Winding down and finding a purpose to the off season

Now that the tri season is winding down... time to think about off season and base building adventures.  

I could be a triple threat if I tried hard enough I guess!  Aside from running and triathlon, I am a *ha ha please do not laugh* card carrying member of USMS... United States Master Swimming.   It is the swimming sister to USAT.    

I suck at swimming but can pull out a sub - 1:30/100yd off the blocks, flip-turns and all... biotch.

*cough* Anyhow, there are a lot of things to be said about swimming in the off season.  For me, swimming and (ironically) running are my weakest sports.  I decided in 2008 to focus on swimming in the off season, and I competed in swim meets.  LOVED. IT.  Now I swim much stronger and I have so much more confidence than I ever thought that I would. 

I am doing another meet of sorts starting 9/15 in fact.  Some people have asked about my 3000/6000 yard Championship postal that I am doing in September.   Well, you can do it too!  

http://www.michiganmasters.com/distance_postals.htm  is the link to the site with all of the postals and OWS's going on.  If you go to www.michiganmasters.com you can find all swim meets year round.   If you are intrested in a ny swim meet - let me know!  

A lot are open to non-USMS members as well.  If you like swimming a lot, membership is pretty inexpensive I believe, on par with USAT. 

Now, what is a postal?

A postal is an event in which you do it on your own and send in the times to the coordinator.  This is either a Nationl or Regional event, and you are compared with the times of everyone else in your group.  

This way everyone can participate in an event without having to travel. 

The only catch is that you have to do the event in the pool size specified.  So for the 3000 / 6000 yrd Postal championship, you MUST complete it in a 25 yard pool.  This is because your times are quite different in a 25 to 35 to 50 pool due to lack of push-off from the side wall. 

Right now is the 5K and 10K championships, however they must be completed in a 50Meter pool. 

Nope. Not for me.  But what if I want to swim more or need some swim help?

I cannot speak highly enough of finding a swim team or masters swimming group to swim with.    Shameless plug for FAST, but they have quite a few Nationally ranked top sprint and distance swimmers, and MANY give lessons... discounts to friends!

Or you can mosey on over to www.swimFASTtriFASAT.com and go to the swimming tab, select swim with us and find a Masters group near you.  My personal faves - West Bloomfield (7PM every M-F night, year round), and Milford (M, W, Am and evenings available, Fridays or weekends as well I think) and of course FAST's Saturday AM swims at Schoolcraft.  No FAST membership required, and it is $5 at the door to drop in.