Age Group

[shuumai]

I'm looking at male and female, 90-94 age group, short course yards records. I chose those groups because they are the last age groups that have records for all events. They have me beat by a wide margin in speed, distance, or both in all events.

I'm in the 35-39 age range. I just started swimming 10.5 months ago. How long would it typically take to become competitive against the best 94 year old?

(Should I tape the records up in my locker to spur me on? hehe)

http://www.usms.org/comp/records.php

[Rhoda]

Originally Posted by shuumai

...(Should I tape the records up in my locker to spur me on? hehe)...

Yes, absolutely. :-D
Asking how long you would take to catch up is like asking "How long is a piece of string?". It depends on how long you've been working on improving, how much time you have available to devote to it, whether you can get feedback from a T.I. coach from time to time to see if you are on the right track...
I know how you feel. I just turned 50, and I think I could just about keep up with the slower 75-80 year old women who race. But, it's coming. I'm just starting to easily keep up with regulars at my usual pools who were always just a little bit faster than me. I've been at it about 3-1/2 years now, not including the work I did on my own before finding a T.I. instructor.

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by Rhoda

I know how you feel. I just turned 50, and I think I could just about keep up with the slower 75-80 year old women who race.

Based on your posts, you have me beat. I'm not saying that I'm pathetic because older, older people are much better than me. I'm just impressed and trying to catch up. I'm not sure what it would take for me to move twice as fast.

I'm becoming curious about heart rates. (Is there such a thing as a water proof HR monitor?) I need to establish what my resting HR is. In some ramdom tests with a blood pressure monitor, my heart rate was in the 80s. Sometimes in the mid 70s. My max would be over 180 based on the calculation of 220-age. (I'm not giving exact numbers.)

[Mike from NS]

Originally Posted by Rhoda

It depends ...how much time you have available to devote ...

Rhoda,

I think this is the key point. Availability of time .... I feel that if it was possible for me to practice every day for about 2 weeks that my progress would be quite satisfying. The couple of hours I get every week or two helps to keep my progress at a frustratingly slow rate.

I recall one of Julie's first replies ... - it is all about the journey. So what does it really matter if others are faster or slower as long as you enjoy your own efforts. Age is but a number.... and this is proven in the 70, 80 or 90 year olds we see keeping fit through physical activities. Skating, skiing and swimming, I have seen many, and it can be a challenge to keep up at times.

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by Mike from NS

I recall one of Julie's first replies ... - it is all about the journey. So what does it really matter if others are faster or slower as long as you enjoy your own efforts.

Seeing others who are in some ways better just tells me that I can be better as well. Speed is an indicator of progress in becoming slippery. It also provides a goal which requires an increase in fitness. That's a journey with some direction. Most important is the state of mind while on the path in the present moment, and in that sense the journey is all there is.

Believe me, I don't want to skip to the future a few years and find myself the national champion of the 400IM and find that my son is now taller than me.

Anyway, I think I will implement fixed rest intervals as described at http://www.usms.org/fitness/content/usingthepaceclock That should keep me from standing still too long while still keeping the focus on technique instead of time.

[Mike from NS]

Originally Posted by shuumai

Seeing others who are in some ways better just tells me that I can be better as well. Speed is an indicator of progress in becoming slippery....

Shuumai ... I can see you have a competitive side. This is a good thing for sure. Please don't mis-understand me. If swimming down a lane with someone in the next lane I declare in my own mind - "the race is on" for as you suggest, the result can indicate progress (or lack of it). We usually have to push ourselves to progress. These days my frustration level is less when leaving the pool and the desire to return soon again is greater. All part of the journey too. Last week there was a "fast" guy (with no personality what-so-ever) in the next lane that splashed so much that, besides bringing a smile to my face, I was certain the chlorine was well mixed into the pool water. So as I think you will agree - there is fast and then there is fast. Isn't speed just one aspect of what we are doing here?

Swim On ! or is "enjoi zento" another way I could put it?

[shuumai]

Originally Posted by Mike from NS

Shuumai ... I can see you have a competitive side. This is a good thing for sure. Please don't mis-understand me. If swimming down a lane with someone in the next lane I declare in my own mind - "the race is on" for as you suggest, the result can indicate progress (or lack of it). We usually have to push ourselves to progress. These days my frustration level is less when leaving the pool and the desire to return soon again is greater. All part of the journey too. Last week there was a "fast" guy (with no personality what-so-ever) in the next lane that splashed so much that, besides bringing a smile to my face, I was certain the chlorine was well mixed into the pool water. So as I think you will agree - there is fast and then there is fast. Isn't speed just one aspect of what we are doing here?

Swim On ! or is "enjoi zento" another way I could put it?

Yeah, speed is only one aspect. There is also distance. heh And quality of both experience and technique.

I don't think I'm that competitive. I know I'm not much competition yet. Maybe I just want my personal best to be better. (I see a lot of room for improvement in the months to come!)

PS: It isn't fair to race against someone who doesn't know the race is happening. haha

[Jamwhite]

Originally Posted by shuumai

Should I tape the records up in my locker to spur me on?

This actually inspired me. I'm going to write down my swim golf numbers in my practice tomorrow and put them on both my computer background and the back of my workout cards that I make.

I think swim golf are the best numbers to write down (until you have real race times), better than other people's race time, because it is focused on goals that are obtainable for you.

[roates]

The journey is the important part of this learning process, with patience being the key to success, you just have to enjoy the ride. I remember how slow I was when I started TI over 30 months ago. I'm a bit faster now but the important thing is I can keep going for longer. Did my first 2K a couple of weeks ago. That felt great.
Sarah Davy my TI coach, before she left England and moved over the pond to be with her now husband Kevin Millerick, (Congratulations Newly Weds) gave me a work out sheet for the 4 strokes which KM had developed. He calls it a <Super 500>, it's basically a combination of Drills and Swims in 25, 50 or 75 sections against the clock. As you get better you can increase the distances. I work mainly on the Freestyle section. When I started my time was over 20 mins for the 20 x 25s, today I did it in just over 15mins so there has been an improvement!
Thanks Sarah and Kevin, the site looks great. Just wish you'd been able to set up in the UK. A real loss. All the best.

Roger

[roates]

By the way Sarah and Kevin's website is http://www.swimtech.net/

Roger