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Newsletter
June 27, 2008
by Tim Sheeper
In this edition:

Swim Pro

This is a dream come true for me.  Menlo Masters and Burgess Pool are proud to welcome Susie Mogensen to our coaching and teaching staff with the title of "Swim Pro." 

Susie, our Swim Pro will be available in blocks of four hours, four days a week to teach, instruct, guide, mentor, and assist anyone on a one-to-one basis with their swimming needs or concerns.

This is a great opportunity. Here are samples of how to utilize Susie's services:
1. Improve/Refine your stroke technique.
2. Learn a new stroke you have never been taught.
3. Learn a dive or a flip turn.
4. Bring a significant other or child for direct and professional instruction in a highly focused and positive setting.

Here are the Vitals:
Pro: Susie is a lifelong swimmer, a national and collegiate competitor, and a Menlo Masters member since 1998.  Susie is entering her second career as an instructor and a new Mom after a successful 15 year stint as a corporate attorney.   Every swimmer under her tutelage will benefit from her knowledge, expertise and empathy for people.

Registration: 
Done entirely at the front desk.  Come in or call 650-328-7946.  (Online registration will be available mid July)  All lessons need to be booked 48 hours in advance and cancellations must be made 48 hours in advance to avoid charges. 

Days and Times:
Tuesdays 6:00-9:30 AM
Wednesdays 1:00-4:00 PM
Thursdays 6:00-9:30 AM
Saturdays 1:00-5:00 PM

Pricing:
1 x 1 hour $90
4 x 1 hour $340
8 x 1 hour $640


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Menlo Masters and Mountain View Masters Swim Meet

To continue the momentum that was created at the Dick Bennett Memorial Meet we will host the Mountain View Masters to a Sunday morning of swimming and brunching, on July 27, 2008 form 8:00-11:00 AM.  This quick and efficient meet is a superb event to use as marker to keep your swim participation on track this busy summer.

No registration, fees, USMS cards, passports, or birth certificates are required. Only two requirements are your presence and optimism.

Mark the date on your calendar.  Here are the vitals:

Menlo Masters and Mountain View Masters Dual Meet
Sunday July 27, 2008
8:00-11:00 AM

Location:  Burgess Park Pool, 501 Laurel Street, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Facility:  11-lane, 25 yard outdoor, heated pool. 8 lanes for competition.  6 lanes in additional 25 yard, heated pool will be available for warm up and warm down.  Bleachers, lawn, picnic tables and locker room available.

Timeline: Arrival and warm-up will begin at 7:15am.  Meet will begin at 8:00 AM.
Swim events will finish at 10:00 AM no matter how far we are in the program, so swim early and swim often.  Menlo Masters hosted brunch on the adjoining grass area 10:00-11:00 AM.

Entries: Not needed.  Show up and swim.  All heats will be self-seeded fast to fastest.  Winning a heat by more than a pool length is discouraged.
Honest seeding is encouraged.

Entry Fees:  None. 

Awards:  Some, but they are a surprise.

Events: (Odd=Women, Even=Men)
1-2 500 yard Freestyle (may be swum two per lane-40 minute event limit)
3-4 100 Breast
5-6 200 Free
7-8 50 Fly
9-10 100 Free
11-12 100 Back
13-14 50 Free
15-16 100 IM (Random stroke order-blindly picked before each heat)
17-18 200 Relay (It will be adventurous-be prepared)


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It's the Water

In my interaction with hundreds of energetic, goal oriented, achievement minded individuals, I am treated to the enviable honor of learning about outstanding accomplishments by our athletic people. 

I believe it is time that everyone is aware of the "movement" that Menlo Park and specifically Burgess Pool is experiencing.

It's the Water
Menlo Park has quickly become a hub for endurance and extreme endurance sport enthusiasts over the past two years.

What has transformed a historically calm, quiet and conservative town of 30,000 residents on the San Francisco peninsula, to a place where fitness giants are congregating and feeding off of each other's energy and enthusiasm while extending the boundaries of human capability?

It's the water!

Burgess Park Pool in Menlo Park is the common denominator.  This beautiful aquatic gem tucked away in the middle of suburbia at first glance is a seemingly innocuous family focused fun center.  Although, partnering with this fun center is a world class endurance breeding ground.  Burgess Park Pool is a place where hundreds of athletes are defining and refining their athletic well being, and at the same time honing and gathering confidence.

The true magic of Burgess Park Pool is in the confidence that individuals glean from the internally developed athletic community.  It is this confidence that enables these local athletes to attempt feats and adventures that were at one time reserved only for our society's fringe inhabitants.  Now, it is very common for these extreme events to be jammed into a long weekend so the individual/athlete can return to their jobs and families by Monday morning.  They return to society, after one of these many excursions, with a better perspective of themselves, a better perspective of life, and a better perspective of how they can make change in theirs and other people's lives.  Again, the magic.

The following is an incomplete list of the accomplishments by individuals who are part of the Burgess Phenomenon.   This has all been accomplished by our unique and soulful community in the two short years since the grand opening of Burgess Pool on May 20, 2006.

