Solo Swimmers

Hi Elaine, I think I found how to add an attachment to a post, and assuming I did it correctly everyone should now be able to download the 2019 Masters Motivational Times for SCY directly from this posting. Please let me know if you have any problems. Hey there! I'm back from California and back online. Thanks for posting this! How do you attach a pdf file, anyway? I see how to attach a picture and internet link.

Hi Elaine, Sigh, I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but earlier I had failed to simply search the FAQ for how-to information on attachments. Here's the URL of the FAQ entry on Attachments and Images: forums.usms.org/faq.php And right below the "Manage Attachments" button in the Additional Options section it says: "Valid file extensions: bmp csv doc docx gif jpe jpeg jpg pdf png ppt pptx psd txt xls xlsx zip" So there are still some limitations, but the forum allows most types of files that are commonly passed around. Hope this helps! :doh:FAQ's! Why didn't I think of that? I see now that you need to use the "Reply to Thread" button on the top of the thread page for the box to come up that allows you the opportunity to attach a pdf file. This box has more available options than when I clicked on the "Reply to Thread" button on the bottom of the thread page. The box that came up was the same as using "Reply" or "Reply with Quote." Thanks for the help, 'fritz!

Hey there! I'm back from California and back online. Thanks for posting this! How do you attach a pdf file, anyway? I see how to attach a picture and internet link. Hi Elaine, Sigh, I'm almost ashamed to admit it, but earlier I had failed to simply search the FAQ for how-to information on attachments. Here's the URL of the FAQ entry on Attachments and Images: forums.usms.org/faq.php And right below the "Manage Attachments" button in the Additional Options section it says: "Valid file extensions: bmp csv doc docx gif jpe jpeg jpg pdf png ppt pptx psd txt xls xlsx zip" So there are still some limitations, but the forum allows most types of files that are commonly passed around. Hope this helps!

Hi Elaine, I think I found how to add an attachment to a post, and assuming I did it correctly everyone should now be able to download the 2019 Masters Motivational Times for SCY directly from this posting. Please let me know if you have any problems. Great Reference! Going back to my USS times and trying to extrapolate where I should be now was frustrating. Definitely motivational to get me to where I need/want be.

I'm on the fence about renewing. Two shoulder surgeries and issues with vertigo kept me out of the pool for the past six months and I'm nervous about going back. That plus the inconvenience of getting to the pool (my gym pool is small and mostly used up with water aerobics, the fitness center in my community has a pool that's only 50 feet long, and the nearest olympic size pool is 20-25 minutes away, a huge demotivator). So I'm wondering if other people face these obstacles and how they overcome them. Last time I was in the pool back in September, for only about 20 minutes, I was thinking of dropping out of my master's program and that short swim really turned things around and gave me the "wtf it's just one course" mentality that allowed me to make it through the semester. I'm taking a master's at UMd where, as you know, there's an amazing pool, but I'm only on campus a couple mornings a week starting in January. The upshot is that I'd like to get back into swimming, but I'm not certain how this USMS membership is helping. I don't belong to a team and I don't really "train" on my own. Suggestions appreciated.

Denise, I agree with Calvin, you should go for it. Baby steps will get you back in the water, even in a limited capacity. Don't be afraid, just carve out that time if at all possible and you'll get the chlorine addiction back and may inspire you to keep coming. It's good for the soul, right. Staying with USMS allows you to stay in touch with like-minded people who will encourage you to keep on going and share their water spirit. You can use some of the training programs (check out the one for limited mobility/recovery) to give you some ideas on how to train or mix it up a bit. It also can allow you put a goal on the calendar for the future. Have you thought about giving back to the sport a bit, maybe becoming an ALTS (Adult Learn to Swim) instructor until you can get back up to speed. Helping and teaching others can improve your swimming as well. :)

I'm on the fence about renewing. Two shoulder surgeries and issues with vertigo kept me out of the pool for the past six months and I'm nervous about going back. That plus the inconvenience of getting to the pool (my gym pool is small and mostly used up with water aerobics, the fitness center in my community has a pool that's only 50 feet long, and the nearest olympic size pool is 20-25 minutes away, a huge demotivator). So I'm wondering if other people face these obstacles and how they overcome them. Last time I was in the pool back in September, for only about 20 minutes, I was thinking of dropping out of my master's program and that short swim really turned things around and gave me the "wtf it's just one course" mentality that allowed me to make it through the semester. I'm taking a master's at UMd where, as you know, there's an amazing pool, but I'm only on campus a couple mornings a week starting in January. The upshot is that I'd like to get back into swimming, but I'm not certain how this USMS membership is helping. I don't belong to a team and I don't really "train" on my own. Suggestions appreciated. Baby steps, in my opinion. If you are at UM a few days a week, take 20-30 minutes and just paddle around. I swam for 25 years up until my first child was born. Then I took basically 3 years off to pursue other interests (Ones I had given up to focus on swimming over the years, like soccer and running). When I started my comeback last January (after 2 false starts over the previous year), I spent the first two months doing about 1,000 yards 3 times a week. That was it. I wouldn't let myself do any more. Just wanted to see how it made me feel (both physically and mentally). The end result is that as I suspected, swimming is a drug that I am hopelessly addicted to. I am back to doing 18-25,000 a week now, but partial credit to rekindling my love for the sport has to go to the slow and steady way I reintroduced myself to it.

That's awesome, Mike! Way to go on turning those lemons into lemonade! :applaud:

...the fitness center in my community has a pool that's only 50 feet long, and the nearest olympic size pool is 20-25 minutes away, a huge demotivator). So I'm wondering if other people face these obstacles and how they overcome them. I was stationed for two years in Kyrgyzstan where the one pool nearby had two lanes which they turned into three lanes. It was always full, and you really couldn't have more than one person in a "lane" due to the skinniness of the lane. My only other option was a pool ~20 feet long. So I bought straps, wound them around the ladder, velcroed them to my ankles, and swam. For two years. It was apparently good enough training because I managed to pioneer a new route across the second largest alpine lake in the work (lake Issyk Kul, at 5272 feet above sea level), 14km in 6:02 (good for me!). And now a swim across that route is an annual event there! /pats self on back/ And now I travel at least a week every month, and I make sure the hotel I'm staying at has an indoor pool and I bring those straps. ;)

Not 100% sure this is the best place for advice. However, I’ve yet to find another forum. I am 45/F, used to swim competitively from Jr High - early college. Then work and life got in the way. Five years ago I injured my back and now have disc degeneration in my lower back. Two years ago I got back in the pool and eventually went from 2 laps to 50 (25 yard pool). Then I really got to feeling better about my swim and back after a year of sticking to it. And work and life got in the way again and I didn’t put in the time like I did for a year and had another disc blow out. So on 11/20/18, I had back surgery and 12/19 made it back in the pool. I’ve been swimming every day since aside from one day off each week. I am starting over again, and can only get to about 850 yards and (3) sets of 15 ladder pools before I run out of gas. Today, after my swim, my whole body is aching. I swim at my gym pool, which is indoors and at about 77*. Which brings me to these boards looking for advice. Am I doing too much at once? And any other suggestions you have are appreciated!