help

[Unfit]

hi there. i used to swim regularly when i was younger and have now decided i'd like to get back into competing again. however, when i tried to join my local masters club they said i was too slow for my age so i couldn't join! therefore i'm going to have to train myself! can i still come along to masters competitions even if i'm not in a club? if so could you tell me when the next one in my area is? any help or advice on how to start training again would be great. thanks

[Chris]

I'd like to know which club told you that you were too slow to train with them?

Hardly the encouraging attitude I'd hope for from a club.

I wouldn't recommend training on your own unless you have absolutely no alternative. In my experience you'll find it very difficult to get motivated and unless you've had some sort of coaching experience your sessions are unlikely to be very productive.

I don't know the Salisbury area, but there must be more than one club around there.

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Chris (Webmaster)
Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club - Guernsey
http://www.barracudas-sc.org.gg/

[BigFish]

An ex girlfriend moved to Salisbury and had the same problem when she tried to join one of the local clubs (don't know how many there are, I don't live any where near the place). She really wasn't that slow either; not incredibly fast, but certainly an asset to most masters clubs.

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David Cuthbert (www.dartes.co.uk)
news@DaveC.org.uk

[Unfit]

the club i was refused from was Salisbury swimming club.
as for training on my own - i think you're right about motivation. i have coached so setting a session isn't a problem but you can't see your own technique and i never train as hard on my own as i do with others to push me.
i'll speak to the coach again and see if he won't give me a chance. otherwise, i'll have to try further afield. i know i'm slow but i'm sure that once i get training it'll come back to me fast - all those years in the pool must count for something!
are there times i have to hit to be able to compete in a masters competition? i'd love to know what i'm aiming for! my events used to be 100 and 200 fly and 200 IM - although i'm probably too unfit to compete at these now! what is an average 50m fly time for a 25 year old girl?

[Chris]

Hi Unfit

OK, I'm 25 as well and I train with our top age-group squad (although a). I only stopped training for about 9 months, and b). we only have a couple of very highly ranked age-groupers nationally.

From the events you used to do you must have been reasonably good (I don't even bother attempting 200 fly any more http://www.swimclub.co.uk/ubb/biggrin.gif). How long ago did you stop swimming?

If Salisbury have a dedicated Masters squad, they'd have to be elite athletes to stop you from training with them - sounds very harsh to me.

I've only done a couple of Masters competitions, but to give you an idea of the sorts of times being swum by the lady masters for 50 fly, the results from nationals ranged from 29.45 for the winner to 1:44.38 for the lady in 101st place!!

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Chris (Webmaster)
Beau Sejour Barracudas Swimming Club - Guernsey
http://www.barracudas-sc.org.gg/

[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 27 July 2001).]

[mammamedley]

I have never heard of a club refusing entry to a master like that. Do the masters swimmers train with the age groupers? Sometimes this can cause problems especially when you are building up on speed and fitness. Traning by yourself is hard and I hate it!!! My husband was refused membership of Bracknell Swimming Club as he was training by himself and apparently they did not allow Membership only!! (for him!!!!)

If you wish to compete as a master swimmer you need membership with a club and you also need to register with the ASA. Your club membership/secretary will help you to do this. I think registration is 'FOC' until Jan2002 if you do it now otherwise it is in the region of £16.50 per year. This money includes a Masters Newsletter that is issued 3/4x per year containing loads of info on meets etc.
There is a wonderful magazine for the adult swimmer called Watermarks and they have a web site: www.watermarks.ws (http://www.watermarks.ws)
There is a section on Masters swimming on the ASA web site: www.britishswimming.org (http://www.britishswimming.org)

If you are competing ay local, District and County level there are not usually qualifying standards. However some National and International events have times to make, and more so in the longer events.

For an idea of times etc visit: www.mastersswimmmer.com (http://www.mastersswimmmer.com) and check out the European Championship results from Palma!! My husband did brill!!!

I look forward to meeting you at some masters events later this year. National Champs at Sheffield in October are a must! I am training after a 6 month break (Masters never 'give up' swimming!!!) and hope to compete at Sheffield with my husband. Its a fun meet!!! Maybe we will meet in the 200im!!!

Any more questions just post them!
All the best
mammamedley

[Unfit]

i was pleased to see there was such a range in times for the 50 fly - i'm sure i wouldn't come last! i used to train twice a day until i was 14. i then left swimming and swapped over to competitve lifesaving which i did until three years ago. mammamedley - you asked about whether they trained with the age groupers - they don't. they do train in quite a small pool but i wouldn't have said that they were too cramped. anyway, that wasn't the reason i was given - i was just told i was too slow for my age group and that therefore i couldn't join. (however, i did keep up with the session in the fastest lane for an hour!)

i just wanted to say - you've all got me really enthused to start swimming again, thanks. i know it's corney but to me it's true - it's not the winning i care about just the taking part. i hope i'll see you at a meet sometime - i'll keep you informed as to my progress.

[BigFish]

If it's any help, I seem to remember my ex offered herself as a teacher for the younger kids and got club membership that way. If you're still a lifeguard that will no doubt help too.

Best of luck.

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David Cuthbert (www.dartes.co.uk)
news@DaveC.org.uk

[Steve]

Definitely start swimming again - <a href="http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/comeback.html">I did a year ago</a> at the tender age of 24, 5 years after I originally stopped, and it's great.

Have to say though I'm very disappointed in the resposne of your local club - not what Masters swimming is all about. Don't let short sighted membership secretarys put you off!

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http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk (http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/)
the UK swimming site

[This message has been edited by Steve Buckley (edited 27 July 2001).]

[Unfit]

hi. i said i'd keep you updated so here goes - i spoke to the masters coach (the one that i spoke to a year ago). i told him that i was now 25 and was still really keen to join his squad. he said that at the moment he has 28 swimmers in 3 lanes and that therefore he wasn't keen to take anyone on at the moment. however in january the new pool in salisbury will open and he will have more pool space so i could join then. until then he said i should come along to their 'adult swim' sessions where he'll try to give me abit of help and i can improve my fitness. hooray! so it looks like i'll be seeing you all at masters comps soon (i'll have to change my name from Unfit to fit!)!