1. Catalina Channel Swim-22 mile solo swim crossing of the Catalina Channel.
2. Catalina Channel Swim-6 person relay team crossing of the 22 mile Catalina Channel
3. Maui Channel Swim-Solo double crossing of the Maui Channel. 20 miles total, first double time in recorded history.  Maui to Lanai to Maui
4. Race Across America-4 person relay, 3000 mile bicycle race across the United States in 8 days.
5. Badwater Ultramarathon-135 mile running race across Death Valley which heats up to 130 degrees in the middle of July.
6. Marathon  des Sables-6 day 151 mile foot race across the Sahara Desert in Morocco.
7. Western States 100-100 mile running race in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
8. Primal Quest-10 day, 500 mile adventure race, with 4 person relay teams, Montana in 2008.
9. 24 Hours of Triathlon-A continuous triathlon for 24 hours in Denver
10. Triple Ironman-7.2 mile swim, 336 mile bike, 78.6 mile run straight, Virginia.
11. Ultraman-3 day triathlon around the big island of Hawaii-Day 1-6.2 mile swim and 95 mile bike Day 2-171 mile bike Day 3-52.4 mile run
12. Furnace Creek 508-508 mile bike race through Death Valley, Mojave Desert finishing in Twentynine Palms.
13. Rim-to-Rim-to-Rim-Single day Grand Canyon hike.
14. Hawaii Ironman 70.3-30 athletes complete half ironman triathlon on the Big Island of Hawaii.
15. Arrowhead 135- A 135 mile solo running race through the snow of Minnesota with temperatures down to -20 degrees.
16. 50x50x50- A triathlon in each of the 50 states by an athlete almost 50 years old.

Where does it go from here?  What possibly could be next? 

We can only wait and see.  Marveling at the current accomplishments should suffice for the moment.

I am proud to be a part of this movement and hopefully the people of the greater Menlo Park community can also be proud of the connection.


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Pizza and Polo Night

There is another blossoming program at Burgess Pool.  It is our women's water polo team known as the Menlo Mavens.  They have been in existence for only two years, and they have already made their mark on the National scene with their fundamentally sound and spirited play.  They are hosting an "outreach" to educate, inform and attract their pool mates the Menlo Masters.  This is what their coach Lindsay Holland has to say about the Pizza and Polo Night on:
Friday August 15, 6:00 pm.

Do you miss playing water polo? Are you curious about the game? Would you like to spend an evening laughing, playing, and getting a great workout with your fellow swimmers? We hope so. Circle August 15th on your calendars, because we're reviving Pizza & Polo Night.

Warm up starts at 6:00 p.m., at which time the Menlo Mavens water polo team will teach you a few basic skills and rules. Starting at 6:30, we'll all play in a fun, relaxed, co-ed scrimmage. We'll be having pizza and socializing on deck by 7:30.

The Top Ten Reasons to Attend Pizza & Polo Night:
10. You're a super aquatics jock and want to master the sport that was originally called "water rugby."
9. You love your teammates and want an excuse to hang out with them.
8. You think you love your teammates, but you only really know the ones who swim in your lane. In water polo, there are no lanes!
7. You want to test your hand-eye coordination.
6. You want to test Coach Judy and Rick's hand-eye coordination.
5. You like pizza.
4. You like people whistling at you while you swim.
3. You heard that the Mavens were outstandingly successful at the national tournament, and you'd like to meet these wonderful ladies.
2. You're thinking of becoming a Maven but want to first test the waters with your fellow swimmers.
1. Your kid/grandkid/wife/husband/friend/neighbor/mother/co-worker/teammate raves about the game, and you want to know what all the fuss is about...

Feel free to come watch and cheer, but bring your suit just in case!

Don't forget to show up on August 15th for an evening of guaranteed fun!


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Building Your Investment Portfolio

Yes, the diversity of our team and of our offerings is uncanny.  The talent pool of our members is unmatched and I think we all can benefit when a team member offers their professional service to the team.  Team member, Simon Cassidy, a former professional triathlete and current Menlo Masters swimmer has planned an evening to enlighten and inform us on financial matters.  The vitals are as follow:

Building Your Investment Portfolio
Tuesday, July 15 at 6:30-8:00 PM
Burgess Recreation Center, Room 112

Simon will make a brief presentation on some of the key aspects to investing in public markets.  He will include practical applications on howto determine an appropriate risk level and how to structure and monitor your investment portfolio.  The question period can cover a wider range of topics, from alternative investments like hedge funds to commodity investing.

You can find out more about Simon at:
www.triathloninvestments.com


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Holy Rollers Complete RAAM

This is pretty cool stuff.  Check out what our team mates are doing when they are out of the pool
http://www.paloaltodailynews.com/article/2008-6-11-vytas


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Building Futures Now

We are in the thick of it.  Our first group of 15 third graders has been selected.  They are starting summer school next week with our Menlo Masters positioned as "Summer Reading Buddies."  Also, we have 7 fantastic team members who have selflessly committed to become mentors to these children for an entire year, and we are hoping to begin the school year in September with every child having a mentor.

You are welcome to assist with our foundation in any capacity that fits with your lifestyle.

More information about Building Futures Now at:
http://buildingfuturesnow.org


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