tennis, life and a few things in between

A huge and gigantic YES to the world and beyond that #FINA 2021 Will Explore Doping History and Awarding Proper Medals.

From 1973 to 1989, DDR East German swimming program had systematically #doped their athletes. Their female swimmers looked like men with manly low voices. American swimmer Shirley Babashoff (1957-) had voice her doubt but was shut down by the media and even some American coaches(!!!), labeling her as the ‘Ugly American’ and ‘Surely Shirley’. 

As it turned out, #ShirleyBabashoff WAS absolutely RIGHT. The E German coaches came out, admitting doping in 1991.

She was a very gifted swimmer, doing sprints 100m to distance 800m. Her three sibling (Jack Jr., Billy and Debbie) are or were swimmers too. BUT very unfortunate for her that she didn’t have the Gold to have endorsements. Her life could have been much different and probably better … As she said, ask Tiger Woods what endorsement can do for you.

I’m wondering, what has FINA and IOC been doing all these decades? Even after the admission of doping in 1991? Those governing bodies are jokes. 

• 2021, FINA Will Explore Doping History and Awarding Proper Medals
• 2016, The Last Gold; LAT;
• 2006, 167 swimmers will receive €9,250 one time pay
• 2005, The Quest for Gold Left Lives in Ruins
• 1992, SI: Babashoff and Ender – had the E German used steroids? 
• 1991, 20 former GDR/DDR coaches admitted 
• 1989, Berlin Wall fall
• 1976, Montreal: Babashoff won her 2nd Gold, also in 400 free relay
• 1973, Paris newspaper France-Soir: vaccine against fatigue
• 1972, Shirley Babashoff (1957-), 15 years old won Gold in 400 free relay @ Munich

What I need: is a simple watch that keep track of the laps I swum and the time. I swim between 40 to 52 laps each time, and often forget or mess up the number.

~ 2023.5.14: FitBit

My option is wide: from Apple ($400+), to FitBit ($150+) to the two below, about $50 or less each. My choice is obvious.

Moov, $34.99: it looks different and quite pretty but, I need to operate it from my phone – it allows 8 seconds to start tracking, which is ok but every time I need my phone to start, is rather inconvenient. And I never could stop it easily.

Here are some problems with Mi Band 6 (Amazon $42.38)

1. count swimming in steps
2. custom face keeps disappearing
3. how to stop

I’ve XiaoMi 2 from China when it was first released. I was in Beijing and purchased three, at ¥100 or ¥300 a piece. I recently opened the last one and it still works (right). Regardless where I purchase, it seems no customer service whatsoever.

All the companies I’ve contacted on Facebook (in different industry) have replied, except Mi band and Moov. I can’t find user’s guide online.

* By Jan 2022, my Mi band stops counting the laps. Kaput *

 Mi band: pros and cons

小米⌚️ 1⃣️ 左 6 右 2

需要: 一个🏊‍♀️计趟表… 买了小米6

好处: 便宜 $40. 记趟正确
不好: 距离好像不太准确. 40趟3⃣️应该是1000 (1,093); 10 趟 2⃣️应该是 250 (273). 🏊‍♀️时间不能用: 停止时 需要一大堆手续(左滑右划 上下划…崩溃)[捂脸]. 而且记布程序把游泳加到步伐里. 有没有搞错呀 大佬
还有很多其它功能 都没用.

总结: 可有可无. 俺的时间都是靠泳池墙上的数码时间器. 40趟20分钟容易记 – 所以 可有可无

米2 可以沾水(刚刚出产时国内买的; 最近刚刚打开)有人要 请出声. 功能挺多 俺没用 ([嘘]不会用[呲牙][闭嘴])

Going under 20 minutes at 19:37, much of the laps were done with flip turns. Very glad that my lags and knees feel good enough to do so. I think I could go faster if I push myself harder. Got a new bathing cap in black by TYR, (made in China, $9.68), the old white Speedo was ripped, after four months.

