I've always been a big believer in having Masters athletes race against elite athletes in exhibitions. First, these kinds of events can show off the skill levels of Masters athletes. And second, they can be great fund-raising events. Case in point: The spectacle of a Masters swimmer racing an Olympian helped raise $150,000 for Daytona (Fla.) State College's new swimming program. A few weeks ago, Charlie Lydecker, a 45-year-old Masters swimmer, went Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte to a race in the 200-meter individual medley -- a race in which Lochte won the gold in Beijing. The combination of Lochte's star power and the novelty of his racing a Masters swimmer created a huge buzz. More than 900 people ended up paying $100 a ticket to watch the race. Lydecker got a 15-second headstart and the race came down to who out-touched who. You can read more about it by clicking here.