SWIM Update 05-25-06

Greetings Mission Viejo Nadadores Masters and Friends,

In This Weekly Update:

1. FINA WORLD MEET

2. SW ZONE CHAMPIONSHIPS

3. TEAM RECORDS AVAILABLE

4. TRY AND NEVER FAIL

5. WORDS FROM COACH

Current workout schedule: http://mastersmvnswim.org/workouts.htm

Current meet schedule: http://mastersmvnswim.org/MeetShedule.htm

Not a member yet – What are you waiting for?

Its simple just go to http://mastersmvnswim.org/BecomeAMember.htm

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Team Breaking News

Meet Entry Due Dates

FINA World Championships– Saturday, June 3

Las Vegas Long Course - Saturday, June 17
Santa Barbara Long Course - Thursday, June 29

SW Zone Meet (Mission Viejo) - Wednesday, July 5

Workout Times Changes

Wednesday, June 14 - NO Evening practice

Thursday, June 15 - 5:00 AM and 8:00 PM ONLY

Friday, June 16 - 5:00 AM and 2:00 PM ONLY

Saturday, June 17 - 6:00 AM ONLY

Sunday, June 18 - 6:00 AM ONLY

Summer Workout Times Coming Soon!

2006 FINA Worlds Championship

The entry deadline for the 2006 FINA Masters World Championships is June 3rd, in case I forgot to mention it...

I am doing all the relays – so you must have your entries in by JUNE 1 – so I can complete the team relays.

The on-line meet entry system is available. You can now register for all the events online at

http://www.2006finamasters.org then click on the "On-Line Entries" button on the right side.

Team Mission Viejo – Less than 68 DAYS to WORLDS!

If you are not on this list or if you know someone who is attending the meet please let me know ASAP

All the relays will be on Tuesday - the 200 Mixed Medley Relay, 200 Mixed Free Relay, 200 Men's Medley relay, 200 Men's free relay, 200 Women's medley relay and 200 Women's free relay. The team leader can enter a time and an event. The final names do not have to be entered until Monday before the relay - so the coach/team leader can see who is swimming at the meet, but all the swimmers have to be registered for the meet.

This is a great meet to compete against other swimmers, you will compete against other swimmers of your age and swimming ability. If you enter a good seed time, in your heat you will compete against swimmers who will almost match your ability. This will be great competitive conditions. And the social events will be a great place to meet swimmers from around the world.

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2006 South West Zone Championships

Mission Viejo, July 14-16

AWARDS: Custom medals for individual places 1^st – 3^rd, SPMA ribbons for places 4^th – 6^th, for each age group and gender will be awarded. 1^st place relay teams will receive custom medals, SPMA ribbons for 2^nd and 3^rd places. Male and female high point awards for each age group will be awarded. Team awards for each team finishing 1-8 will be awarded.

SCORING: 9-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 points for places 1-8 in each age group. Double points for relays.

ENTRIES: Postmarked or on-line entries must be submitted no than later than midnight on July 1, 2006. Entries submitted after midnight on July 1, 2006 will be subject to a $10.00 late fee. ALL ENTRIES WILL BE REJECTED IF NOT RECEIVED BY 8:00 p.m., Friday, July 11th. On-line entries are encouraged. All events must include an entry time. “NT” is not accepted. Use the official meet entry form. Read all instructions and fill out the form completely.

Swimmers are limited to a total of 7 individual events, not including relays for the entire meet, no more than 5 per day. Age on December 31^st, 2006 determines the age group of the swimmer for the entire meet.

To enter on-line visit http://www.mastersmvnswim.org/2006SWZone.htm after June 1st, 2006.

Also attached is the official meet information and entry form. Please get your entries in early.

