Adirondack Sports June 2023

SWIMMING & TRIATHLON
JUNE 2023 11
Mastering the Open Water
For Fitness and Personal Bests
By Kristen Jurcsak
■ GREAT FIRST SWIM AT CDTC TRAINING
IN CRYSTAL LAKE, MAY 30. JOHN SLYER/
FRANK BENDER
In 2017, I made a lifelong commitment
to my health and fitness. I remembered
how good being physically and mentally
strong felt, that peaceful, centering, mindbody
balance. With the daunting task of
establishing a wellness routine from scratch
once again, and certainly needing to lose a
significant amount of weight, I headed to
Masters swim practice at the Family YMCA
of the Glens Falls Area. As a then “former”
swimmer and triathlete, I knew the pool was
where I needed to start.
Being back in the pool was very challenging
at first. However, I knew if I kept at
it, swimming was the perfect exercise for my
fitness reset. Swimming is extremely appropriate
for people with injuries, arthritis, and
other conditions that make high-impact
sports difficult. Running or high-intensity
cardio workouts can exacerbate already
aching joints. For me in particular, going for
some pool laps instead opened the door to
a world of good things to come because I
could keep exercising consistently without
the fear of serious injury. As water naturally
supports the body, it can reduce moving
body weight by up to 90%, also reducing the
impact on joints, muscles, and bones by the
same 90%. A swimmer can keep their heart
rate up without stressing their body in a negative
manner. This type of exercise is known
as steady-state training and helps to build
stamina – and it did exactly that for me.
Swimming works the whole body and
engages all muscle groups including the
core and increases lean muscle mass,
which in turn boosts resting metabolic rate.
Swimmers who work hard in the pool can
expect to see more definition in their arms,
upper body, and thighs because swimming
provides consistent resistance through the
water. In a way, it’s similar to lighter weight,
high-repetition strength training. Exercising
in water makes your body work harder, so 30
minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of the
same activity on land. Swimming is also an
extremely efficient way to burn calories, and
those big quad muscles burn a lot of calories!
Mentally, swimming helped lower my stress
levels, reduced anxiety and depression associated
with being inactive, and improved my
sleep quality. Feeling both physically and
mentally better almost immediately encouraged
me to well… keep swimming.
What exactly is “Masters” swimming? I
definitely didn’t feel like a master of much
of anything when I returned to the pool in
2017. Masters swimming simply means an
organized program of swimming for adults
– all are welcome, no experience needed.
United States Masters Swimming was founded
in 1970: usms.org. The program began
when the first National Masters Swimming
Championships were held with the idea that
an organized swim meet for adults would
give older swimmers (ex-competitors and
beginners) a goal for keeping physically fit.
Shortly thereafter, USMS was founded. Over
the last 53 years, the message of encouraging
adults to improve fitness through swimming
has grown into a nationwide organization
that currently includes more than 65,000
adult swimmers. Members participate in a
variety of ways ranging from lap swimming
to international competition.
USMS provides organized workouts,
competitions, clinics, and workshops for
adults aged 18 and over. Programs are open
to all adult swimmers (fitness, triathlete,
competitive, and non-competitive) who are
dedicated to improving their fitness through
swimming. USMS and its 52 Local Masters
Swimming Committees provide direct support
to more than 1,500 clubs and workout
groups. The majority of locations offering
programs have coaches on deck that write
workouts, provide feedback, and instruction.
As an example, I worked with coach
Dennie Wilson at the Glens Falls YMCA.
Dennie started the Masters program in 2006
to foster a love of swimming in her children.
The program quickly grew to 25 regular
swimmers. She then moved on to become
the head coach of the Gators swim team at
the Y. Not surprisingly, her three children
all swim. When she returned to competitive
swimming after being out of the pool for 10
years, Dennie was a top finisher in many
local races. She is a five-time All-American,
champion in the two-mile cable open water
distance, and set an Adirondack Masters
record in the 50 and 1,650 freestyle. She has
earned national top 10 times in the 1,650
and 1,000 freestyle, 50 backstroke, and 200
backstroke distances (yards and meters).
In 2016, her relay team broke the record for
swimming the length of Lake George in 13
hours, seven minutes.
