Venetian eSplash 06 April 2018, 40 Mile Sign Up
In this eSplash:
- 40 Mile Swim Sign-up Time
- Future Events
40 Mile Swim Challenge Sign Up Time Is Here
Hello, Venetian lap swimmers and lap swimmer wannabes. The pool opens in less than a month and, with it, this year’s 40 Mile Swim Challenge—our seventh year–begins. Now is the time to start your warm up practice. This year, if you sign up before the pool opens, May 5, you’ll qualify to receive your 18th mile FREE. Additionally, when you exceed 40 miles, your 44th mile will also be FREE. To pre-enroll and receive your free miles, just email mayahahn@att.net and I’ll sign you up.
IF YOU ACHIEVED 40 OR MORE MILES LAST SUMMER, YOU WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE SIGNED UP FOR 2018.
The 40 Mile Swim Challenge is open to all Venetian members of any age. There is no charge to participate. Miles must be completed between May 5 (opening day) and the end of Extended Swim. Five of your miles may be completed at another pool and the remainder must be completed at Venetian. If you’re on the swim team, you may count the miles you swim in practice toward your 40 miles.
Our pool is 50 yards long and 18 laps (up and back = 1 lap) make a mile in the usual configuration. If you’re swimming in the short configuration, such as that used for swim team practice, the pool is 25 meters and 33 laps = 1 mile. Swimmers may use kickboards, fins, paddles, snorkels, etc.—whatever it takes you to get up and back in the lane.
There will be a blue loose-leaf notebook at the front counter that will have sheets for you to track your miles as you complete them. Typically, I divide the forms into ½ mile segments; you do not have to swim a mile every time you swim as long as your mileage equals 40 by the end of the summer. When you get close to 40, please let me know and I’ll make you a 41-80 form. (If someone wants to develop a tracking app for the 40 Mile Swim Challenge, please let me know; that would be super!) The sheets will be arranged alphabetically.
You don’t have to pre-register for the Challenge, but you won’t get the free miles if you sign up after May 5. There will be blank sheets in the notebook as well. If you sign up on a blank sheet, please email mayahahn@att.net.
As I mentioned in the last article about the 40 Mile Challenge, this year’s incentive for completing the Challenge will be a custom silk-screened poster by our favorite former manager, Colm Jenkins. Colm has a huge talent and some exciting ideas for the poster and he’s looking forward to maintaining his relationship with Venetian in this way even though he won’t be managing this summer.
Having a goal for the summer has helped a lot of Venetian members who never thought they could do it become lap swimmers. There’s no pressure to complete the Challenge, but it’s a lot of fun and there’s much camaraderie in the lanes. Remember: swimming is not only good for your head and your heart, it’s the only exercise you can do lying down in water and have the sweat wash right off!
Submitted by Maya Hahn
Future Events & Important Dates
Monday, April 9: VPCA Board Meeting, 7 PM
Saturday, April 21: Spring Work Day (Rain Day is Sunday, 22 Apr)
Sunday, April 22: Swim Team Open House, 3-5 PM
Saturday, May 5: Pool Opening Day! Pool Opens at Noon
Saturday, May 5: New Member Welcome Party, Venetian Dance Hall, 4 pm
Submitted by Nick Cortese, communications@venetianpools.org