http://forums.usms.org/ U.S. Masters Swimming Discussion Forums en Wed, 16 May 2012 12:40:37 GMT vBulletin 60 http://forums.usms.org/images/misc/rss.jpg http://forums.usms.org/ http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20704&goto=newpost Tue, 15 May 2012 16:38:17 GMT Are there any sort of prerequisites for going to nationals? I live in central Iowa and have been rather frustrated by our Masters program (or... Are there any sort of prerequisites for going to nationals?

I live in central Iowa and have been rather frustrated by our Masters program (or lack there of). I don't really know if anyone competes (aside from triathletes) and there isn't really any coaching (unless requested).

I have never actually been on a swim team. So Masters is my first experience outside of swimming on my own. There are very few swim meets anywhere near us (the ones I've found are all 4-10 hr drive away and not in our zone.. do zones matter for participation?). The closest swim meet that I can find is nationals.

As a brand new Masters swimmer, can I go? Obviously, I'm not likely to be winning any races or anything, but it sounds like so much fun to go! And, with all 5 of my kids being on a swim team, it would be really exciting for all of us to check it out. Do I have to have one or two other meets 'under my belt' before I can do this?

Thanks for your help. :) ]]> Nationals mlabresh http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20704 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20701&goto=newpost Tue, 15 May 2012 07:59:07 GMT I have three kids swimming.
Two girls (8 & 10) and a son 12.
All the kids started together (private lessons) about three years ago. Today they are involved in age-group swimming. The girls are seeing great results (best/fourth in our country), ds is still busy "catching-up". He is incredibly dedicated and ambitious, his dream being to come home with medals...

He does enjoy swimming...but, we can turn it any way we want, he is after measurable performance! Ds is good, and has come a long way. Still, I am wondering whether he will ever excel...
He is athletically built and will likely be tall. These past months he has trained five times per week (2h), and will step it up to 6/7 times per week in the fall. I am wondering whether this "will do", or whether we should gently steer ds towards a sport where he can truly succeed (by his standards!!).

I don't know a thing about swimming, so am in no position to judge this situation. Most of all, I am not a "pool-mom", and my only concern is, that my sun might be chasing a shadow....

Thank you for any insights! ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions swimmermom4 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20701 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20700&goto=newpost Mon, 14 May 2012 19:35:24 GMT How often do you breathe in an open water triathlon swim versus a 1500 meter race in the pool? I recently watched the professional San Diego ITU... How often do you breathe in an open water triathlon swim versus a 1500 meter race in the pool? I recently watched the professional San Diego ITU triathlon and noticed that the athletes tend to breathe quite frequently. Is this the norm? Am I putting myself at a disadvantage by not breathing as frequently? ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions AAL http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20700 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20698&goto=newpost Mon, 14 May 2012 18:19:06 GMT Greetings,
This is my first post and I'm preparing for my first race so forgive me if I'm asking common questions that are already answered elsewhere in this forum: i missed them. To organize this thread I'm going to give a little history about my swim background, tell you where I'm at now, my goals, and then finish with a list of questions. Thank you in advance to anyone who takes the time to answer any question.

History:
I grew up swimming a lot as a child. Partly on various swim teams, and partly in open water (lakes and oceans). I'm very comfortable in the water. I stoppped swimming around 10 and didn't pick it up again until I was 16. I swam competitively my last to years of HS and was good considering my experience (probably due impart to the fact that I'm 6'5"), specializing in sprints--mostly butterfly and freestyle.
Now:
For the past few years I've swam OW with a friend 2 or 3 days a week for the duration of the summer. These swims have been pretty relaxed and span distances of a half mile +/- 0.25 miles. We usually take a rest around the middle of the swim, 30 secs-5 minutes depending on daily BS levels. I live across the street from both the beach and a 25m (maybe yards actually) pool but I don't use the pool since the ocean is free and more enjoyable.
The Goal:
I quit smoking cigarettes 2 weeks ago and I need a reason to stay quit. I found it: a 5k OW swim on Sept 29 (about 18 weeks). They are also offering 1k and 2.5k events.This week I started my serious training. 3 swim days alternated with 3 cross training days, followed by 1 day off. Swim training consists of 2 OW distance days and 1 speed day in the pool. Crosstrain day will be Run/Core days (I'm at about 2 miles now barefoot beach running and have body weight resistance exercises for core training after the run. These exercises were taken from a strength training for swimming speed book I found at a book store. I have extensive time to train.
Questions:
1. Is my goal of a 5k race achievable in 18 weeks? This is a jump from .5 miles to 3 miles. Or should I aim for the 2.5k?
2. Can anyone recommend some good OW books to get me focusing better on technique, diet, training plans?
3. Suggestions for tweaking my current training plan? Or completely changing it?
Honestly, I'd rather avoid the pool entirely.
4. I haven't measured my stroke rate yet, but I'm sure it's pretty low compared to OW swimmers. Should I focus on shortening my long smooth pool stroke?
5. Any tips from the veterans out there?
6. Should I join the local masters swim club. Note: I hate pool swimming but could probably use some stroke tweaking. ]]> Open Water Swimming Larry Lido http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20698 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20695&goto=newpost Mon, 14 May 2012 04:21:58 GMT It's great to have a world class race on our land! The 8 day tour had a breakaway of 8 min. pulled back into the pack. Peter Sagan had a flat with 6 miles to go & his team waited for him, pulled him back into the pack & he out sprinted all to take the 1st stage of the race! ]]> NSR: Non Swimming-Related Discussions orca1946 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20695 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20691&goto=newpost Sun, 13 May 2012 02:09:53 GMT It doesn't matter how much freestyle I do, my butterfly is comparatively lame unless I do substantial fly in practice.

