Twin Pike Family YMCA Swimmers Lap the World Thirteen Times
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Members in the Twin Pike Family YMCA Swim Around the World Club swam around the world 13 times in 2024. Members swam a total of 1,330 miles or 43,890 laps. In the YMCA pool, one lap is measured as swimming down and back the lane or 25 yards. Swimming 33 laps equals one swimming mile. To make it possible to actually “swim around the world”, a spreadsheet and conversion factors are used.
In 2024, there were two top swimmers in the Club in two categories. The swimmer with the most miles from the Aquatics staff was Lauren Ince of Louisiana, a lifeguard and member of the Twin Pike Family YMCA Torpedoes and the Louisiana/Clopton High School Swim Team. The member with the most miles was Leecia Carnes of Pittsfield.
Participants can choose to swim any number of miles they want based on the goal they set for themselves. This allows each swimmer to customize the program to meet his or her own individual goals. Swimmers can also change their goals during the year.
Swimmers record their laps each day in a log book. Each week, the number of miles swam is calculated. A world map is set up on the pool deck with various stopping points so swimmers can see where they are on their journey around the world. They will get to swim by and stop at such exciting locations as Fiji, the Hawaiian Islands, Costa Rica, Italy, and more.
Participants can swim or exercise in the water any way they want as long as their exercise can be converted into miles. Some swimmers use traditional strokes such as freestyle and breaststroke. However, noodle riding and kicking with a kickboard can also be counted. The aquatics staff can also set up a plan for participants to water walk their way around the world.
Comments from participants include, “. . . the club helped me stay accountable . . . I surprised myself on how much I could do . . . I liked seeing my progress on the map . . . I liked learning how to swim the laps for exercise . . . I enjoyed getting exercise this way, it was so easy on my joints . . . I liked the companionship with other swimmers . . . I like the peacefulness of swimming . . .”
Members swimming regularly in the 2024 swim club include Sarah Akers, Theresa Baker, Donna Ramsey, and Bev Wolfgram of Bowling Green; Pat Ankelman of Eolia; Linda Borders, Nancy Geery, David Hager, Jo Hager, Lauren Ince, Sally Logan, Ryan Owens of Louisiana; Leecia Carnes, Nevin Grigsby and Mike Roseberry of Pittsfield; and Todd and Amy Strubinger of Barry.
Anyone interested in joining the club is invited to visit the Twin Pike Family YMCA in Louisiana, Missouri or call 573-754-4497 for more information. In addition, the Twin Pike Family YMCA is running a membership-joining special through the end of January. The community is invited to stop in for a tour.
