Yesterday I swam in a pool I had never been to before. The pool is 30.5 meters (33.3 yards) long X 20 yards wide. Starting blocks were on the 20 yards.
Why would a pool be built at 30.5 meters? Would you change your workout to accommodate this unusual distance?
My normal 4000 meter workout, turned into 4880 meters. I would like to continue to use this pool,however I will have to put in some serious thinking into my workouts.
It's been many, many years ago, but I was a lifeguard at UCLA in the mid-70s, both at the Rec Center pool & at the pools adjoining the mens' and womens' gyms, apparently now called the Student Activities Center and Kaufman Hall, respectively. I have this vague notion that one of those gym pools was a non-standard length, perhaps 33yds? Looks the pools or their successors are still there.
7273
Are there any other old codgers who swam at those pools BITD who remember how long they were?
Sorry to resurrect this old thread...I came across it when Google searching something about various pool lengths. But, I thought I'd add to it...
As a military retiree, I swim at the pool on the local Navy base. They just built/opened a new 25m pool a couple years ago. But up until that time the pool used for recreation (MWR) swimming was 35 yards long. At one time there were actually two pool like this on the base...and some of the real old timers tell me of another that was razed many years ago. While on active duty in the Navy, I was stationed at a couple of other bases that also have 35 yard pools. So after asking the real old timers more questions about why the military build 35 yard pools I eventually was told that it was so outside entities (high schools, colleges, clubs) would not ask the to use the pools since they weren't of a length that could be used for records.
Dan
Sorry to resurrect this old thread...I came across it when Google searching something about various pool lengths. But, I thought I'd add to it...
As a military retiree, I swim at the pool on the local Navy base. They just built/opened a new 25m pool a couple years ago. But up until that time the pool used for recreation (MWR) swimming was 35 yards long. At one time there were actually two pool like this on the base...and some of the real old timers tell me of another that was razed many years ago. While on active duty in the Navy, I was stationed at a couple of other bases that also have 35 yard pools. So after asking the real old timers more questions about why the military build 35 yard pools I eventually was told that it was so outside entities (high schools, colleges, clubs) would not ask the to use the pools since they weren't of a length that could be used for records.
Dan
Our club practiced at a base pool in the summer. I can't remember exactly how it was set up because they stopped letting us use the pool when I was around 11 or so (the pool doesn't exist anymore). But it was L shaped with a shorter distance and longer distance. Neither distance was competitive length but both were "good enough for a workout". If memory serves me right, one way was 35 meters and the other way was 33 yards. In any case, it was a nice change of pace for June & July when the high school pool rental stopped. Fresh outdoor air and always feeling fast at meets were enough to make up for the frigid water and not really knowing how fast you are for two months.
The pool my morning youth swimmers practice at is 27 yards. I believe it was built about 30-40 years ago. Not sure if it was intentionally built to be 27 yards to discourage competition, or if that's just what it ended up being. It's next door to a high school, so while it's the high school's home pool, they don't do any meets at it. I've swum there a few times on my own and it's odd. The flags seem to be somewhere between 5y and 5m from the walls, so my back turns are kinda funky.
27 yards is 24.7m so it might be or have intended to be a 25m pool.
The pool my morning youth swimmers practice at is 27 yards. I believe it was built about 30-40 years ago. Not sure if it was intentionally built to be 27 yards to discourage competition, or if that's just what it ended up being. It's next door to a high school, so while it's the high school's home pool, they don't do any meets at it. I've swum there a few times on my own and it's odd. The flags seem to be somewhere between 5y and 5m from the walls, so my back turns are kinda funky.
Oddly, the distance marked at one end by a tall decorative cement barrier that segmented the pool from a smaller shallow end for reclining. Move that wall a 4 feet or so, and it's a regulation pool. But, hey, the towels were big and fluffy.
Was that with jersey barriers? I've heard of them being used in other pools that are too long. Specifically in some of the older 35 yard pools on some military installations that I mentioned previously. They placed the barriers so they'd be right at 25 meters and then that leaves 25 feet or so for a play area for the kiddies.
Dan
My college pool was like that too: rpiathletics.com/.../GEN_0519103709.aspx (halfway down the page). I've never seen it without the bulkhead.
As is Union College. I think removing the bulkhead would be quite a chore. I always thought they did that so they didn't have to have two separate circulation systems for a swim and dive pool.
RPI is where we always had big meets growing up (silvers/golds). The smaller pool was great for easy swimming between events. Still gets used a lot today for AD age group meets; too bad a masters meet can't be organized there.
Why not? There is a coached masters swim at RPI in Troy, Mon-Fri, 6:30-7:30 PM, by Jeff Maxwell. Also at Union College in Schenectady, by Rita Kalmikova. So, why can they not organize a meet there?
This, along with the other current threads regarding lap vs. length, and pool length, reminded me of something I've often tried to get them to do at my pool (especially in the winter) -- maybe once a week take out the lane lines and make an actual lap circuit. I think it'd be fun for us longer distance open water swimmers who are restricted to the pool during the winter. Moor some buoys in the four corners about a lane's width from the sides, perhaps connect a lane line between them...and we'd have an actual lap of about 75-80 meters and wouldn't have so many flip turns. Maybe do it just once a week or so, at a special time so the traditional lap swimmers' workouts wouldn't be disrupted.
Dan
