General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Another strange pool experience Rss Feed  
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2010-08-06 12:30 PM


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Subject: Another strange pool experience
So I'm at the Y today just before noon, before the lunch crowd comes to swim.  I have lane to myself and the other lanes are all occupied with one person in each and the average age of those people is around 70.  The other swimmers are doing their swims at what I would consider a leisurely pace.  I'm in the middle of a 5X100 set resting on the wall for 30 seconds when the lifeguard asks if I will share my lane with this woman.....who is also 70 years old!  I said "sure" and moved over. 

Why would the lifeguard pick me out as a person to share a lane with?  Wouldn't it stand to reason that this swimmer would likely be more comfortable and safer in a lane with swimmers similar to her?  I didn't get it.  When the lane next to use opened up this lady bolted for it and tried going over the lane marker and got hung up.  She acted like I was chasing her.



2010-08-06 12:33 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
maybe she thought you were cute?Tongue out
2010-08-06 12:36 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
so the lifeguard was acting as a matchmaker?  Interesting. 
2010-08-06 12:38 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Those guys stand there all day telling snotty kids off for running, they have to have a little fun
2010-08-06 12:39 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
If the leisurely swimmers at your Y are like the ones at mine they take up a whole lane by themselves.  The ones I see do a combination free,breast,side frog kick stroke which pretty much takes up 2/3s of a lane.  You put 2 of them in one lane your bound for disaster.  You  probably only take up 1/3 of the lane, which leaves the other 2/3s free for the leisure stroke.  

The lifegaurd was just using simple math and accident prevention. 
2010-08-06 12:40 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Maybe you need to pick up your pace?


2010-08-06 12:43 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
2010-08-06 12:50 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Were the other 70 y.o. swimmers stopping at the walls?  Lifeguard might have chose you if you were the only one with their head out of the water.
2010-08-06 12:55 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience

They were all basically out of the water in some form or fashion.

2010-08-06 1:38 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
enjoyed your post and actually still chuckling thinking about her jumping over the lane rope and getting hung up
2010-08-06 1:41 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
obi-racing - 2010-08-06 1:39 PM If the leisurely swimmers at your Y are like the ones at mine they take up a whole lane by themselves.  The ones I see do a combination free,breast,side frog kick stroke which pretty much takes up 2/3s of a lane.  You put 2 of them in one lane your bound for disaster.  You  probably only take up 1/3 of the lane, which leaves the other 2/3s free for the leisure stroke.  

The lifegaurd was just using simple math and accident prevention. 


This (as "they" say)

It's safer, easier, and usually more enjoyable to share a lane with someone who seems to know what they're doing.


2010-08-06 1:43 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Could have been anything. Maybe you were in the lane closest to the lifeguard and it was convenience?

Something similiar happened to a friend. Afterwards she actually asked the lifeguard (very nicely) and the lifeguard told her the other 2 swimmers were well known grouches and she looked more approachable.

2010-08-06 1:49 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience

I also train at the Y and my lunchtime swims in the summer have been a PITA because of all the camp swimmers.  We had two lap lanes today, including one that was being monopolized by a floater taking up the whole lane.  The poor girl trying to swim in the lane with her kept having to almost stop or dive under her.

Then a fifth person came along and the LG stopped us all to start circle swimming (only myself and the REALLY good swimmer in the lane with me even knew what that was LOL).  The floater lady refused, muttering some excuse about some injury or malady or something.

Then the three of us in one lane all swam very different speeds (good swimmer 1:20, me about 2:05, the other lady maybe 2:30), so it was like an OWS!

I'd hate to see this happen to the type-A crazies at 5:30 a.m....though they have the lanes designated by speed for that .

