HELP WANTED: Submit photos, articles, and recaps for publication here
Around the NE-LMSC - June  2017
Nominate Volunteers for Awards Today!  

Nominations are now open for  NELMSC Local Service Awards. Any NELMSC member or club can nominate volunteers  by submitting a completed no mination form.  Winners will be announced at the Annual Board Meeting. 
Meet the Board - Tim Lecrone, Registrar
This is the first installment of a new series to introduce the NELMSC board to you, the members! We kick it off with Tim Lecrone, our Registrar and member of Maine Masters.

"After taking several years off in the post collegiate burn-out, I was motivated by a college alumni meet to jump back in the pool. Once in the water I met MESC legend, Mike Schmidt, who inspired me to start competing again. At one of my first meets, another Maine Masters icon, Bill Rupert, informed me that most newbies only last a year or two. He said, "Talk to me after three years. Then you'll probably stick around."  Every year now (13 years later) I ask him if I'm for real yet. He just smiles and laughs. In the end, for me, it's all about the connections. I love to swim, but I love the people that make masters swimming what it is as much if not more."
Upcoming Events

Pool

May 15 - Sept 15 -- Speedo USMS 5K/10K ePostal Nationals (LCM)
Any 50-meter pool -- Details

June 24 -- 1st Annual Gary Isherwood Memorial Masters Meet (Recognized SCY)
Bangor, ME -- Details

July 8-9 -- Bay State Games (Recognized LCM) 
Boston, MA -- Details  -- Entries close on July 1

July 16 -- Jenny Thompson Mini Meet (Sanctioned LCM)
Dover, NH -- Details

August 2-6 -- USMS Summer National Championship (Sanctioned LCM)
Minneapolis, MN --  Details -- Entries close on July 5
17th FINA World Masters Swimming Championships

BUDAPEST, HUNGARY -- The 17th FINA World Masters Championships are coming up soon! Open water events will be held August 10-12, followed by pool events from August 14-20. 

Entry deadline: June 29, 2017

If you are planning to compete at this meet, please email Sue Jensen, who is organizing relays (with Karin Stokes), t-shirts, caps, and the NE-LMSC team dinner.

Twenty-one NE-LMSC members are attending, including: Christina Baudis, Kysa Crusco, Jen Downing, David Edsall, Beth Estel, Franklin Garcia-Mansilla, Scott Gieske, Rainy Goodale, Seth Grady, Sue Jensen, Mark Keil, Karen Mareb, Nic Ohman, Chris Pasterczyk, Tom Phillips, James Pope, Karin Stokes, Ildiko Szekely, Len Van Greuning, Matthew Wiens, and Mindy Williams.

Clinics & Trainings

June 24-25 -- Open Water Swim Clinic with Charlotte Brynn And Don Walsh
Burlington, VT -- Details

Sept 30 -- USMS Adult Learn-to-Swim Instructor Certification Course
Portland, ME -- Details
Open Water

June 24 -- 24th Annual Buzzards Bay Swim (1.2 miles point to point)
New Bedford, MA --  Details

June 24 -- 12th Annual Narrow River Turnaround (1 mile)
North Kingstown, RI -- Details

June 24 -- 1st Annual Swampscott HarborFest (.5 mile, 1 mile, 2 mile)
Swampscott, MA --  Details

July 1 -- Son of a Swim (2 miles, 4 miles, 6 miles)
Newport, VT -- Details

July 7 -- Swim Across America - Boston Harbor Open Water Swim (22 mile relay)
Boston Harbor, MA --   Details

July 14 -- Swim With A Mission (5k, 10k, 10-mile relay)
Wellington State Park, NH -- Details

July 15 -- Misery Challenge 2017 (3 miles)
Manchester-by-the-sea, MA -- Details

July 15 -- Waterman Eco-Challenge (1 mile)
Narragansett, RI -- Details

July 22 -- Peaks to Portland (2.4 mile point to point)
Portland, ME -- Details

July 29 -- 9th Annual Kingdom Swim (25k, 10 mile, 10k, 5k, 1 mile)
Newport, VT -- Details

July 29 -- 41st Annual Save the Bay Swim (1.7 mile)
Narragansett, RI -- Details

Ninth Charles River One Mile Swim is the Largest Ever

BOSTON, MA -- On June 3rd, 2017, the Charles River Swimming Club hosted its Ninth One Mile Swim in the Charles River Basin. The race, which took place on a single loop course between the Massachusetts Avenue and Longfellow bridges, was the largest in the club's history. 

