The older I get. . .

RE: The older I get. . .

knelson — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:35:40 GMT

It was more about workout - you know, you're totally psyched for workout, ah ha! I got away from the evil office! or whatever, you dash to the pool, and then dive in and after a few laps note that something is achy, or geez the water is hot today, or where is everybody??? Yes, I can relate. I generally swim after work and there are many days when I'm really looking forward to the workout early on in the day, but then quitting time comes and I don't even feel like swimming anymore. Either that or I get in the pool and don't have anywhere near the energy level I thought I did! I think in masters, whether it be workouts or meets, you just need to concentrate on giving your best effort that day. It might not always be exactly what you envisioned, but it's better than just mailing it in.

RE: The older I get. . .

Celestial — Tue, 17 May 2011 08:21:46 GMT

Ana - you're right - it is such a luxury! I am SO grateful to be living in this era - not only with swimming pools - but with pools with aerators (sp?) and thermal cooling pumps! When I travel and I find a pool - no matter how hot or crazy shaped it is, it's always a joy to be able to jump in, isn't it!! One time I was traveling and had been without my daily dose of swimming for about 3 weeks - we found this high school pool in northern Utah, and as we entered the building I could smell the chlorine from several yards away - didn't even know which direction to turn yet, but I could smell the chlorine - and it was like pure ecstacy! :)

RE: The older I get. . .

Former Member — Tue, 17 May 2011 06:38:56 GMT

The older I get the feeling of being grateful to be able to swim increases :applaud: It is awesome to know how expensive the maintenance of a pool is (a luxury) , how poor this territory is and , stil,l I have been able to enjoy a pool….. :applaud::cheerleader:

RE: The older I get. . .

Swimosaur — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:29:54 GMT

... at my very pathetic level of in-shape-ness ... I can keep 20 x 100's on the 1:20 (yards) pretty much without effort - but to do them on the 1:15, seems like conditions have to be perfect! Get it? Methinks you need to recalibrate what it means, "pathetic level of in-shape-ness". I do not think it means what you think it means!

RE: The older I get. . .

Karl_S — Mon, 16 May 2011 11:03:53 GMT

For me, at my very pathetic level of in-shape-ness -- certain intervals require "perfect" conditions. I can keep 20 x 100's on the 1:20 (yards) pretty much without effort For some such a set would feel like a major accomplishment and we would prefer not to think of ourselves as having a worse-than "very pathetic level of in-shape-ness". It seems to me that you either have some significant talent or much better in-shapeness than your admit to. (I suspect a measure of each.)

RE: The older I get. . .

Bobinator — Mon, 16 May 2011 09:55:49 GMT

You sound like you're still very fit and fast Celestial!! I do believe we need more recovery days as we get older. The stress of life can definitely get in the way of workouts too. The swimming helps a ton with stress but the paradox is that getting oneself to the pool can get stressful!! Lol!

RE: The older I get. . .

Celestial — Mon, 16 May 2011 07:57:16 GMT

The thing is - this was supposed to be funny! I don't generally have a problem with meets - don't have too many masters meets under my belt to talk about anyways - and each one was so fun! It was more about workout - you know, you're totally psyched for workout, ah ha! I got away from the evil office! or whatever, you dash to the pool, and then dive in and after a few laps note that something is achy, or geez the water is hot today, or where is everybody??? For me, at my very pathetic level of in-shape-ness -- certain intervals require "perfect" conditions. I can keep 20 x 100's on the 1:20 (yards) pretty much without effort - but to do them on the 1:15, seems like conditions have to be perfect! Get it? Like Orca said, "the older I get, the better I was!!" :bliss:

RE: The older I get. . .

ande — Mon, 16 May 2011 04:15:15 GMT

My buddy Allen Shamblin wrote that song! "The Older I Get" (the better I used to be) on his Sunrise CD 10th track He is a great writer, he cowrote "Life's a Dance" "I can't Make you Love me" & "House that built me" & a bunch more

RE: The older I get. . .

orca1946 — Mon, 16 May 2011 02:45:00 GMT

The older I get, the faster I used to be !!

RE: The older I get. . .

Redbird Alum — Mon, 16 May 2011 01:33:42 GMT

The older I get.... ... the fewer "biocycles" I'll have left!!! :blush: ... so the less I worry about rythms, and the more I just swim the best I can each and every time!

RE: The older I get. . .

Bobinator — Sun, 15 May 2011 09:37:38 GMT

I know exactly what you mean Celestial! If I think about it enough I can talk myself out of a swim almost any night of the week. Lately I've decided to just stop thinking about it till I'm in the water. No judgement, no analysis, absolutely no thoughts connected with swimming till I jump in the water. Sometimes I don't enjoy the warm-up phase of my workout but after 1,500 or so I start getting in the mood and appreciate the fact that I'm there!

RE: The older I get. . .

jaadams1 — Sun, 15 May 2011 08:29:16 GMT

I've made similar observations throughout my career. Like in my meet today with the kids. It started pouring down rain, and all I could hear was "oohhh it's so cold"... "I want to go home" and :blah: stuff similar. I just thought this is going to be easy because all my competition is already giving up before the race was even started. :) Just focus and what needs to be done, and ignore the stuff you can't control.

RE: The older I get. . .

Celestial — Sun, 15 May 2011 08:23:27 GMT

Not waiting for them, it's just an observation.

RE: The older I get. . .

jaadams1 — Sun, 15 May 2011 08:14:49 GMT

If you're always waiting for the perfect conditions to happen to have a good swim, you might as well not even attempt it, IMO. Just get out there and race. Swimming is an individualized sport anyway, and 50% mentally driven. Just push away the negative thoughts and go for it!