2010-08-06 2:04 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Our pool opens 3 lanes for an hour a day. Imagine the number of people trying to get a lane. Some days there are 4 people per lane circle swimming. It totally sucks. I moved all of my swims to the lake, but not sure that is great because I have been suffering more stomach ailments. I think it may be from the lake water. I digress...I have made many an old lady mad because I don't swim the way they think I should...The funniest part is that water aerobics goes on at the same time and I get to look at all the old lady butts underwater when I pick the pool. I entertain myself however I can! LOL
2010-08-06 2:12 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience

Maybe it was a passive-aggressive move on the lifeguard's part?  Did you take his parking space? Wink

Seriously, though, is it considered bad form to say no?  I've only been pool swimming for several months, so not sure about the etiquette of the situation, but are you in for it if you question the lifeguard's choice of lane?

I'm all for sharing lanes, but you'd think they'd at least try to pair up swimmers with similar abilities.

Or am I completely off my rocker with this assumption?

2010-08-06 2:39 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience

I'm of the mindset that what goes around comes around, so if I don't share my lane with someone I am likely to have that same thing happen to me when I want to swim in someone else's lane.  I don't like it, but unless the person is a complete lunatic or flailer I will usually say "yes".



2010-08-06 3:15 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
the pool at my gym only has three lanes.  because I am an idiot I used to always watch for people camping out waiting for a lane and let them know I will share.  Most people gave me the cross-eyed look of confusion and women tended to think I was just being a perv.  I no longer offer but I will share if someone asks. 
2010-08-06 3:39 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
I've been put in a lane with 3 other people who together took up the ENTIRE lane, so I was forced to swim lengths under water Yell
2010-08-06 7:25 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
I was doing my swim workout at my local gym a few weeks ago and the aqua fitness crowd (over 70, depends wearing geriatrics) rolled in. My bad, I forgot they did their thing at the time of day. So I'm trying to cram in as much of my workout as possible and the instructor (middle aged female) strolls over and informs me that I can stay if I swim the width of the pool...I didn't know if she was busting my balls or if she was serious. Either way I packed my stuff and left. Note to self...check the schedule!

rb

p.s. These old folks are more territorial than rottweilers about their space in the pool.
2010-08-06 8:28 PM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
As a correlary to this, do swimmers sand-bag their swimming ability when they see someone show up they may need to share a lane with? I walked into the pool the other day and EVERYONE seemed to be doing the backstroke butterfly with extra flailing. I pick the least scary guy to share a lane with and suddenly everyone is swimming a normal stroke!
2010-08-07 7:41 AM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
coreyasaur - 2010-08-06 6:28 PM As a correlary to this, do swimmers sand-bag their swimming ability when they see someone show up they may need to share a lane with? I walked into the pool the other day and EVERYONE seemed to be doing the backstroke butterfly with extra flailing. I pick the least scary guy to share a lane with and suddenly everyone is swimming a normal stroke!


Guilty on this one except the opposite.  If I see someone who I've profiled probably won't be a good lane mate, I quickly break into butterfly as they approach.  It has only failed me once when the result was I pulled my shoulder and they got the whole lane.  Karma?


2010-08-07 8:18 AM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
Well if your LGs are anything like the ones at the Y I go to there probably wasn't any reasoning behind it. Our LGs are not the most motivated kids. I occasionally see a few of them sleeping in their chair during morning swims. Just typical high school kids.

I also learned the importance of checking the pool schedule before jumping into the pool for the typical activities such as summer campers, aqua fitness groups, or swim team. I don't mind the campers and all of the chaos that comes along with them (I have 3 kids so I live in a perpetual state of chaos at home) but it does increase the probability that some kid gets over excited and craps in the pool. It literally is like a semi-monthly event. The pool is constantly being closed for either 24 hours or 48 hours so they can shock it. So in addition to knowing the schedule I do call up to the Y and ask if it is open.
2010-08-07 8:22 AM
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Subject: RE: Another strange pool experience
I, depending on which  side of the bed I arose from,  will either graciously invite someone to join me or start doing sub 1:00 minute 100m repeats.   Not many care to join me then......Innocent
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