I've seen lots of people who can race fly really well without doing much of it in practice.

How about you? ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions Fresnoid http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20691 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20690&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 20:03:40 GMT Is there any preliminary information about pool availability for USMS swimmers during Olympia Trials? Is there any preliminary information about pool availability for USMS swimmers during Olympia Trials? ]]> Nationals hwern http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20690 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20689&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 18:26:29 GMT Anyone have them? Love them? Hate them? Have some you'd like to recommend?

I use Tyr Burner short fins. They are extremely comfortable, except I keep developing a cut on the top of my right foot. I have always had issues with the skin on my feet (cuts, blisters, etc...), so I am hoping that a neoprene sock will help. ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions philoswimmer http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20689 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20688&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 17:46:49 GMT The 2012 USMS High Performance Camp will be held Aug.25-30, 2012 at the Greensboro Aquatic Center, site of this year's USMS Spring Nationals. Head Coach for this year's camp is Stu Kahn, who served on last year's staff and who has assembled a great coaching staff for the 2nd edition of the camp.

Coaches joining Stu are Frank Marcinkowski, a veteran of the 2011 camp and Head Coach for our US swimmers at World's in Italy this year; Chad Durieux, Head Coach of Rose Bowl Masters and 2012 USMS Coach of the Year; and Cokie Lepinski, Head Coach of Symnut Masters.

Glenn Gruber, one of last year's participants, wrote a very good article about the camp that can be accessed at http://www.tranglesportscommission.c...rformance-camp.

The deadline for applying for this year's camp is this coming Tuesday, May 15. (This appears to have been lost in all the activity getting ready for Spring Nationals, so we thought it was important to create more awareness of the pending deadline.)

For those of you attending Spring Nationals, there was an HPC brochure (with application) in your Goody Bag. I will be glad to email a brochure for the camp, which contains the application and how to submit it, to anyone requesting it. (See my email address below.) We still have open slots at this year's camp, so please submit your applications as quickly as possible.

Hill Carrow
Director, 2012 USMS High Performance Camp
hcarrow@sportsproperties.com ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions hcarrow http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20688 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20687&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 14:43:33 GMT Having short club meet this weekend and swimming only 2 50m events. (fr and br).
I've always used to warm up before any events but I heard many times folks telling that there's no need to warm up for 50 and some even told it's not recommended. The question is addressed mainly to sprinters: What do you think? Do you warm up before 50 events? If you do warm up for 50s, could you pls type some examples? ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions Debugger http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20687 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20685&goto=newpost Fri, 11 May 2012 05:06:08 GMT Has anyone heard of "necrotizing fasciitis"? How about the news about the student who got this horrible condition after a cut on her leg? Another report mentioned a doctor's comment that the strep bacteria could have come from either her own cough droplets or someone who cleaned and stapled the wound on her leg. So what about going swimming with a fresh cut? From time to time I get very small cuts on my fingers and never considered it a big deal going swimming. ]]> NSR: Non Swimming-Related Discussions nhc http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20685 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20683&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 17:21:39 GMT The search is set for July 14, 2012 in the Allegheny River, Pittsburgh, PA 1.2 & 2.4 mile & White Knuckle Swim.

Registration & more information: https://www.ClubAssistant.com/club/m...1512&smid=4037

FaceBook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/358880024160931/ ]]> Great Lakes Zone mermaid http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20683 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20682&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 17:20:06 GMT The search is set for July 14, 2012 in the Allegheny River, Pittsburgh, PA 1.2 & 2.4 mile & White Knuckle Swim.

Registration & more information: https://www.ClubAssistant.com/club/m...1512&smid=4037

FaceBook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/358880024160931/ ]]> Allegheny Mountain mermaid http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20682 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20681&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 17:16:48 GMT The search is set for July 14, 2012 in the Allegheny River, Pittsburgh, PA 1.2 & 2.4 mile & White Knuckle Swim.

Registration & more information: https://www.ClubAssistant.com/club/m...1512&smid=4037

FaceBook Event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/358880024160931/ ]]> Open Water Swimming mermaid http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20681 http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20680&goto=newpost Thu, 10 May 2012 14:31:12 GMT I will be in Chapel Hill, NC next week, staying at the Carolina Inn - attending a conference hosted by the University.

I've tried searching for masters workouts or even just a lap pool, but I don't have access to a vehicle and most of the workouts I found were in Raleigh-Durham - close for a vehicle but not to walk.

I do need my fix of a swim workout, ideally two, and can make my own if neccessary, but would love an early morning masters team to practice with.

Anybody in that area know what I might be able to do?

thanks so much! ]]> General Swimming-Related Discussions Lightning http://forums.usms.org/showthread.php?t=20680