Swimmers finish the race in the Charles
This year's edition drew a large, enthusiastic crowd to the river, and sold out at 200 swimmers. Electronic chip-timing allowed for accurate, real-time results despite the race's unique in-water finish. Conditions were challenging given cool air and water temperatures, a steady head-wind during leg one, and considerable chop. Regardless, many fast times were posted by local masters swimmers.  Trent Staats of Charles River Masters was the overall winner in 23:12.1. Sarah Weas of Boston University Masters was the first female finisher with a time of 25:42.5.  

The Charles River Swimming Club is a non-profit organization that was founded in 2005 with the dual purpose of organizing competitive swimming events in the river and facilitating the return of public river swimming to the Charles. After a long history of pollution, the Charles has benefited tremendously from the Clean Charles River Initiative, which began in 1995. The river is now clean enough for swimming on most summer days, and the club hopes to raise awareness of this fact. 

The Club, which is run entirely by volunteers, would like the extend its gratitude to the swimmers and volunteers who made this year's event such a success. We look forward to celebrating our tenth swim race in 2018!

- Kate Radville, Charles River Swimming Club Vice President and Race Director

4th Annual LandShark Swim Dominated by LMSC Members

Borgatti, Davis, and Gendreau
AMESBURY, MA -- B&S Event Management kicked off the 2017 B&S Open Water Swim Series on Saturday, June 10 with the 4th Annual LandShark Swim. The event welcomed 153 swimmers to Lake Gardner and featured race distances of 1/2 mile, 1 mile, and 2 miles. Balmy weather and a water temperature of 66 degrees made for excellent race conditions. Many New England LMSC athletes made the podium and, after enjoying a post-race breakfast buffet catered by Every Little Breeze Catering, took home a soft-side cooler as a prize.

In the 1/2 mile race,  Tom Phillips of Greenwood Masters (GWDM) was the overall champion with a time of 14:13.9, while fellow NEMer Bill Tharion placed third.  At the 1-mile distance, Ildiko Szekely of Boston University Masters Swimming (BUMS) successfully defended her 2016 title to take the 2017 championship in 25:02.5. David Bentley of Charles River Masters (CRM) was the second overall male finisher.

Great Bay Masters turned out in force for the 2-mile race, led by Guy Davis. Davis finished first overall in 50:53.6, beating out Chris Borgatti (Unattached) and GBM teammate Ed Gendreau. Kirsten Read won the women's race in 51:07.3, finishing ahead of Erica Carroll (BUMS) and Alana Aubin (CRM).

The B&S Open Water Swim Series continues on June 24 with the 1st Annual Swampscott Harborfest 1/2, 1, and 2 mile races in Swampscott, MA.

- Alana Aubin, NE-LMSC Communications Chair

Athlete Report: Mashpee SuperSwim

Charles River Masters after the SuperSwim
MASHPEE, MA --  One hundred thirty-nine swimmers participated in the Mashpee SuperSwim during the cloudy morning of June 19. The water of Johns Pond was cool, but pleasant, and quite comfortable for a swim. Swimmers of diverse backgrounds and ages competed in one of three race distances: ½ mile, 1 mile, and 3 miles. 

Local masters athletes, including several of my Charles River Masters (CRM) teammates, took many of the top podium spots. CRM's Kendra Walton took first overall in the women's 3-mile race, while Jessica Stokes won the women's wetsuit division and Christina Smith matched that at the 1-mile distance. SwimRI's Vince Burks and Bruce Novis took top honors in the 1-mile wetsuit and non-wetsuit races, respectively. Bill Ryan, from Pinehills Masters, won the half mile race and Guy Davis of Great Bay Masters won the men's 3-mile wetsuit division. This was my first Mashpee SuperSwim, and I'm already looking forward to next summer!

