Pacific Update
Week of November 9, 2020 |
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In this issue you will find information on upcoming pool events and other information of interest to the local adult swimming community.
The next issue of the Update will appear on December 7, 2020. The deadline for submissions is Wednesday, December 2, 2020.
Stay fit,
The Pacific Masters Swimming Committee
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Open Water Clinic: Swimming Through The Winter
November 11
On Wednesday, November 11, 7:00-8:00 pm, Pacific Masters will offer an open water Zoom clinic, Swimming Through The Winter. Unlike the summer months, mishaps can happen during the cold water winter months, and our open water swimmers benefit from being well informed. This clinic is tailored for those who want to explore swimming in cold water, how to avoid hypothermia, and more.
The presenter at the event is Suzie Dods, a motivational force of safety in open water swimming. She is a marathon swimmer with membership at both the Dolphin and South End Rowing Clubs in San Francisco. As member of the Board, Northern California and Lake Tahoe Open Water Swimming Associations, Suzie is a coach you will want to learn from.
There is no charge to USMS registered members, however a $10 charge applies to all others. Register here.
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Ross Yancher Brute Squad and Brute Squad Lite ePostal Swims
Ongoing through November 30
It is again time to challenge yourself with the 12th Annual Brute Squad e-Postal, sponsored by Davis Aquatic Masters! The event consists of a timed, continuous 200 fly, followed by a 400 IM, and finishes with a 1650 free. For swimmers who are intimidated by these distances, DAM offers a smaller event called the Brute Squad Lite. This event features timed, continuous distances of 100 fly, 200 IM and a 500 free. Along with everything in 2020, the rules are a little different this year! Information. Registration is now open.
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USMS 3000/6000-Yard ePostal National Championships
Ongoing through November 15
The Florida Gold Coast LMSC (Local Masters Swim Committee) is hosting the USMS 3000/6000-Yard ePostal Nationals between September 15 and November 15. Ask your coach or another swimmer to take splits and provide a final time for your continuous swim. The challenge is most fun as a relay team, and that is possible with this event. Unlike other events, pull buoys, paddles, fins, and wetsuits are not permitted in this sanctioned event. Hmmm, who can swim this with you? Swimmer Registration.
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MEMO 400 Kick for Time
December 1-31
Back by popular demand for the 8th year! MEMO does this as a repeating set and wants everyone to join in. Performed in an organized, supervised USMS practice, this is a great way to prepare to use those legs all throughout the swimming season. Information and Registration.
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2020 SmartyPants Vitamins U.S. Masters Fall Fitness Challenge
November 15-30
 For those with safe access, they can swim their mile in open water or at a pool. Swimmers can swim the challenge with fins, paddles, as a team, solo, or however they want.
Swimmers without access to water have the option to do the activity on land, as a 30 minute dryland workout.
Participating swimmers will receive exclusive discounts from our partners, sample packs from SmartyPants Vitamins, and a cool event swim cap! If you're interested in logging your times, you can use the Swim.com app, where you'll receive a digital badge upon completion of the swim/workout.
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Pacific Masters Return to Competition
The USMS Board of Directors approved Phase 1 of a return to sanctioned in-person pool competitions starting November 1st. Guidance and recommendations are on the USMS COVID-19 Event Resources page and includes the documents:
To facilitate the resumption of competition safely, Pacific Masters has modified some of its rules to encourage smaller meets. We will now consider sanction requests for Closed Invite meets. By Closed Invite, we mean meets where the host may limit the participants in some fashion. Some examples include intrasquad and dual meets, or meets where the five closest clubs participate. Closed Invite meets will allow hosts to reflect the desire of USMS to limit the travel of participants.
Pacific Masters will consider applications for sanctions on a case by case basis for events which:
- Are consistent with Phase I of the USMS Return to Competition guidelines;
- Meet all necessary local regulations and are provided as part of the sanctioning application;
- Conform to the specific standards of maximum meet size and localized attendees as stated in the USMS guidelines.
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USMS 2021 Swimmer Registration
Opened November 1
Individual swimmer 2021 USMS membership opened on November 1. USMS now has a Unified Fee, and all members, regardless of age or location, will be paying the same annual fee. Renew your membership for $60 and take your swimming to the next level. Here are just some of the great benefits you'll receive:
- Technique and training advice in SWIMMER magazine, STREAMLINES newsletters, and at usms.org.
- A vast Workout Library that features seven specialties and loads of workouts for every swimming level.
- Ability to participate in USMS pool, open water, or virtual events.
- Access to local club workouts.
- Exclusive discounts from our partners.
- Ability to link your account with Swim.com and analyze your workout or race information.
- Discussion forums to communicate with coaches and members nationwide.
- FUN social interaction with like-minded adults.
- And much more.
USMS and Pacific Masters are strongly encouraging our members to GO GREEN and not have a card mailed to you. You can download your card to your phone, tablet or computer! USMS is going to discontinue offering the option to have cards mailed to members as of 2/1/21.
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One week left to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Program!
Deadline November 15
There is only one week left for Pacific member clubs to apply for the COVID-19 Relief Program. A second round of emails was sent to club contacts for clubs that have not applied. We are MORE than happy to walk you through the process if your club is interested in applying. Please contact the grant committee ASAP if interested. |
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Grayson
 by Lynne Cox
We've been sharing some of our Update Editors' favorite swimming books to help ease the stress of the pandemic restrictions. Reading about swimming is not as therapeutic as actually being in the water, but it keeps us tuned in and has the potential to open our eyes to all aspects of our sport. See the full list here.
Grayson
Here is a sweet and inspiring story appropriate to read to or with the younger swimmers in your family. Lynne Cox tells the true story of an encounter she had when she was a teenager with a baby gray whale off the coast of California during a training swim. The baby became separated from her mother, and Lynne decided she would try to reunite baby with mom. It's part mystery, part magic and pure Lynne Cox.
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Famous Swimming Scenes
In honor of the great Sir Sean Connery, and this editor's favorite James Bond and former lifeguard, we look back at the making of Thunderball and Connery's close encounter with sharks.
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|  | Connery during the filming of Thunderball
(Courtesy of Rachel Arroyo via Wikimedia Commons) | |
While filming the movie, Connery was concerned about his scenes in villain Emilio Largo's shark-filled pool. The movie used real sharks, and in response to Connery's worries, the production director made a Plexiglas partition for him to use during the scene. What the production director didn't tell him was that the partition had a four foot gap, which a shark found. In the end, shooting the scene ended up with Connery narrowly escaping the shark.
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