Dennie’s current Masters program at the
Glens Falls YMCA attracts many swimmers
including beginners, fitness swimmers,
accomplished triathletes, and experienced
■ MASTERS SWIMMERS AT GLENS FALLS
FAMILY YMCA THIS SPRING. DENNIE WILSON
former collegiate athletes. She always has
workouts planned for every level such that
all of her swimmers consistently improve.
Her most unique experiences coaching
Masters is taking people who are nervous
in the open water and helping them acclimate
to the conditions. Dennie explained,
“Helping them realize that they can do it is
what I live for. I have taken swimmers that
are good in the pool but slightly frightened of
the open water. Fear can be overcome. When
they return to the pool, they tell me of their
open water adventures all the time.” Dennie
summed it up perfectly, “I have watched
swimmers improve not only their stroke but
their confidence to break barriers and overcome
hard things. The most rewarding part
of coaching is sharing something that I love
– I got that from my coaches!”
After being in the pool for many months,
it’s finally time to move outside to race and
train. And there are so many opportunities
to do both in our beautiful region. Many of
the local triathlon clubs offer open water
swimming training opportunities so be sure
to check out their websites for dates and
times, registration requirements, and safety
protocols. This includes the Capital District
Triathlon Club at Crystal Lake in Averill Park,
Saratoga Triathlon Club at Moreau Lake State
Park, Bethlehem Triathlon Club at Lawson
Lake in Albany County, and Adirondack
Multi-Sport Club in Lake George.
As always, safety first in open water.
Follow all rules if swimming with an organized
group and never ever swim alone. Be
on the lookout for some other open water
training opportunities this season so stay
tuned to local events. If you are interested in
participating in or watching an open water
swimming event in the Northeast, here are
a few to consider:
Betsy Owens-Terry Laughlin Memorial
Cable Swims on Saturday, Aug. 12 – This
one- and two-mile cable swim event is excellent
for first-time open water swimmers and
swimmers who prefer usually calm water
with no boat traffic and plenty of safety
spotters in kayaks. The swim takes place in
pristine Mirror Like in the village of Lake
Placid. The course is a quarter-mile-long
underwater cable marked with buoys. The
one-mile swim is two laps around the cable,
while the two-mile swim is four laps around
the cable. I have personally completed the
two-mile cable swim on numerous occasions
over the years and absolutely love this
event! Visit: runsignup.com.
Lake George Open Water Swim on
Saturday, Aug. 19 – This 2.5K, 5K and 10K
endurance swim event begins in the town of
Hague and gives swimmers the opportunity
to swim in beautiful Lake George. The course
is marked by buoys. The 2.5K is one loop of
the course, 5K is two loops, and 10K is four
loops. Go to: lakegeorgeswim.com.
Lake George Virtual 32-Mile Marathon
Swim from June 25 to Aug. 19 – This virtual
event supports the Lake George Association
and efforts to protect the lake’s water now
and for the future. This is a way to connect
swimmers who love Lake George, or who
love swimming in upstate NY, or who just
love swimming. You can earn virtual badges
and stickers, fundraise for local causes, and
collect some nice swag. Complete this swim
in any lake, pool, ocean, river, pond, or other
body of water and log your progress. Visit:
lakegeorgeswim.com.
Kingdom Swim on Saturday, July 29 –
This “No lanes, no lines, no limits – a celebration
of open water swimming” event starts
from Prouty Beach on Lake Memphremagog
in Newport, Vt. and features 25K Border
Buster, 10M, 10K, 5K, and 1M distance
options. Yes, you read that right – those are
some seriously long distances! Go to: kingdomgames.co.
Provincetown Swim for Life & Paddler
Flotilla on Sept. 9 – The Swim for Life’s
essence embodies Provincetown, Mass. as a
place of healing and compassion for health,
well-being and Planet Earth. The 36th annual
event is a 1.2M charity swim, not a race, along
the shallow shoreline. According to Saratoga
Springs resident, Sue Johnson, “Everyone is
very friendly; it’s the most fun you can have
in salt water!” More at: swim4life.org.
Kristen Jurcsak (kmjurcsak@alum.rpi.
edu) lives a balanced, healthy lifestyle in
Queensbury. As a true “Up North Girl,” she
enjoys getting outdoors and experiencing
all our beautiful region has to offer.
Downhill skiing, hiking, and fly fishing are
a few of her favorites. Her weekly fitness
routine includes strength training with
kettlebells, swimming with Glens Falls
Masters, and yoga.