Hi everybody,
I am a new contributor to the forum, though I have been reading the threads here for a long time.
I am interested to hear stories from masters swimmers who are competing because of 'unfinished business' from their high school swimming days/college swimming days.etc
I swam in college and graduated in 2006. The college was D1 but one of the slower conferences. I was not close to making NCAA's. I have swam a little bit of masters on and off since then. It's been on my mind for quite a while but recently I realized how much 'unresolved swimming regrets' I have. I have decided to up my training and see what I can do.
So I guess my question is, for all of you who have returned feeling like you have some gas left in the tank, how has your experience been? Any words of advice or wisdom to share? And the ultimate question, have you managed to exorcise any of those swim demons by returning?
Thanks in advance for reading this.
Parents
Former Member
Yes, I had unfinished business. Started swim team age 15 (Jr in HS) when I was old enough to use parttime job money to buy swimsuits, gear and training fees and when I could provide my own transportation to practice. Parents did not want me to swim on a team. HS had a girls team my Sr year; I was a walk-on in college 2 years. There was no year-round program in my area and when college scholarships started being offered my soph year the sport suddenly got faster beyond my improvement rate. It left me no place to go for several years other than casual public lap swim.
HS season was Sep to first week of Nov.
In college, we probably swam 15,000y a week with no drylands, Sep to Feb.
Summer was maybe 2 months in a SCY pool, LC pool not available.
I joined USMS age ~35 when I blew out a knee and could no longer participate in most of the rec sports I was enjoying. Did pretty well on a run for lifetime best swim times but unfortunately didn't have my college times recorded and back then we swam 400y free not 500y free.
Still wondering if I really gave it my best shot; but age 54 I'm not even close the physical condition nor times I had 15 years ago.
Yes, I had unfinished business. Started swim team age 15 (Jr in HS) when I was old enough to use parttime job money to buy swimsuits, gear and training fees and when I could provide my own transportation to practice. Parents did not want me to swim on a team. HS had a girls team my Sr year; I was a walk-on in college 2 years. There was no year-round program in my area and when college scholarships started being offered my soph year the sport suddenly got faster beyond my improvement rate. It left me no place to go for several years other than casual public lap swim.
HS season was Sep to first week of Nov.
In college, we probably swam 15,000y a week with no drylands, Sep to Feb.
Summer was maybe 2 months in a SCY pool, LC pool not available.
I joined USMS age ~35 when I blew out a knee and could no longer participate in most of the rec sports I was enjoying. Did pretty well on a run for lifetime best swim times but unfortunately didn't have my college times recorded and back then we swam 400y free not 500y free.
Still wondering if I really gave it my best shot; but age 54 I'm not even close the physical condition nor times I had 15 years ago.
