i love swimming!!!!

[Unfit]

i did my first full swimming session as part of the masters squad last night and i loved it!! i'd forgotten how much fun swimming is! and i don't think i was half bad actually! i'm so looking forward to getting fully fit and back into competitions again!

[Steve]

I take it we'll be seeing you at the masters nationals at sheffield in November then :D

[Unfit]

i've no idea what competitions i'll be doing yet - but maybe i'll be there. i've not done all the registration forms and things yet either.

and anyway - to do the nationals don't you have to qualify with times and things, or is it just enter and you get to swim?

[Steve]

Nope, no qualifying times for Master's events (apart from worlds, and even then you can swim, you just don't appear in the results if you don't make the time) just enter and swim. You won't look out of place because there will always be someone slower than you, even if they are in age group M :rolleyes:

[Unfit]

i take it you're going to be there then? how about you mammamedeley? maybe we should meet up if we're all going? (not that i know yet if i'm going or not!)

[mammamedley]

Unfit - you HAVE to go! Its the best meet of the year!

I will be there and have even organised a hat to wear with my name on so you can find me!!! I will be there doing my favourite 200im (not sure whether my unfit, fat and unhealthy body would manage the 400im this year!!) and you will hear me shouting for my team mates from Hants North.
My husband Ian is also swimming and we have booked the Hilton (hurry up cos not many rooms left!). We might be bringing the kids too and they love the leisure pool while we compete.

The worst thing about Sheffield is the journey south on the M1 on the Sunday night after the meet!

You can see the entry forms on the ASA web site. If you want a warm-up meet there is an open meet on September 15th at the all new Basingstoke pool. I might be there too. Details from Basingstoke SC web site: www.hcasa.org/bdasc
There is also Barnet Sprint meet and Southern Counties (both at Barnet - further to go for you I think!). Details at: www.heronh.demon.co.uk/masters.htm

As for ASA registration - I think (somebody might correct me on this) you get the rest of this year (until March 2003) FOC but need to fill in a form that you get from your club scretary or membership secretary. You will EVENTUALLY get a little card with you registration number however you can still enter events without a number saying that it is 'applied for'.
If you enjoy masters swimming for the rest of the year then next year you pay approx. £16 for registration which should be organised through your club.

Registration is well worth it! :rolleyes: You get a 6 monthly newsletter for Master swimmers in the post!!!!

See ya there! :D

[swimusa]

Britain recognizes/recognises 19-24 as an age group correct? Maybe I'll pay for a ticket to Sheffield for your nationals and we'll have a swimclub.co.uk reunion.

[Steve]

Originally posted by swimusa
Britain recognizes/recognises 19-24 as an age group correct? Maybe I'll pay for a ticket to Sheffield for your nationals and we'll have a swimclub.co.uk reunion.

They do indeed - I competed in that age group at last year's masters nationals (before I became a 'proper' master :eek: ) - the standard can be a bit variable though :rolleyes:

[Steve]

Oh and I'll definitely be there this year. Oh, the advantages of

a) having friends and relatives who live in sheffield for accomodation
b) not having to use the M1 to get to Shefield from Cambridge :p

[swimusa]

What is the British Masters Swimming website or is it the same as the ASA's?

[mammamedley]

from ASA web site cick on 'sports' and then 'masters' link. That should get you there!

[Unfit]

i shall ask at training tonight if we've got a team going to the nationals and if so whether i can tag along! i've got a feeling i heard somehting about a meet at basingstoke also so i might see you there first.

i think my event is definitely still going to be butterfly like when i was younger. i actually used to do 200fly quite well but i don't think i'm fit enough or strong enough for that yet so i'll start at 50m!! i'll probably do the 100/200 IM as well, i always think IM is so much fun! but i guess for my first few meets i should enter quite a few races to get some recent times logged.

