Newsletter of the Potomac Valley Masters Committee
December 2006
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Iıve worked out on and off with the Terrapin Masters since we moved to Maryland and have attended a few private stroke clinics. While I havenıt competed lately, I am a registered member of the Terrapin Masters. Unfortunately, UMD is about 50 miles from my house, so Iım not as faithful as Iıd like to be. Swimming epiphany Recently, Petra Martin (former coach of the Terrapin Masters) diagnosed the source of my lifelong butterfly malfunction. For years people have been telling my stroke is short, but I always thought they were talking about the beginning of my stoke rather than the finish. Now Iım working hard to strengthen my pull from the point that my hands pass my chest through the finish so that the momentum will propel my arms out of the water and into the next stroke. Also, my kick was coming entirely from my hips, which was the way I was taught in the 50s. Petra gave me the visual of sitting down and kicking my shoes off, and after a couple of drills, the kick was working. It only took 50 years for me to catch on. Career My career history has been a checkered as my swimming career. I spent 13 years as an FBI agent then nine years as a defense contractor before becoming a nurse. I left fulltime nursing after 9/11 and am now a branch chief in the Department of Defense Joint Counterintelligence Training Academy, where I supervise online learning. My concession to leaving fulltime nursing has been to take month-long sabbaticals to volunteer as a nurse in underserved areas, such as Calcutta and Phnom Penh. I started in 2004 at Mother Teresaıs House for Sick and Dying Destitutes in Calcutta. It was a wild and wonderful nursing experience. I encountered diseases and wounds I had only read about at Hopkins and the National Institutes of Health, and I worked with nurses from around the world. The patients were so grateful for everything we could do, but I felt wholly inadequate when I faced the challenge of working without patient histories or charts and labs. As it turns out, Mother Teresaıs is not a hospital at all; itıs a home in the slums where the Missionaries of Charity and their volunteers care for the poorest of Indiaıs poor. The experience in Calcutta was so good that I decided to volunteer for the Missionaries of Charity in Phnom Penh in April 2006; but when I got there, the sisters said they didnıt need volunteers. Shocked, I turned to go and came face to face with a huge poster of Mother. She was laughing, and the caption read: ³I am not called to be successful. I am called to be faithful.² I took it as a challenge, and the month that followed proved to be some of the best days of my life. First I met Beth Goldring, a Buddhist nun who leads a group who cared for dying patients in and around Phnom Penh (www.brahmavihara.cambodiaaidsproject.org ). We scooted about on motorcycles sometimes three to a cycle and visited public and private hospitals. There, we performed energy-transfer and pain-management techniques, such as Healing Touch, which I learned as a hospice nurse. The nuns also chanted and performed Reiki. While I knew nothing about Buddhism, I found those nuns to be an inspiration to watch as they used their hands to provide comfort. Next, I met a woman whose sister in law had been exiled to a remote mountain area by the Khmer Rouge in the 1970s. The village had not had medical care for decades, so I loaded up my bag with all the medicines and supplies I could carry and traveled past the minefields to treat the women. In the end, I made three trips. The women felt better after my first visit, so they brought their children. To my shock, when I got out of the car for the third clinic, a line of men awaited me. My third adventure started at a public telephone. As I finished a call, an American man approached me and said, ³I couldnıt help hearing that youıre a nurse. Have you got time for coffee?² It was Marc Gold of the 100 Friends Project (www.100friends.com ). Through what Beth Goldring laughingly termed ³a classic NGO pickup,² Marc introduced me to the Center for Childrenıs Happiness (www.cchcambodia.org ), an orphanage that rescues children abandoned at the Phnom Penh dump. At any given time, approximately 1,000 children live at the dump. They come out in the morning to find food and clothing in the rubbish the trash trucks deposit, then burrow into the landfill to hide from the heat of the day. The stench was so bad that the moto driver insisted upon buying me a face mask as we approached. CCH founder Mech Sokha is an exceedingly kind man who was imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge but decided to help the less fortunate upon his release. Once he could support his own family, he picked up child after child. Now he has more than 100. It was my privilege to teach English composition to these enthusiastic children. Their smiles and hugs are a loving memory and I still marvel when I realize it takes about $600 to feed, house, and educate one of these kids for a year. Advice on swimming in tropical waters I had no desire to swim in the Ganges or the Mekong. While I am not at all squeamish about maggotty wounds or leprosy, tropical parasites give me the willies. If you must swim in fresh water, wear shoes and donıt sit directly on wet sand. Research what kinds of parasites might penetrate your skin before you dive in and pick up a passenger whoıll be with you for life. My best advice: stick with swimming pools. Writing Rosemary Dew is the author of two books: In Mother Teresaıs House: A Hospice Nurse in the Slums of Calcutta and No Backup: My Life as a Female FBI Special Agent. Both are available on amazon.com. especially the 200 free (who drops 23 seconds in the 200 free?!?)
