Swimming for Life

Ralph Mohr

Eel Lake swimmers— left to right: two unknown swimmers, Helen Slack Miller, Arianna Elnes, Laura Schob, Dave Radcliff, Mike Carew, Ed Ramsey — It was not planned. After the Eel Lake OMS Open Water Swims were cancelled this summer, despite Matt Miller’s constant attempts to get the Oregon Parks Department to change their mind, local swimmers on the Oregon coast continued to swim in near-by lakes. It turned out, though, there were numerous […]

Flash Mob at Eel Lake

August 24, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Featured / Human Interest by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — With pools opening up and lakes warming up in Oregon, swimmers are emerging from a required break. Hopefully everyone will remember to use sunblock, not sunscreen, when swimming outdoors. The rules for sunblock while swimming are simple: use nothing that is only chemicals, especially oxybenzone. The only real sunblocks are […]

Swim bits – July 2020

June 12, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — As we are all waiting to get back in the water, this gives us time to consider what we will do once we get wet again. There are all sorts of workouts available online. What about our mental approach? With the 2020 season so changed, what are your new goals? […]

New Beginnings

April 17, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — Potpourri Former University of Oregon swimmer, Mike Hastings, died at the end of February. Hastings held the 200 fly record for the Ducks and swam with Masters swimmers, Ron Nakata, Dave Boyd and Ralph Mohr, among others. Hastings started his coaching career in 1962 as the second coach of the […]

Swim Bits – April 2020

March 18, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — ‘If exercise were a pill, it would be hailed as a “wonder drug.” ‘ We swimmers are doing something right. We’re just not getting credit for it in international media. A recent on-line article mirrors this: https://www.bbc.com/news/health-51006325. The article is on marathon runners, in a study done by an English […]

Swim Bits – February 2020

January 18, 2020 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — Most of us remember that Mark Spitz won seven gold medals with seven world records at the 1972 Munich Olympics. What most don’t know is that Spitz almost did not swim his first event, the 200 butterfly. After the Mexico City Olympics four years earlier when he finished last in […]

Swim Bits – How I Came to Appreciate Mark Spitz ...

October 18, 2019 in Aqua Master Online / Human Interest / Memories / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — SLC, Revenge, and Murray Rose After Mark Spitz’ less than sterling performance at the Mexico City Olympics, he enrolled at the University of Indiana under Doc Councilman. There was a lot of talk about how he would adjust to Doc’s style of coaching and how Doc would handle him. Some […]

How I Came to Appreciate Mark Spitz – Part 4

September 17, 2019 in Aqua Master Online / Human Interest / Memories / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr

Back to Front, Left to Right: Oregon Swimmers Ed Ramsey, Bob Bruce, Ralph Mohr, Matt Miller, Jayette Pettit, Suzy Jajewski, and Jeanna Summers at Whiskeytown Lake — Eight stalwart Oregon Masters swimmers went to Whiskeytown Lake, Sept 8, to swim amidst desolation and ashes. Last year the Whiskeytown races were not held due to the disastrous Carr Fire near Redding. From the starting line at Brandy Creek, swimmers could see fire-swept hills in the distance and charred […]

The Whiskeytown Gang!

September 17, 2019 in Aqua Master Online / Events / Meet Summary by Ralph Mohr

Ralph Mohr — It’s a little known fact that Mark Spitz was considered to be a world class long distance freestyler as well as a butterflier. In the summer of 1966 the AAU Long Course National Championships were held at Lincoln, NE. I happened to be free that August, having resigned as coach […]

How I Came to Appreciate Mark Spitz – Part 3: ...

August 19, 2019 in Aqua Master Online / Swim Bits by Ralph Mohr