It was ok when I started out but when I got to the parking lot, the rain began to pound the earth of NewYork. Everyone has their cloth on – it would be cool to wear the bathing suit straight from the car – that would be a riot!

Two good news:

1. 1,000 free for 19:36 (6:00 to 25:36, touch and go)
2. 25 yard fly for 0:40 – my first ever straight fly

… more flys

• 2023 Oct: 10.15, 10.16
• 2023 Sept

🏊‍♂️ my best timing in swimming this year: 1,000 yard 19:45 [愉快]💃 oh ya [玫瑰][爱心]

🏊 进步 缩短到了十几分钟了 💃

foliage …

A bug infested Michael Tully Park

Sunday, 2021.10.24

2021.10.21

The system at the pool is inadequate on weekends due to kiddie program. A staff has to use paper to record us, instead of the electronic check in. perhaps due to this, we got on the pool deck earlier than usual: the clock on the wall was only few seconds old. When I took my phone out, it turns 1:03. Our usual starting time is around 3 minutes because we have to get down from the street level, and I’ll never be the first in line.  

FEMA has been working out of this facility, opening up at 8am every day, for the victims of Hurricane Ida. But I’ve not seen a single applicant. My neighbor did theirs online.

Lifeguards are always needed. 

^{This pool was opened in 1978}

I’m pretty happy for doing 1,000 under 21 minutes. But it may not be right due to counting error. Is it two laps short? The watch says I swum 50 laps in 28 minutes.

One of the morning swimmers, Marvin said he started to swim here since 1978.
A pause.
I said, “Oh, since it was first opened?”
A pause.
Marvin: “Yes.”

The rainiest season/summer/year 🌧, a perfect condition for the mushrooms to prosper.

Why do I find this “Cold tempered shower” grossly superfluous? They didn’t trust us that we could actually adjust the water to our liking? Or was it done by a dirty politician who was trying to gain votes?

没有见过这么湿☔️的夏天/年
🍄开开心心健康成长

5⃣️ 画蛇添足 还是脱👖fp 还是政客贪污? 觉得以前的水温都可以自己调. 真是一不留神就回到了解放前.

Under 23 minutes for a 1,000 yards is probably my best timing for now. And the one I would like to maintain.

• my timing
• my first butterfly 

I signed up at Michael Tully pool when the Whitney Pond closed last Friday, August 20 because the kids/lifeguards are returning to school.

The area to the left, used to be a diving pool. The water slide was added around 2008 renovation, which jacked up water temperature. The re-structure was more for the politicians gaining vote than practical, imho: bugs are seen everywhere; water temperature are pre-set, unchangeable, they’re either too hot or too cold. Unbelievable! What happened to the adjustable shower faucets? 

People taking their swimming pretty serious: the bags lining up in the morning, to beat the opening which is at 9am.

On Monday, as I was doing my laps in free style, an old Asian man cut right in front of me to get out. I thought that’s pretty rude. He has all the time to leave while I was away but he chose not to. I had stopped abrupt to avoid collusion. He said, “I’m  sorry” a couple of times.

Shouldn’t the lifeguard blow his whistle to warn the swimmers? The gym is still there, so is the sauna and steam room.

On Wednesday another Asian man got into the pool without letting me know, as again, I was doing free laps. After seeing him, I stopped, to say, I take one side and he should take the other side. When I was done, I told him, next time, please make sure I know you’re coming in, to avoid any collusion.

“No English.”

I called the lifeguard and the manager came to explain … got his granddaughter to translate… He felt the lane was only one swimmer but that was NOT the issue. Gosh, people have their own thought and don’t listen or refuse to listen. How can we communicate and solve problem?

Today a guy got in and said, “my board was there …” when it was NOT: when I got in, the pool was empty. He was nowhere to be seen. How could his board was there?

… and the bugs in the shower stalls …