Communications Committee: A USMS communications plan was developed during the year. It evaluates and presents recommendations on current and future forms of National USMS communications, and is expected to guide the committee's work in the future. Recommendations include updates on the Places to Swim and Calendar of Events on the USMS web site, and use of email on a national level to members and specific groups such as coaches and team leaders. It also recommended development of members-only, member-specific content on the web site. Also discussed was a virtual dual meet program. This provides the opportunity for two swim clubs to compete against each other, each in their own pool at their own time. After each club swims their events in their pool, times would be tallied and compared, and the winner of the meet determined. Times would be handicapped for age groups. The program will be tested this coming year. Communications Workshop: Ray assisted in the preparation and presentation of the communications workshop, one of four workshops offered to the convention delegates. Newsletters and web sites were the topics. Items presented included:
-2007 Check Off Challenge: Tour de Pool. Federal Way Masters -2007 30 Minute Swim: PNA Looking for articles to post on the website. Suggested topics include: Swimming for weight loss; Why I donıt compete first person or general; What is a fitness swimmer or Why Iım a fitness swimmer; Triathletes joining groups: how that helps their performance, what they offer to Masters; First time youıve done something: interviews with swimmers: how clubs promote and encourage. If anyone wants to contribute an article send it to Ann Svenson, Legislation Committee: Additions to the Sanctions Guidelines to include confirmation of pool length certification and on-line entry. Long Distance Committee A. Rules Changes: One-Event Registration not allowed for Postal Events Wristwatches may be worn in open water events. In open water races using chip timing, backup timing is also required. 5K and 10K Postal events must be swum separately in a 50m pool. 3000-yard and 6000-yard Postal events must be swum separately in a 25-yard pool. All American Team (relay) status will be given to first place teams (relays) in each age group in Postal Events. B. 2008 Long Distance Championships Awarded To: One Hour Postal: YMCA Indy SwimFit 3000/6000 Y Postal: Swim Louisville 5K/10K Postal: COMA 2 Mile Cable: Virginia Masters 1 Mile Open Water: Connecticut Masters 1-3 Mile Open Water: Wisconsin Masters 3-6 Mile Open Water: COMA 6+ Mile Open Water: Clemson Marketing Committee: USMS will be joining two organizations that are a potential source of information and method to promote swimming and USMS. Memberships in NIRSA and AAEA will be started for 2007. Membership to NCPPA for 2007 will be started from funds left over from the 2006 budget. Ray presented a "Welcoming New Clubs" program that was developed during the later part of the year. It was designed to assist new clubs starting out in USMS. Consisting of materials for promoting clubs, for assisting in club administration, and for mentoring a developing club, the program is intended to be administered from the national level. The USMS Executive Committee has started a club development committee task force and our Marketing Committee recommended the Welcoming New Clubs program for inclusion. The USMS Planner was discussed. Eliminating it was proposed during the past two years because of its low use. This year, recommendations by a subcommittee will be instituted to determine how to make the planner better, possibly by including workouts logs, or combining it with a mini rule book. Officials Committee: Sub-committees were formed to review/revise the agreement with USA-S for the certification of USA-S officials working the two USMS National Championship meets to review the USMS Officials certification policy and procedures (Dave Diehl will chair). Planning Committee: Working on the development of a Local Development & Assistance Program with USMS task force. Registration Committee: Registration committee looking into introducing online registrations no earlier than February 2007. Dues increase of $5 will begin with 2008 registration year. Rules Committee: USA-S (and USMS) interpretation of the timing devices (watches) is that watches may be worn as long as they are not used as a pacing device. Officials will make that judgment call on an individual basis. Official Top Ten and National Records for 25 yard races for all strokes for swimmers 65 and up was rejected. Colonies Zone: -2006 Colonies Zone SCM Championships will be in Ewing, New Jersey on December 8-10, 2006. -007 Colonies Zone SCY Championships will be at GMU on April 13-15, 2007. Awards:
