Unfinished business in the pool??

There are a lot of good insights in this thread. I guess I have been so fixated on times recently that I have forgotten about all the other great dimensions of masters swimming - health, fitness, new milestones, competitions, friends.etc. I find it pretty easy to think about 'what if' this happened or that happened, or I did this, or I did that and I know that goes beyond the pool. Still, dwelling never does any good so thanks everybody for sharing your perspectives and giving me food for thought. Yeah, I've got a lot of those "what ifs" myself and I try not to think about them because there is nothing I can do about them now. As you say, dwelling doesn't do any good. But I am trying to swim smarter, train smarter, and race smarter than I used to. I think that sort of looking back can be productive.

TG, Jazz would rather die than use a smilie. He barely uses punctuation and would be appalled by the Justin Bieber font. I didn't say that HE would use the smilie...

Hmmmm good question - I often find myself in the land of "what if?" with my swimming. I swam at a semi-competitive club as a kid (in the UK), never made a district qualifying time let alone a national one, but was top of our very much B-grade leagues. Went to college and basically gave it up as I was then going to be relegated to the reecreational-only lane. The competitive squad was made up of those who had swum daily in the "big leagues". Eight years later I started masters having put on a bit of weight and got really unfit. Anyway, I got the competition bug back, met some great people who convinced me I was actually pretty good. We had a great coach and at the ripe old age of 30 I lucked out and won a national gold for my 800 free just 9 months after having my 1st baby. The following year I set 4 best ever freestyle times in the 200,400,800 and 1500. Since then I have had another baby and moved to the US, and only got back into competing last summer when my oldest was swimming summer league. I train on my own right now, but once my youngest is in school I'll likely join a team. So I often wonder what if I had swum with the big leagues as a kid and had "proper" training? would I still enjoy it now? would I be trying for records instead of the top 10 on unpopular events? Or would I have been burned out and not got back in the water? So yes - I guess I still have a lot of unfinished business :laugh2:. Here's some of my "unfinished business" I hope to complete in the next 3 or so years..... To break 1.00 for 100 SCY free To break 6.00 on a 500 yd free To swim a 400 IM in competition To swim 200 fly again If I don't have a goal, I'm not motivated to swim as hard in the pool. :D

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.

Awesome topic and so relevant to me. I'm having fun now as a masters swimmer. I didn't have a lot of fun when I swam as a kid which became a huge regret as an adult. I took it all way too seriously growing up. By the time I was a young adult, I had had enough with the crazy mega yardage. I didn't go near a pool for years. Since then, I've done a 180. My playful approach/perspective to workouts and the occasional meet is the approach I wish had when I was a kid- that's my unfinished business.

Just looked at the title of this thread again and it struck me funny. Please, people, finish your business before you get in the pool.

I was one who swam in HS but took college off. I guess I was burned out. I stayed out of the pool for 11 years until my sister went to LCM Nationals. Then I thought "I can do that" and I was back in the pool a week later. I am beating some of my times from HS but huge changes in me is that back then I was a *** stroker, I hate it now and now I love distance and back then I never did it. So, keep working towards goals but maybe change some of your events and you might surprise yourself in what you can do now that you can pick your meets and events. I stay in the pool for fitness and competition. I always have goals or I find my motivation can get low. Jeff, what years did you swim SEC?

I think we must be complete opposites :) I am so unmotivated to do any exercise whatsoever unless it is swimming - and it has taken a long time for me to admit that to myself! I only discovered events longer than 100m when I started masters (except for a once yearly 200 free) and at that point realised that I was relatively better at mid-distance than sprints, so masters has always been a new era. Right now I'm not so far off those PR times of 5 years ago. It does get harder as you get older, but I'm hoping my best is yet to come! Hahaha. I'm a bit hyper and compulsive. Lap swimming with no racing goal would put me to sleep. Mr. Fort is even more manic than me, and he has no unfinished business either, just new business. If you train smart, I'm sure the best is yet to come, especially if you're now competing in events for which you're better suited. I'm actually not that far off my 50s times from youth, so it can be done. I think it's completely invigorating to reinvent yourself -- no matter which direction you're heading.

Hahaha. I'm a bit hyper and compulsive. Lap swimming with no racing goal would put me to sleep. Mr. Fort is even more manic than me, and he has no unfinished business either just new business. If you train smart, I'm sure the best is yet to come, especially if you're now competing in events for which you're better suited. I'm actually not that far off my 50s times from youth, so it can be done. I think it's completely invigorating to reinvent yourself -- no matter which direction you're heading. Here's a third pitch for reinventing yourself. I used to be a butterflier -- I think the coaches made me a flier because my older sister was -- but always wanted to be a breaststroker. Now that I'm older, I'm finding that my breaststroking ability has maintained itself a lot better than my butterflying ability. I'd like to get back to fly eventually, but for now I am focusing more on *** and having a great time with it.

Here's a third pitch for reinventing yourself. I used to be a butterflier -- I think the coaches made me a flier because my older sister was -- but always wanted to be a breaststroker. Now that I'm older, I'm finding that my breaststroking ability has maintained itself a lot better than my butterflying ability. I'd like to get back to fly eventually, but for now I am focusing more on *** and having a great time with it. Agree Philo! Like you, fly was my best stroke as an age grouper, but now (while I love fly), backstroke is my best stroke. Why? Because, unlike when I was young, I can SDK. Love that new innovation! My breaststroke, however, has remained largely remedial. But, yes, picking your own strokes and your own distances and, often, your own workouts is fantastic. The phrase "masters prerogative" resonates with me. And it's another reason why I am not an old school purist. I'd rather be an old dog learning new tricks. Though I can't seem to master that dorkel.