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Team Records – Still Waiting to be Set

18-24 Men, 800 free, 1500 free, 200 back, 100 breast, 200 breast

25-29 Men, 200 fly, 400 IM

25-29 Women, 100 back, 200 back 200 fly, 400 IM

30-34 Men, 200 fly

30-34 Women, 200 breast

35-39 Men, 200 back, 200 breast, 400 IM

50-54 Men, 200 Back

50-54 Women, 200 fly

55-59 Women, 200 back, 100 breast, 200 breast, 50/100/200 fly, 200/400 IM

60-64 Men, 400/800/1500 free, 50/100/200 fly, 50/100/200 back, 50/100/200 breast, 200/400 IM

60-64 Women, 50/100/200 back, 50/100/200 breast, 50/100/200 fly, 400 IM

65-69 Men, 400/800/1500 free, 50/100/200 fly, 200/400 IM, 50/100/200 back

56-69 Women, All events

70-74 Men, 100/200 back, 50/100/200 fly, 50/100/200 breast, 200/400 IM

70-74 Women, All events

GO FOR IT!

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Try, and Never Fail!

by Laura Smith

I am not one of those Master swimmers who goes into races thinking that I will win. I am one who just tries to compete, and come out a little better of a person than when I dove in. For example, my husband and I were at a meet in Tucson, Arizona a few years ago. I foolishly made the mistake of entering the 1,000 yard freestyle (secretly hoping no other woman in my age group would be irrational enough to enter it, thus increasing my chances of medaling). Be careful what you wish for. Not only did no other woman in my age group enter, but no other woman entered it at all, therefore leaving me alone to swim with the men – some very, very fast men.

I walked the long road down to lane 8 not trying to muster up a lap counter, as I just figured I would be swimming two extra lengths for each time the guy in lane 7 lapped me. The starter blew his whistle, and we all settled into the starting position. All of a sudden I noticed (just like when a group of us 10 year olds toilet papered the Bemis’s house and the police showed up) that I was left in this really awkward position on the block, and the other guys were gone. When I hit the water, streamlined, glanced up and saw bodies flipping at the wall up ahead in the distance, I knew this was going to be a long race!

One thousand yards can be an eternity. The fishlike bodies in front of me were obviously an entirely different species than my own. They were strong, fluid, and graceful. I decided that the only way to get through this ordeal was to keep my head down, concentrate on my own race, but keep one eye out for Mr. Lane 7 lapping me so I’d know when I was done. One at a time the men hit the wall with a spectacular finish. I flipped and swam another 50. Then another. Then another. The men had already showered, gone to dinner, and taken in a double-feature. The announcer, bless his soul, had stayed to the bitter end. I visualized him rattling off the times for the first 7 competitors, then seeing me and announcing “Tuesday….Wednesday…Thursday!”

But I finished. I finished, and I was happy I did so. Just like so many of you, I’m out there for me, for the high I get from a great swim and the adrenaline I’ll carry with me for the rest of the day. In my warped mind, I’m not off in the back in a different area code. I’m out-touching Natalie Coughlin to win the Olympic Gold. The fact that she didn’t bother to show up to accept the silver is her problem.

I love the quote from six-time Ironman champion Mark Allen about getting 100% out of yourself no matter what you have on that particular day. If you’re 50% of your optimum condition, work with that. Jump in a race and get 100% out of that 50%. When it comes down to it, it’s just you against you.

So challenge yourself this month. Jump into a race you might not feel ready for. Do a workout that seems a tad beyond your level. Remember, you can never fail when you try. You can only fail if you don’t.

Laura Smith is a member of the USMS Fitness Committee. She has 12 National certifications in the Fitness world, including American Council on Exercise (both for Aerobics and Personal Training) 3 AFAA certifications, and the Cooper Institute. She was Fitness Director for several outstanding health clubs from 1992 until 2002, and was the sports coordinator for Club Med in 8 different locations for 4 1/2 years prior to that.

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Words from Coach-

Individual commitment to a group effort -- that is what makes a team work, a company work,

a society work, a civilization work.

Vince Lombardi

Mission Viejo Nadadores Masters

Challenge Achievement Recognition

An Adult Fitness Program for Triathletes, Fitness Swimmers, Competitive Swimmers and You!

All practices have a coach on deck who provides expert assistance in training techniques, stroke mechanics and goal setting. Each workout accommodates all skill levels: beginner, intermediate, advanced, or triathlete. Practices last one hour and the total distance ranges from 800 to 4000 yards/meters, depending on the skill of the individual.

SWIMMING FOR FITNESS, SWIMMING FOR FUN, SWIMMING FOR LIFE!

Cell: (949) 233-6521

Check the Web site frequently

www.mastersmvnswim.org