The US Olympic Training Center camp was dropped in 2006 because it was not in alignment with USA-S. But it will be brought back in 2008, possibly in 2007 if logistics can be worked out sooner. This is due to Rowdy Gainesı involvement and his bringing masters under the umbrella of USA-S alumni. It was clarified an official need not notify the swimmer of a DQ. They should make a strong effort to notify the swimmer(s) but it is not mandatory. Debbie Morrin-Nordlund was appointed as the Election Chair for next yearıs national election of officers. Full minutes from the convention can be found on the web at: http://www.usms.org/admin/minutes Dr. Jay - Advice on Cramping by Dr. Jay Kerner http://www.triathletemag.com/Page551.aspx Ahhhh, swimming. The liberating feeling of weightlessness, the exhilarating cool water, the streamlined motion through an alien element. What could be more enjoyable? But wait, swimming was not always viewed so positively. In the 16th century, a vice-chancellor at Cambridge forbade it. Penalties for disobedience by undergraduates included public flogging, a 10-shilling fine and being placed in the stocks. In time, however, folks came around. Swimming was believed to restore color to the wan cheeks of consumptive young ladies. It was recommended for glandular and venereal diseases, rheumatism, to sooth painful corns and bunions and even to treat some forms of insanity. It was supposed to straighten the legs of rickety children and reform the unwholesome thoughts of young people. Any of the aforementioned problems yours? Painful corns? Unwholesome thoughts? Ah well, let's see. Cramping. At one time the horror of it was so great that a short walk following lunch was a feared thing. And swimming, well, we had to wait hours after lunch before immersion to prevent catastrophic consequences. However, muscle cramps: spasmodic, painful, involuntary contractions, are a different animal. As you note, low potassium (which may be caused by diuretics) and abnormal electrolytes is a suspect in causing cramping. Though you feel you consume enough potassium, there are the appropriate blood tests. Doppler studies to rule out peripheral vascular disease and an appropriate neurological workup may also be considered. It is believed that there is an element in coffee beans (not caffeine) that may cause cramping. If you consume coffee on a daily basis, try going without for a while. Biomechanically, the feeling of your toes crossing over is caused by cramping of either the intrinsic foot muscles or the posterior leg muscles. Try to alleviate tightness with gentle gastoc-soleus stretching exercises. I like the wall-leaning ones as opposed to the stepping off the curb ones because there's a better element of control. And no bouncing. Stretch at night and in the morning. Stretching may work for you soon after training; some find it easier to wait several hours. Fatigue may lead to abnormalities in the mechanisms that control muscle contraction. Changes occur in muscles that contract in a shortened position for extensive periods of time. During prolonged exercise, it is believed that the inverse stretch reflex that inhibits excessive muscle contraction becomes inactive due to reduced sensory input. Also, stimulatory impulses from the spinal cord to the muscles increase, which may increase the possibility of cramping (the Schwellnus theory of muscle cramping). Concentrate on relaxing the lower leg during swimming. During swimming, focus on complete relaxation from the hip down. Don't overuse those calves! We get enough leg work/tightening during biking and running. Just let your legs trail or kick as a slow stabilizer to your hip rotation. Hold up on any kickboard work. Sneakers or shoes a tiny bit tight in the forefoot? This can result in cramping of the toes hours after removing them. If the heel is too soft and squishy, a quality of many running shoes and some comfortable dress shoes, this can overwork the leg and intrinsic muscles. If you have a flexible foot type, these shoes are not for you. A more rigid, or stabilizing shoe may work for you. A prescription orthotic device can be a big help for this foot type. Infrared therapy or light massage may also help. This type of cramping usually diminishes over time. Focusing on relaxation, stretching, appropriate footgear and consider a biomechanical exam. Good luck, Dr Jay |
