Swim travel/prep time vs actual pool time (Page 2)

- Go upstairs, put on swim suit.

- Come downstairs, go out back door.

- Take cover off Endless Pool.

- Get in, turn on current, start swimming.

Elapsed time: less than 2 minutes.

Swim for 30-60 minutes.

- Get out of pool and dry off.

- Put cover back on.

- Go upstairs and change.

Elapsed time: less than 3 minutes.

So, prep/travel time < 5:00.  Swim time > 30:00.

My job allows me to come and go as I please, and my car is my locker room.  I always carry my bike, and accessories, swim bag, and workout bag.  I have two towels, one getting washed and other ready to use.  I stop at the gym as I am driving by anyways.  Off with the clothes, quick wash off and in the pool for around 3 hours.

But I was a swimmer all through elementary, high school, and college, so coach was like.....let's go get in the water NOW.  It was after the workout that we hung in the shower. (so to speak)

more time than it's worth?  i agree with mrrbrad.  we take the time because it's worth it.  

what about going to the movies?  or to the mall?  instead of renting/netfix/etc, do you take 15-30+ minutes to drive to a movie, only to go in and sit there for 1-2+ hours, then drive home?  or going to the mall?  if you live outside of a reasonably sized town, you may drive over 30 minutes each way, just to spend 20 minutes finding a parking spot, 1 hour wandering the mall to buy something, then 20 minutes fighting mall traffic to get back on the road, then another 30+ to get home.  yet we (the collective "we" as a society) still seem to do these things ..... 

at least with swimming, we get a workout, feel good when we're done, and can even stop for ice cream on the way home if we want!  

I can sympathize with this.

Pack my bag - 5 minutes

Argue with 2 year old about getting dressed to leave the house then drag him kicking and screaming upstairs to get him ready against his will - 15 minutes

Pack 2yo's bag for the gym - 5 minutes

Get shoes and coats then into the car - 5 minutes

Run back inside for forgotten toy/snack/cup/bag/keys/whatever - 5 minutes

Drive to gym with whining child begging not to go to the gym - 20 minutes

Slog into gym dragging kid while juggling bags/cups/toys/keys/whatever - 5 minutes

Convince clingy kid to let mommy go swim - 5 minutes

Change, shower and into pool - 5 minutes

Swim - 60 minutes

Shower, dress, dry hair - 15 minutes

Convince kid's hyper evil twin that it really is time to go home - 5 minutes

Lug everyone and everything back to the car that I swore was parked a lot closer to the entrance - 5 minutes

Buckle in raving lunatic while avoiding thrashing limbs and bribing with crackers and juice - 5 minutes

Catching my breath and eating a post-workout snack to fortify myself for the drive home - 5 minutes

Drive home with music blaring to drown out the screaming banshee in the back seat begging to go back to the gym - 20 minutes

Take unrecognizable beast into kitchen for feeding time - 5 minutes

Recovering from swim training in a closet with a bottle of wine - the rest of the day

Pool is on my way home to/from work.  So morning swims are 1-1.5 hours time in the pool.  Swim gear stays in my swim bag, I wash jammers while in the shower after each workout, they dry in my car.   Masters swims are 7:00 in the evening twice a week so add 30 minutes to chit-chat time in the jacuzzi before and after the workout.  Oh yeah, we've got a board meeting after this Tuesday's workout at the local tavern.  That extra time can range from 1 hour to 2 hours+.

Ha ha ha! I'm cracking up. That makes me feel better. At least my kids like to go (most days). I have totally done the turn up the music to drown out the screaming thing too And I can't even tell you how many screaming toddlers the poor moms have to drag out of my toddler gym class. It isn't pretty!