- Matthew Wiens, Charles River Masters

Athlete Report: 2017 USMS Spring Nationals

Team NEM at Spring Nationals
RIVERSIDE, CA -- New England Masters (NEM) was represented at the 2017 Nationwide USMS Spring Nationals from April 27-30 by a small but energetic contingent of athletes. This was my 11th short course nationals and by far the most fun! I think because there were only twenty of us, we really got to know one another and made sure to cheer each other on. I think other teams were actually jealous of how much noise we made behind the lanes! Many thanks to Tracy Grilli for working her magic with the relays, to Karin Stokes for ordering our awesome team shirts, and to Sue Jensen for organizing a delicious team dinner at the Spaghetti Factory. The Riverside complex was rather impressive, with two 10-lane competition pools and two 6-lane warm-up pools, plus a diving well. And it was hot! Not much shade for spectators, but if you'll remember how Boston was in April, it was really nice to enjoy the sunshine and swim outside.

NEM finished 5th overall in the Regional Club division behind Colorado, Arizona, Puget Sound, and Wisconsin. Our very own Diann Uustal broke 6 USMS records as a 70-year-old in the 50, 100, and 200 backstrokes, 50 freestyle, 50 butterfly, and 100 IM. Congrats, Diann! Four of our NEM relays finished in the Top 10 in their age brackets, including the W 35+ 200 freestyle and 200 medley, and the W 55+ 200 freestyle and 200 medley. We had teammates returning from injury, trying new events for the first time, swimming best times, and more than anything, having fun! If you've never participated in Nationals before, it's a terrific opportunity to see old friends and meet new ones, compete in fast venues across the country, and celebrate our sport with like-minded people. You're even allowed to swim up to three events without making the qualifying time, so don't let qualifying discourage you from taking the plunge. Next year's meet is at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis, May 11-13, 2018. Hope to see you there!

- Jen Downing, Charles River Masters

Becoming a Team
  
Members of several New England teams enjoy a practice together in NH.

As USMS members, we are all part of a team, club, or workout group: a group of people who get together, jump in a pool, and swim endless laps together. We probably know the names of the coaches and the people in our lanes, and we might even know the names of most of the rest of our teammates. But are we really members of a "team"?

In November at the USMS National Coaches Clinic in San Mateo, CA, the attendees of the clinic were treated to a presentation by longtime coach Ron "Sickie" Marcikic, of the San Diego Swim Masters, about team building. As a coach for over 30 years in all levels or swimming, Sickie has a lot of experience in how to build a team from a bunch of swimmers into a cohesive whole, and shared some ideas with us.

As he went through his presentation, a common theme stood out: the coaches are the main drivers in team dynamics. We are the ones who set the tone, work with the board or other governing body to set organizational goals, help the swimmers set their goals, and generally be the leaders of the team as a whole. It is within our power to shape, or at least guide, our organizations to become something that we are proud of and that are fun to be a part of.

So how can we, as coaches and swimmers, help to build the "team" mindset? It starts with building camaraderie in the pool and on the deck. Get to know the people you swim with: their names, a little about them, what kind of people they are in and out of the pool. Then take that idea and move it out of the pool. Do something as a team that isn't a workout or a meet.  Here are a few ideas:
  • Go out to eat or for drinks
  • Enjoy a picnic together
  • Beach day!
  • Volunteer work
  • Other sporting activities such as fun runs, cycling, or triathlons
  • Camping
Bonding as a group in the workout pool and outside it will translate into an increased feeling of being a team, rather than just a group of people who all happen to swim together. You may be surprised at the results!  
- Todd Whitford, Great Bay Masters

Why Do You Swim?

Stowe Masters Swimmers
As masters swimmers we are often asked, "Why do you swim?" It's a simple enough question. Most people are aware that swimming is a good all-round activity because it builds endurance, muscle strength, and cardiovascular fitness. It helps you maintain a healthy weight, improves heart and lung function, and tones muscles without the impact of land based activities.

