Though I frequently rave about my semi-national health club chain for its workout benefits when I travel, nothing comes close to what I consider the #1 benefit of USMS: dropping in for workouts in random cities around the US. In the last 3 years, I've swum with teams in over 20 different pools (forums.usms.org/blog.php, many times for free, always with a hearty welcome and a great workout. I've swum in some of the 'storied' pools of our nation, with some of USMS' legendary coaches and teams, and met some neat people across the land.
If you're not taking advantage of this benefit, do so on your next trip. You won't be disappointed. If you're part of a Masters team that hasn't recently updated your website or info on http://www.usms.org/placswim/, do so and enjoy some friendly visitors.
What's your favorite drop-in swim experience?
I'm not much of a traveller, so my favorite experience is my only experience. I was in Atlanta for a week-long class and I was able to swim with the Atlanta Rainbow Trout at the GA Tech pool. I was thrilled to swim in an Olympic pool and I had a great time with some cool people who were v. friendly and fun.
I got a ride there from a friend and was planning to use my MARTA/Breeze pass to grab a bus back to my hotel, but the coach wouldn't hear of it and gave me a ride home!
SOuthern hospitality is no myth.
And I had a great swim too!
Though I frequently rave about my semi-national health club chain for its workout benefits when I travel, nothing comes close to what I consider the #1 benefit of USMS: dropping in for workouts in random cities around the US. In the last 3 years, I've swum with teams in over 20 different pools (forums.usms.org/blog.php, many times for free, always with a hearty welcome and a great workout. I've swum in some of the 'storied' pools of our nation, with some of USMS' legendary coaches and teams, and met some neat people across the land.
If you're not taking advantage of this benefit, do so on your next trip. You won't be disappointed. If you're part of a Masters team that hasn't recently updated your website or info on http://www.usms.org/placswim/, do so and enjoy some friendly visitors.
What's your favorite drop-in swim experience?
And sometimes, as a team (or club, whatever the case may be) you get to host "storied" swimmers, a real win-win. It was a pleasure having you swim with us Sunday, Pat. Hope your daughter had an awesome 1500.
I'd invite anybody in Nor Cal to come up and swim with my team (Tamalpais Aquatic Masters), but be warned that we don't have the best pool (5 lane (should be 4) ancient pool, but it is outdoors which is key). Excepting me, there is a great group of swimmers of all abilities and intensities there. We love visitors.
I love dropping in whenever I travel, but (quite fortunately actually) I don't travel that much. Some places/groups I've swum with:
Arundel Breakfast Club (Annapolis Maryland).
NY City Hydras (Baruch College, Manhattan).
University of San Francisco Masters (Koret Fitnes Center Pool).
Lucky's Lake Swim (Orlando Florida)--an incredibly cool experience that any swimers visiting Orlando should check out! (www.luckyslakeswim.com/)
Menlo Park Masters in July this year. Swimming outside! What a concept! What a sunburn! Came back to pasty Boston, no one recognized me! I looked like I was a Californian!
Also a group in Arlington, VA, in a rec center, the name of which I don't remember.
Also in NC with UNC Masters, and another group on Erwin Road, in Durham, NC, the name of which I don't remember.
Also with local masters groups in Boston other than MIT (Cambridge, LANES, Boston City Swimmers/BOSY).
I always wondered what "travel permit" meant on that card. Now I do.
good topic!
i've had the pleasure to drop in on:
USMS clubs
Asphalt Green (AGUA) in NYC
Nitro in Austin, TX
MAC in Charlotte, NC
Tiburon Peninsula Club, CA
Coral Springs, FL
OW clubs
The Serps London
Dolphin Club, SF
South End Rowing Club, SF
Swim Art, SF Bay
On my last trip, I got to meet/swim with/float around/hang out with lots of friends and acquaintances from this forum and others at La Jolla, Longbeach, Pismo Beach, Santa Cruz and SF... it was a whirlwind tour, but so worth it.
I love dropping in with teams while I'm out of town, I've gotten to swim with all kinds of cool people! Through the forums, my blog, facebook and twitter I've managed to put together aquatic outings all over the place. Whenever I'm out of town for an extended period of time the first thing I do is start looking for somewhere to swim.
Off the top of my head I've swam with Mountain View Masters, SCAQ, Mission Viejo Nadadores, Schroeder Aquatics, Elmbrook Masters, Oconomowoc Masters, SW Y Masters, SwimMAC, and I've had some good swims with random masters in a non-team set up and down the California coast, in Illinois, and Virginia. Everyone is always super nice and I always have a good time... which reminds me I need to find an excuse to drop in with someone new soon!
On my last trip, I got to meet/swim with/float around/hang out with lots of friends and acquaintances from this forum and others at La Jolla, Longbeach, Pismo Beach, Santa Cruz and SF... it was a whirlwind tour, but so worth it.
It was good seeing you on your way through Pismo Beach! I'm glad I got in on the California Coast tour!
It was good seeing you on your way through Pismo Beach! I'm glad I got in on the California Coast tour!
next time through, i'll bring my arms.... we'll go for a nice long swim.
A great topic since I just benefitted from a welcoming Masters team at Yale University last week. Visiting New Haven for business, I was able to swim everyday last week with a great group of swimmers lead by Dr. Joe Z. An absolutely historic venue given the contributions of collegiate great, Coach Kiputh. Nothing makes a business trip easier than keeping your workout routine. I was also lucky on trips to Mesa AZ, and Huntsville, AL this year.
Bottom Line: please encourage your team to keep your club's info and a point of contact up to date on the "Places to Swim" section of USMS.org.
Tree
I've been a masters swimmer for only two years, but I've been going to Whidbey Island every summer for a week for the past 15 years. This year I decided to try swimming with the locals. I contacted South Whidbey Island Masters (S.W.I.M.) and was heartily welcomed to join them in the early morning hours (5:30 a.m.—my regular team practices at 5:30 p.m.). Had a great time swimming and meeting all the folks, some of whom I've seen since at a couple of open-water swims. I hope to join them again next summer for my annual visit, and I'll certainly be looking for other opportunities to swim outside my area when I travel in the future.
While I hope people are enjoying this thread, my purely selfish motive is also being realized -- collecting a list of teams to drop into on my future travels. :)
I only began diligently tracking my drop-in registry in 2007, but Bobinator's post about St. Pete Masters ...
I have a daughter who attends college in the Tampa-St. Pete area.
I love swimming with the St. Pete Masters! Coach Patty Nardozzi is the best!
... reminded me of a series of great morning workouts I got there in the summer of 2003. I thought I was pretty hot sh*t then and this was the first traveling masters workouts I had done; I figured it would be nice to do some easy morning workouts while on a beach vacation, imagining a laid-back group of 'fitness swimmers.' I had quite enjoyed a lot of wine the night before heading over for my first morning workout with SPM and got my a** handed to me. Each morning I went, we were cranking out 4500 to 5000 meters and doing crazy intervals I just didn't imagine people did at "just-a-Masters-workout." It was great fun (well, after day 1 when I knew what to expect) and a great eye-opener for me.
Jim also points out a great link ...Just wanted to pass this link along for those that may be traveling internationally. Sometimes, it can be a good sanity check on US programs as well if the specific site hasn't been updated at USMS Places to Swim.
Swimmers Guide: http://www.swimmersguide.com/
... while I've primarily used this for swimming overseas (Japan, Australia, UK, continental Europe), I also use this when I can't seem to find a team to swim with in the US or Canada on the USMS site.