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Long Distance & Open Water Swimmers by Michael Lee Some swimmers feel the competitive drive to swim in pools, while others yearn for the open seas to play with tides, jellies, and currents. Even those that don't necessarily take to the pool and find that they enjoy the longer swims that can at times last for hours, swim for different reasons: some participate for the glory while others simply swim for the pleasure and sense of being in tune with nature. Fortunately, Potomac Valley has all of the these swimmers swimming in and around the region. Ancient Mariner Dottie Buchhagen enjoys the endurance challenge that long distance swims can provide "without the stress of pool meets." Allyson Adams simply loves the feel of the open water. Others, such as Fairfax County Masters Shannon Prendergast and Julie Oplinger, not only feel the drive to compete in triathlons, but consistently place in the top of their divisions in the competitive swims. The Fairfax County swimmers are not alone, for DC Masters continue to provide a base for a number of long distance and open water swimmers focused primarily on the Virginia Open Water Swim Series. DCM also has several of the Nation's leading swimmers for Postal Swims, including Andi Haines and Bill Braswell. The DCM crew is not alone in enjoying the challenges of the Virgina swims. Monica Heinrich of CUBU is right there with them swimming with others in these fine regional swims. The DCAC Swim for Life, the Potomac River Swim, and the Chesapeake Bay swim are also some of the unique swims we can appreciate in our region. As you can see, some of our members even find their way to different coasts and continents in the search of the perfect swim. Award Winners: Dorothy Buchhagen ANCM (DB) Monica Heinrich CUBU (MH) Ann Svenson DCM (AS) Betty Perfall DCM (BP) Andi Haines DCM (AH) Bill Braswell DCM (BB) Karen Hannam DCM (KH) Bruce Fisher DCM (BF) Mary Ella Payne DCM (MP) John Erb DCM (JE) Shannon Prendergast FCM (SP) Julie Oplinger FCM (JO) Allyson Adams TERR (AA) Diana Corbin TERR (DC) Swims & Participants: Hour Swim (USMS Natl Champ): AS, BP, AH, BB, KH, MP, JE, Jim McDonald lake swim(s) Reston, VA: MH, AS, BP, AH, BB, KH, BF, MP, JE, SP, JO, AA, DC Lake Montclair (Dumfries, VA): MH, BP, MP, SP, JO, AA, DC The Jack King Virginia Beach Ocean Swim: MH, KH Chris Greene Lake Swim, Charlottesville, VA (national championship): MH, AS (NR), AH, BB, BF Chesapeake Challenge(Chesapeake Bay): DB, JO, AA Chesapeake Bay Swim (Chesapeake Bay, MD): AH, BB, KH, SP, DB Swim For Life (Chester River, MD): AA, DC Potomac River Swim: JO Bridge to Bridge Swim in AC NJ (Bay): AA Swim For The Dolphins in Wildwood NJ (Atlantic Ocean): AA Ocean City Master Swim in OC, NJ (Atlantic Ocean): AA, DC Pageant Swim in Atlantic City, NJ: DB Hurricane Man Rough Water Challenge (St. Pete Beach, FL): DB Betsy Owens Memorial 1-mi cable Lake Swim, Lake Placid, NY: AS (NR) Alcatraz Sharkfest (San Francisco Bay): AA, DC Bon Aire Eco Swim: DC USMS 5K Postal Natl Champ: AH USMS 10K Postal Natl Champ: AH, BB USMS 1-mile Open Water Natl Championship, Cleveland: AH, BB USMS 5K Open Water Natl Champ, Chicago: AH FINA 3K Open Water World Championship, CA: AH USMS 3K Open Water National Champ, Clemson, SC: BB USMS 3000-yd Postal Natl Champ: AH, BB USMS 6000-yd Postal Natl Champ: AS (NR), AH, BB NR=National Record Dot Donnelly Service Award Winners: Lynn Hazlewood & Ray Novitske  Lynn Hazlewood holding her Dot Donnelly award Not pictured: Ray Novitske, Swimmerıs Ear Webmaster. Germantown Masters Announce 2006 Award Winners by Mark Walters The 2006 Lesley Evans award goes to swimmers who set an example by their hard work and improvement during coached workouts over the past year. One male and one female swimmer have been selected for this award each year since 1999, and their names appear on a plaque that hangs in the lobby of the Quince Orchard Swim and Tennis Club. The 2006 awards go to Deena Miskiel and Stephen Miskiel. The Germantown Swim Team is grateful for the guidance, inspiration, and instruction from the entire coaching staff. We like to recognize one of our coaches each year with the Coach of the Year award. The 2006 award goes to Amy Cooley. |