[Scott Taylor]

MAMMAMEDLY
you seem to know lots about ASA registration.
I`ve only just started back in swimming and after exploring the net for masters comps to enter, I found sheffield very interesting
and was hoping to compete.
But after studying the entry forms, you have to be registered for a least 60 days.
I notice on one of your past comments you say `applied for`.
I will be registering offically ASAP, but do you think I will be able
to use `applied for` on sheffields official entrance forms.

[mammamedley]

Don't know that much about asa registration!!!!
My advise would be to ring the ASA or ask the 'membership secretary' at your club.
I do not see any reason why you cannot register and swim within the 60 days. It may be a problem if you are changing clubs and not registered with your new club for at least 60 days.
I would have thought that the asa are encouraging new masters into the sport.
Good luck and hopefully see you in Sheffield. Let me knnow how you get on.

[Scott Taylor]

Thanks for your help.
I have today had my ASA registrastion confirmed and have spoke to the organises at sheffield, who have told me I`m OK
to enter. So all being well I`ll be their on the Friday PM and
Saturday AM.

Can`t wait to start competing again :)

[mammamedley]

Wonderful news! See you there!

[Scott Taylor]

Are you still enjoying your swimming Unfit.
How are you doing in comp`s now your`re fitter.
I`m in the same position as you were in July, have been training for 3 weeks now and can`t wait for my first competion.
Have entered Berks & South Bucks Masters Meet.
50m Free & 50m Fly.

[Unfit]

i'm still enjoying my swimming - i look forward to each session! i've got my first competition on sunday and i've entered 50m fly, brest and free and 100m IM so it'll be a busy day! i'll let you all know how i did!

[Steve]

Southern Counties Masters at Barnet?

[Unfit]

its a competition at weston-super-mare. i'm afraid i don't know what it is though!! we practiced diving last night - i haven't gone in off the blocks in years and it felt really wierd! i went really deep on my dive and had to kick for ages to get to the top and was behind before i'd even started swimming! oh well, i guess that will improve with practice!

[mammamedley]

Good luck Unfit (You must change this name now!!!!!) Have a great time and let us know how you get on.

See you at Sheffield.

I will be a Barnet on Saturday afternoon - 200 back and/or 200im - not sure what to go for as Backstroke feeling great (lots of mid point sculling) and not fit enough for im yet!!! We'll see!

Anyone else at Barnet or are you doing Rother League Saturday night?????!!!!!!

[Steve]

I'm at Barnet Sat pm and all day Sunday (oh joy a 6:30am start :eek: )

[mammamedley]

How did it go unfit?

I swam 'pants' (thats what all the kids say!!!).
Got stuck in traffic jams on way - had to take my son - who was a pain in the bum.

The best bit was visiting my brother and his wife and their new twin boys on the way home!!! Yes - my brother Ian has two baby boys who are just perfect! He is masters coach at Acton Swimming Club. He is adamant they will not be swimmers!!!! We shall see!

[Unfit]

the meet was really good. i was soooo nervous!! i thnk i can remember my times which were something like this (in this order):

50m br - estimated 50.00, swam 47.89
100IM - estimated 1.35.00, swam 1.35.88
50m f/c - estimated 40.00, swam 38.14
50m fly - estimated 40.00, swam 41.96

not bad for my first outing i thought. i also was coping with a sore leg - i got stung by a wasp on thursday evening and i had a alergic reaction to it which made my leg swell up and go all red and hot and made me feel sick! so extenuating circumstances i feel (although i was feeling much better by sunday but it was still red and inflamed)

so now i've set some times down i look forward to training hard and setting some pb's!

[Katie]

Well done!!!!!

[mammamedley]

great news unfit!!! Well done!!
Whats next? Sheffield?? Remember that entries are due in very soon!!

[Unfit]

i'm afraid i can't make sheffield this year - maybe next year. (work always gets in the way of play!)

good luck to all of you that are going. and as my dad always said to me "swim your bestest swim!"