LIKE!!!!!

Wow huge congrats after the 27 year layoff and then coming within .3 seconds of a 4th place. That is fantastic in the nation with the deepest pool of swimming talent on the planet. I think for those of us on these ST swim threads with lesser ability we don't realize the caliber of athletes on these threads helping us with inputs and advice. Thanks for everything and congrats on the super placing!

Lets not get carried away! Honestly, that 5th place was due in no small part to a relatively weak field. Most years that time would be around 9th or 10th, and some years not even in the top ten. And then there are all those who opt not to swim that race at Nationals, or can't make Nationals at all. I'll probably finish ranked ~30th in the 1000 for the year when all the results for the season are tallied.

Still, given where I was a little over 4 years ago (i.e. winded just walking a flight of stairs, exhausted after a 3 mile bike ride @ ~12mph), I'll happily take that.

I got to witness some true greatness in the pool this past weekend. Like the 95 year old man who went 33:35 in the 1650, and the 70 year old women who went 23:07!

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"They're made of latex, not nitroglycerin"

Hey, you can't control who shows up...you were 4th at the nationals for the deepest swimming nation in the world...just roll with that!!! As for the elder athletes with smoking fast times, I am certain that the two sports that offer the best fountain of youth are swimming and XC skiing. Swimming without the associated accidents that can happen on skis, but if you can stay on your feet and upright, the older skiers are also amazing specimens. Both are full body sports involving a ton of coordination, aerobic capacity, muscle force and balance.

Huge congratulations on a successful USMS nationals meet.