However, the thought of getting up early and pushing yourself in practice often baffles the hardiest of folks! I asked one New England swim mer, who swims through the icy winter months indoors and in Vermont's scenic lakes during the summer, how and why she does it. She has some helpful tips for you to keep pushing in the water and having fun!
Consistency is Key for Barbara Bauman

After interviewing Stowe Masters Swimmer Barbara Bauman, here's what I found...

Q: On a winter morning in Stowe it's dark, it's cold, and the drive to the pool can involve navigating icy roads, multiple feet of snow, and frigid below zero temperatures. Others are tucked up under warm comforters; what motivates you to brave the elements and swim with your fellow masters swimmers in Stowe, VT?

A: Tomorrow morning when my clock rings at 5 am, it will be dark and it will be cold; despite this, I will go swimming. This realization makes me anxious when I am hours away from bedtime. But I know I will get out of bed and put on the suit that I draped over the bathtub the night before along with the clothes I will wear over my suit to The Swimming Hole. My packed gym bag is waiting at the top of the stairs. My breakfast protein shake is prepared in the fridge, ready to grab and go. I already made up my mind the night before to get up and swim. It's all part of the plan.

Stowe Masters Swimmer Barbara Bauman
Sometimes when I arrive at The Swimming Hole in the wee hours I am amazed at the number of cars in the parking lot. I realize I am not the only crazy person headed for an early morning workout.  Many of the cars belong to my fellow Master's swimmers. We rendezvous in the locker room to change and don our swim caps and goggles. The chitchat in the locker room has already begun even though it is still not yet 6 am. These swimming friends are one of the warmest, most welcoming, generous and caring groups I have ever met. We cheer each other on, and boost each other up.

Why wouldn't I want to get up early a few days of the week and start my day with this wonderful group of masters swimmers?

P.S. I love swimming with my lane mates!
 
Q: What has swimming taught you?

A: If someone looked in a crystal ball six and a half years ago and told me that I would be swimming with a masters group three times a week I would have said they had the wrong person.  I would never have guessed that I would participate in swim meets, triathlon events, and open water swims.  It began by taking "baby steps" and following the guidance of my coach, Charlotte Brynn, and my fellow swimmers. Lessons, drills, meets, and events planned within my masters group have created a stimulating and rewarding swim experience.  I've learned to push myself, swim faster than I thought possible, focus when I should, and feel invigorated when I'm done. I've learned that my morning swim it helps to ensure that I'm off to a positive start for the day. 

P.S.  I've learned that I love my swimmers shoulders!

Q: You have also ventured in the open water. Why and how did you get started open water swimming?

A: Most of the time I head into open water following the lead of one of my fellow swimmers. I have been invited, and  I do not have a good enough reason to not go. Besides, I've already explained how much I like my swimmer friends so given another opportunity to swim together is a win-win.  We either caravan or meet up at the reservoir. We stand on mats by our cars pulling on our wet suits, which is never an easy task. We trudge (really, only I am trudging) our way to the water's edge. I trudge with trepidation and ask myself, "Why are you doing this?" I continue to follow, wade into the water, glide onto the water's surface, feel that first trickle of cool water fill my wetsuit and ask myself, "Why are you doing this?"

After my first few strokes I notice how still the water is; it feels almost soft. With each breath I peek above the water's surface with the one goggle eye that is taking in the view and notice how still the world is so early in the morning. I flip over on my back, take in the early morning sky, and observe the clouds. I'm exhilarated by the mist on the water, the beautiful evergreens along the reservoir's edge, and an occasional blue heron. I realize how serene this swim is. My strokes could be infinite if I choose. No walls, no lane lines.

P.S. When I ask myself, "Why are you doing this?" the answer is obvious.

Thanks for sharing Barbara! Lots of great reasons to swim and great tips on establishing a routine!
- Charlotte Brynn, NELMSC Open Water Chair, 
USMS National Open Water Committee, 
Level 4 USMS Coach, and 
Executive Director of The Swimming Hole
Send your news, events, and results to:
Alana Aubin
Communications Chair, New England LMSC
NECommunications@usms.org
New England LMSC | www.nelmsc.org
STAY CONNECTED: