as competing.
I was starting to get pretty competetive 4-5 years ago and setting a lot of PB's, when in my mid to late 30's I got slammed with a lot of health issues, couple of which (ick) caused a lot of rapid heart rate even at rest, and made me very exercise intolerant. Some of this is getting under control, other things I just have to live with, and accept I can't push as hard as I used to :(
I have a genetic blood disorder, thallasemia, which manifests itself in my case an untreatable chronic anemia, fast thyroid causing heartbeat irregularities (and other things), and one of arthritic conditions, scleroderma. In last couple years I'm just starting to figure out how to handle my newly dysfunctional body, and still keep active. It's been a very disheartening struggle, since at 40, I'm supposedly too young to be falling apart. Eh!
I'd like to hear from people who are having to manage their health issues, so they can keep swimming, and even competing... I'm hoping this can be motivating to a *few* people.
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Best wishes to you, too! Good luck with your goals and may you have tons of fun accomplishing them! :cheerleader: Keep us posted on how you are doing and stay close to the forums; they will prove to be a tremendous help to you, no matter what it is you are trying to achieve. I was a newbie Masters swimmer, this past February, and I have found my fellow forumites to be very encouraging, supportive, helpful, and terrific! :applaud:
Thank you very much, ElaineK, swimshark, and conniekat8! Your kind words of encouragement are very much appreciated. When I experienced swimming as an age group/high school/freshman year college swimmer, I experienced it virtually completely as an individual support, and it's very good, and very pleasant to have early indications that Master's swimming is more supportive than age group/high school swimming, at least as I experienced it.
Getting back into swimming a little bit -- this is my 6th week back in, after
many, many years of being out -- has reminded me what a great sport it is. When I was in junior high and high school my two favorite, and best, sports were football and swimming, and I loved the positive aspects of both sports that are totally unique to each. One of the tremendous aspects of swimming though, that football lacks, is that a 55 year old guy can still participate in it. As much as I hate to admit it, there is no way that a guy my age can put on the football pads again, and play full contact, hard-hitting football the way I did at age 19. But, I can still
participate in swimming, in mostly the same terrific way that I did from age 5 thru age 19, and it's a wonderful feeling to know that that type of participaticaption is still available.
Thanks again, ElanieK, swimshark, and conniekat8 for your support, and I will keep you updated with my progress.
Best wishes to you, too! Good luck with your goals and may you have tons of fun accomplishing them! :cheerleader: Keep us posted on how you are doing and stay close to the forums; they will prove to be a tremendous help to you, no matter what it is you are trying to achieve. I was a newbie Masters swimmer, this past February, and I have found my fellow forumites to be very encouraging, supportive, helpful, and terrific! :applaud:
Thank you very much, ElaineK, swimshark, and conniekat8! Your kind words of encouragement are very much appreciated. When I experienced swimming as an age group/high school/freshman year college swimmer, I experienced it virtually completely as an individual support, and it's very good, and very pleasant to have early indications that Master's swimming is more supportive than age group/high school swimming, at least as I experienced it.
Getting back into swimming a little bit -- this is my 6th week back in, after
many, many years of being out -- has reminded me what a great sport it is. When I was in junior high and high school my two favorite, and best, sports were football and swimming, and I loved the positive aspects of both sports that are totally unique to each. One of the tremendous aspects of swimming though, that football lacks, is that a 55 year old guy can still participate in it. As much as I hate to admit it, there is no way that a guy my age can put on the football pads again, and play full contact, hard-hitting football the way I did at age 19. But, I can still
participate in swimming, in mostly the same terrific way that I did from age 5 thru age 19, and it's a wonderful feeling to know that that type of participaticaption is still available.
Thanks again, ElanieK, swimshark, and conniekat8 for your support, and I will keep you updated with my progress.