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For a Good Time, Call: x=55, y=20, z=2 Phone=01.((y2-102)+1).(y2+102+x).(103+((3*z)3-z2)) Kids Writing about the Sea: 1) This is a picture of an octopus. It has eight testicles. (Kelly age 6) 2) Oysters' balls are called pearls. (James age 6) 3) If you are surrounded by sea you are an Island. If you don't have sea all round you, you are in continent. (Wayne age 7) 4) Sharks are ugly and mean, and have big teeth, just like Emily Richardson. She's not my friend no more. (Kylie age 6) 5) A dolphin breaths through an asshole on the top of its head. (Billy age 8) 6) My uncle goes out in his boat with pots, and comes back with crabs. (Millie age 6) 7) When ships had sails, they used to use the trade winds to cross the ocean. Sometimes, when the wind didn't blow, the sailors would whistle to make the wind come. My brother said they would be better off eating beans. (William age 7) 8) I like mermaids. They are beautiful, and I like their shiny tails. How do mermaids get pregnant? (Helen age 6) 9) I'm not going to write about the sea. My baby brother is always screaming and being sick, my Dad keeps shouting at my Mom, and my big sister has just got pregnant, so I can't think what to write. (Amy age 6) 10) Some fish are dangerous. Jellyfish can sting. Electric eels can give you a shock. They have to live in caves under the sea where I think they have to plug themselves into chargers. (Christopher age 7) 11) When you go swimming in the sea, it is very cold, and it makes my willy small. (Kevin age 6) 12) Divers have to be safe when they go under the water. Two divers can't go down alone, so they have to go down on each other. (Becky age 8) 13) On holiday my Mom went water skiing. She fell off when she was going very fast. She says she won't do it again because water shot up her fanny. (Julie age 7) |
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Jim McDonnell Lake Swim Proceeds Donated to Lymphoma Foundation by Gordon Gerson The Reston Masters Swim Team is proud to announce that as a result of the Jim McDonnell Lake Swim, held in Lake Audubon on May 28th, we have contributed $7,000 to the Lymphoma Foundation in memory of Jim. Jim McDonnell was one of the founders of the Reston Masters Swim Team. He died of Lymphoma several years ago. We changed the name of the annual Reston Two-mile Lake Swim In his honor. Over the years this event has grown from just over 100 entrants to our limiting number of 600 entrants. We have also added a one-mile swim. Next year we will have a third event. U.S. Masters Swimming (USMS) has designated next year's one-mile swim as a national championship. All proceeds from the events are donated to the Lymphoma Foundation. We thank our many sponsors, volunteers, participants and spectators. Gordon Gerson President, RMST
Chesapeake Bay Swim, June 11, 2006 The photo (below) was featured in the May 2006 newsletter with an incomplete description. Here is additional information.  These four swimmers have started every Bay Swim together since 1991. This year, Dave Brown turned down a trip to Spain to make the GCBS. From left to right:
Sprint Classic Oct 29, 2006
Turtle & the Blue Moon Meet Dec 2-3, 2006
UM Masters 1000/1650 Meet Dec 10, 2006
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Fairland Aquatic Center Masters Swimming
Brute Squad 2006 Postal Event
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Faster Swimming - Now in Print!
Phone: (703) 823-SWIM Website: www.oceanus-consulting.com US Mail: 218 Ellsworth Street, Alexandria, VA. 22314
Petra Adamkova -
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all photos - by Cheryl Wagner except: Rosemary Dew - Rosemary Dew Jeff & Elisabeth - Elisabeth Deal Convention - Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Lynn Hazlewood - Debbie Morrin-Nordlund Astheimer & friends - Bob Astheimer Santa Barbara swimmers - Peter Attia |
 2006/2007 Calendar Dec 31, 2006 Jan 20, 2007 Feb 4, 2007 Feb 10, 2007 Feb 10-11, 2007 Mar 3-4, 2007 Mar 4, 2007 Mar 9-11, 2007 Mar 10, 2007 Mar 24, 2007 Mar 24, 2007 Apr 13-15, 2007 Apr 21, 2007 May 12, 2007 May 17-20, 2007 May 23-28, 2007 Jun 23, 2007 Aug 9-12, 2007 Aug 25-26, 2007 |
Jan 1, 2007 Apr 21, 2007 Apr 21, 2007 May 27, 2007 May 27, 2007 Jun 10, 2007 Jun 10, 2007 Jun 10, 2007 Jun 16, 2007 Jun 23, 2007 Jul 1, 2007 Jul 15, 2007 Aug 12, 2007 Aug 18, 2007 Aug 18, 2007 Aug 25, 2007 Sep 8, 2007 Sep 8, 2007 Sep 29, 2007 Nov 10, 2007 |
Jan 20, 2007 Feb 11, 2007 Feb 17, 2007 Mar 9-11, 2007 Mar 25, 2007 Apr 1, 2007 Apr 1, 2007 Apr 15, 2007 Apr 22, 2007 Apr 21, 2007 May 5, 2007 May 13, 2007 May 20, 2007 May 20, 2007 May 27, 2007 Jun 2, 2007 Jun 3, 2007 Jun 10, 2007 Jun 10, 2007 Jun 17, 2007 Jun 23, 2007 Jul 8, 2007 Jul 22, 2007 Aug 8, 2007 Aug 12, 2007 Aug 18-19, 2007 Aug 19, 2007 Sep 16. 2007 Sep 22, 2007 Sep 23, 2007 Sep 29, 2007 Oct 6, 2007  |
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