Kimmy, you go girl!

I felt the same way about swim meets last year, and my coach had to literally "twist my arm" to get me to try one.

But now that I am doing them, I am really starting to like them. I don't like the feeling that I get before them - butterflies in my stomach, feelings of self doubt, thinking that I am a fraud being there - but, once I actually get in the water to swim, I find that I really enjoy myself.

The best part of the swim meets is that you don't compete against others, you only compete against yourself. Everybody is swimming to complete their personal bests. There are no ribbons, no trophies, no nothing. It is a great atmosphere where you swim with people, right in the next lane, who their 80's and 90's. And it is much less competitive than doing triathlons.

So, think it over. Oh, and BTW, there are many, many Masters swimmers who do open turns!

Lynette