Jan 10
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It’s the dreaded time of year at our pool – time for the annual 1650 free. This is a timed, 1650-yard freestyle swim, which is approximately 1 mile. We all swim more than a mile during our daily coached U.S. Masters workouts, but the fact that there are people there watching you, timing for you and counting laps for you makes it a whole new ballgame. Swimming the mile is a huge accomplishment. For members of the Tuolumne County Aquatics Masters program that have never participated in this annual event, they are setting a benchmark for the future. For those swimming the 1650 for the second, third or ninth time, the (self-imposed) pressure is really on! One lane mate beat his 2009 time by 1 second!
I hung out at the pool this weekend, taking photos from the pool deck on Saturday and from the pool yesterday. It was wonderful to see so many volunteers, friends and family there to assist and to encourage. Folks were very nervous before getting into the water and literally beaming once they touched the wall at lap 66. Even folks who completed their 1650 several years previously experience nerves.
Congratulations to all my TCAM teammates who have completed their 1650!
Here are a few of my favorites from yesterday…
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I always read your blog and love your photos…just never remember to comment.
GREAT JOB!! Glad that someone is there to document everything!
Here’s a question for you! How long does it take your “average” swimmer to do a mile? I’m worse than an average swimmer, but thinking about trying that mile swim next year…maybe..!
Whoa! Someone out there is reading the blog – cool! Thanks so much for the kind words. Two of my favorite things to do are swim and take pictures. When I have the opportunity to combine these two loves, well, I’m in heaven. Hope to see you in the pool!
You need to be super fit to swim that far, while I enjoy swimming I’m more a social swimmer right now so doubt I could swim a mile. More power to anyone that can!
@MST I dunno about "super-fit". I'm certainly not, and I swam a mile this morning. Being able to swim distances is a lot more about form and practice than any godlike degree of fitness. (I don't swim a 1650, but an 1800).
It takes me about an hour, so the author of the post would probably laugh at how slow I am.
I would never laugh at anyone who can swim a mile, 1800 yards, or one lap for that matter. I applaud anyone who decides to get into the pool (or open water) and give it a go on any level – no matter their time!
My favorite web page. thank you.
I have never been a swimmer, but recently I started to try to swim. I am definitely a beginner (it takes me 50 minutes to swim a mile and I can't do flip turns), but I am looking for resources to learn more about swimming and the sport. Thanks for the blog and for being supportive of newbies (even older ones).
You are a beginner and already you can swim a mile?! In 50 minutes? That is fantastic! We have swimmers in our pool who can swim a mile in approximately 20 minutes and others who swim it in an hour. Most of us are somewhere in between.
By the way, I don't do flip turns on a regular basis. There are people who swim in the fastest lanes in our pool who don't do flip turns either. I've been to enough Masters Swim meets to know there are plenty of people who don't do flip turns either. I look forward to hearing about your progress.