How do you keep track of your swim laps? (Page 2)

I use a combination of different techniques. I usually swim sets of 350. At first I would just do the math in my head (1:45, 3:30, 5:15, 6 something - done). But since I have started doing more sets, I have just gone to using the timer function on my watch. I set it for 7:00 and it counts down. If I hit the wall within 1 minute remaining, then I'm done. If I hit zero's, then I have gone an extra 50+ (depending on how much daydreaming I am doing), More than a minute remaining and I have another 50 to swim.
To keep track of the sets, I created a chart (my ghetto lap counter), it is numbered sequentially. I laminated the chart with two pennies inside it and use a grease pencil to keep count.
For my continuous sets (3000 straight), I use the timer again and set it for 1 hour. I know I am swimming more than 3000, but I figure it is easier than counting that many laps in my head

Good luck

I use my SportCount. ( www.sportcount.com )...Excellent toy!!!

I count mentally by 10. After 10, I move a lane bouy. At the end, count the number of lane bouys x 10. Make sure swimmers in adjacent lane is not using the same lane divider!  Also, If I do lose count, usually between 6, 7or 8 for some reason, I error on conservative side.

I hire a Sports Illustrated swim suit model to sit at the end of the pool and count my laps for me.

Mark

Uniform numbers:

1, 2, 3, 4 ... if I lose count before then, time to get out of the pool and come back after finding where in the pumpkin patch I left my fool head.

5 ... Johnny Bench
6 ... Julius Erving
7 ... John Elway
8 ... Cal Ripken
9 ... Teddy Ballgame

I get the player in my head during the lap.

Whatever mnemonic device it takes.

I probably should have said that distance is irrelevant to me.  Swim is my strength, so I only put in the effort to maintain.  If I do the equivalent of maybe a couple miles a week give or take a mile, that's good enough.  I guess if you are trying to build up endurance, you might want to pay a little more attention to it.  But I'd hazard a guess that most people could go to the pool 2-3x a week, put in some time doing a few longer sets and some sprints, and they'll build up to a reasonable level of performance if they feel that they are falling short of where they'd like to be.  Unless you are trying to nail a podium spot, what's a minute one way or the other on the swim leg of any race longer than a sprint?

i tend to think in 100s

in a 25yd pool, i think of my lengths in 4s to add to 100: 1-1, 1-2, 1-3, 1-4 (=100) then 2-1, 2-2, 2-3, 2-4 (=200) then 3-1, 3-2, 3-3, 3-4 (=300)  etc.  

on the lovely times when my pool switches the lanes around and makes 50m lanes, l i also think of it in 100s, except i count by far wall touches.  so 1 far wall touch = 100m total, 2 far wall touches = 200m total, etc.