Tuggeranong Newsletter
January 2006
While some of you may have been taking a gentle approach to 2006
a number of club members have taken advantage of the summer months to get a
more active start to the year. An
adventurous group traveled to Geringong in early January to help life member
Jill Mortlock celebrate her 70th birthday by undertaking the Captain
Christie 1.8km Ocean swim. Yes, some people
request tickets to the ballet for their 70th birthday but Jill felt
convincing friends and family to risk life and limb in the giant surf of the
Eight of us registered for the swim on Sunday morning, some might suggest that the fact that the local ladies on the desk declared “there was no way they were swimming”, that the phrase ‘strong rip’ was used in every second sentence, that the organizers felt the need to reverse the direction of he swim and that the rubber duckies were having enormous difficulty getting through the waves to place the buoys should have been a sign to us as that all was not well. However, there is courage in numbers so we all plunged into the water when the siren sounded.
Jill, having talked us all into this lunacy decided making it to her 71st birthday was far more important than impressing onlookers with her aquatic abilities and retreated back to the beach, Ann was much more devious, she used the swim as a strategy to lure some innocent young surf lifesaver into embracing her for ‘how long was it Ann?? before a rescue craft could come and pull her out of the sea. I undertook on the spot ‘surf swimming for beginners’ lessons from a very patient Katrina who guided me to that very important first buoy, while Greg, Annette and Adrian raced off and completed the swim only admitting afterwards that “ sh…. those waves were really big!”
The good things was - we were so preoccupied with the surf
that no-one gave a second thought to sharks – and yes for the record Greg did beat
Open water swimming is a highlight of the summer months, three club swimmers contested the annual Tathra wharf to waves event – Brenda and Ian recording very creditable swims while Annette decided New Zealand had a certain appeal this time of the year and took a more scenic route home - and last Friday a few keen soles undertook the 1.5km lake swim run by triathlon ACT. (Where were you Mandy - you’re idea I think??) It was actually a really pleasant swim and club members might like to consider the other lake swims which happen over summer - although I suggest only the very keen attempt the 8km swim Oneeka is training for!!
But its not all open water swimming, Adrian is very keen to undertake the West Auburn 5km pool swim again this year so if anyone else is interested please make themselves known, six swimmers are heading up to Nth Sydney on Feb 11th to participate in the very picturesque Nth Sydney Sprint Carnival and the Aerobic swim program has been started with a vengeance.
AEROBIC SWIMS 2006
(by your aerobics Nazi – Jane)
The aerobic group got off to a shaky start in 2005 with just two participants, Adrian and Jane, but in the middle of the year it started to grow, and finished up with six regular swimmers and a couple of casuals. The spirit of AUSSI Masters was alive and well in these sessions, with happy faces all round. Everyone was inspired to attempt the seemingly impossible. Jenny had never swum 800m - she did it fifteen times in 5 months! Brenda and Lily had never swum 800m butterfly or medley - they did five of each in 5 months! Jane had never swum more than 400m backstroke - she did every backstroke event in the programme over the course of the year! The anecdotes could fill a whole newsletter.
Come and join us in 2006, have some fun, improve your aerobic fitness. Details of the programme are attached at the end of this newsletter. Remember, you don’t have to do the whole programme - just pick out the bits that appeal to you.
Aerobic swim sessions for the first 3 months of 2006 will be as follows:
Saturday 21 January,
Tuesday 24 January, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Saturday 28 January,
Tuesday 31 January, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Saturday 4 February,
Tuesday 7 February, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Saturday 18 February,
Tuesday 21 February, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Tuesday 7 March, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Saturday 11 March,
Tuesday 21 March, 10.30 – 12 noon;
Saturday 25 March,
Swimmers will be asked to contribute $1 each to help defray the cost of hiring lanes.
Guess which swimmer extracted a promise from her husband for 3hours timekeeping during the year – and took advantage of the promise on New Years Day to commence the aerobic program???
Upcoming Events
The annual surfing weekend is scheduled for February 18/19. For those that don’t know this is an opportunity to get away for a relaxing weekend at the coast with other club members – without having to compete in a swim meet. Over the past few years a number of members have proved it’s never too late to learn how to surf and we have a very patient teacher in Matt who puts us through our paces. We hire a cabin at Narooma and share expenses etc. Family, friends are welcome. Even if you don’t want to learn how to surf it is a fun weekend away. Leisa Beatty is organizing the weekend this year and she needs to know numbers soon – so please put your name on the sheet at the pool or e-mail Leisa at Leisa.Beatty@centrelink.gov.au if you are interested.
The Dubbo Meet is scheduled for the 4th March. As Nowra is not on this year we would like to encourage members to go up to Dubbo for this weekend. It is an outdoor 50m pool and they are a great friendly club who often support our meets - and there is always the Sunday morning visit to the Zoo! Entries close on 10 February so need to be with Jeanette a few days before. I also need to know numbers if you wish to share accommodation at the youth hostel. Please put your name on the list at the pool or e-mail me if you can’t get to swimming. I have attached the program
National Swim – don’t forget 6-9 April at the AIS. Entries close in early March. Information is available on the web site (linked to the club site). Please let Ann Reid know on Ann.Reid@bigpond.com how you can help.
Other Bits and
Pieces
Merchandise – we would like to put in a merchandise order to ensure goods are received before the Nationals – Annette has put together some very impressive models of the available items, these are attached to the notice board and information is also available on the web site. Please put your order in now or you may miss out.
Vikings club raffles – volunteers are needed for Friday 10 February – please put your name on the roster on the board or contact Ann Reid. On the subject of the Vikings club – can members who have not renewed their membership please consider doing so. I understand that some members never use the club and may not see the point, however, you should know that the Vikings club sponsor us to the tune of approx $30 per member per year, so while your $5 (or is it $9 now) for three years may seem a waste it ensures we can maintain club and training fees at the level we do. If you did not provide new membership details with your renewal form please e-mail them to me. Grant applications are due in March and if we cannot show our support for the club through membership numbers their support for us is problematic.
Memberships renewals are now due – January is a bit of a grace month but we start having insurance issues if non-members are training from now on – also I will be culling the e-mail list to paid up members shortly and I’m sure you would hate to miss out on all this exciting and entertaining information !!!!!!
Happy swimming
Diane