Yep, my fitness center is like that too, but only at certain times. I have learned the best times to go to avoid that. Since I'm retired I can be flexible. My wife got PT for arthritic knees. They defined a water routine for her to follow so I go with her and let her occupy half my lane with a non-swim workout while I do my laps.
This past weekend we were at a resort in Vermont which had designated hours for lap swimming only, 7-9 AM. I arrived at 7 and had the whole pool to my self for 30 mins. One other swimmer showed up eventually.
As a Navy retiree, I love being able to still use the pool on base. Lap swimming is much more strictly enforced.
Dan
Former Member
I swim at a fitness and wellness center in the Tri-state area. This is what my pool was like today,
End lane (and the widest) - husband and wife on noodles hanging out in the deep end for an hour.
Two women on noodles in the FAST Lane for 45 minutes.
Private lesson on the opposite end lane (and the widest)
the nonswimmers outnumber the swimmers on most days. :bitching: No amount of complaints have changed a thing.
As a Navy retiree, I love being able to still use the pool on base. Lap swimming is much more strictly enforced.
DanOur local Navy base pool is much more structured and conducive towards swimming than our AFB pool.
The local small town outdoor pool has adult lap swim from 6-7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the summer. The past two years there have rarely been more than 6-10 swimmers, so it hasn't been much of a problem that they don't put in lane lines. This year there's a new triathlon in town at the end of the summer. I show up today and there are like 25 people standing around in the parking lot, waiting for it to open. I bypassed them all in the locker room since I already had a suit on and claimed the outside of the end lane next to the diving well. It was near chaos in the middle lanes, as all the aspiring triathletes with poor to fair swim skills were trying to stay in their very small imaginary lanes with varying degrees of success.
No. I'll tell you the worst swimming nightmare. In 1986 when Triathlons were a new thing, my company sponsored one for employees and contractors only. One option was to have two-man teams splitting the events, so I teamed up with another guy who was not a swimmer. I took the 1500m swim, he did the 25 mile bike, we each ran 5k of the run. We arrived at the town pool, a nice 8 lane 50m pool. There were too many people to race in 8 lanes and they were not geared up for wave starts. It was 25m wide and someone decided we could swim crosswise, just double the lap count. No lane dividers, not even lane lines on the bottom. The guy who started on my left finished on my right and there were several collisions. A fun time was had by all.
Former Member
The local small town outdoor pool has adult lap swim from 6-7 on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the summer. The past two years there have rarely been more than 6-10 swimmers, so it hasn't been much of a problem that they don't put in lane lines. This year there's a new triathlon in town at the end of the summer. I show up today and there are like 25 people standing around in the parking lot, waiting for it to open. I bypassed them all in the locker room since I already had a suit on and claimed the outside of the end lane next to the diving well. It was near chaos in the middle lanes, as all the aspiring triathletes with poor to fair swim skills were trying to stay in their very small imaginary lanes with varying degrees of success.
This is my worst swimming nightmare. Splitting a lane scares me enough!
You can always start to swim past the "noodlers " any time you want. Comment like "ohh - you got my hair wet" are fun to hear !
They do not own the lane and will move sooner than you think!
They do not own the lane and will move sooner than you think!
Not at my fitness Ctr. There are 2 or 3 of them who take one lane of the lap pool and follow the 10:30 exercise routine being done in the shallow pool a few feet away. They get incensed if anyone asks them to move. They do think they are entitled to that lane and the management will not intervene.
No. I'll tell you the worst swimming nightmare. In 1986 when Triathlons were a new thing, my company sponsored one for employees and contractors only. One option was to have two-man teams splitting the events, so I teamed up with another guy who was not a swimmer. I took the 1500m swim, he did the 25 mile bike, we each ran 5k of the run. We arrived at the town pool, a nice 8 lane 50m pool. There were too many people to race in 8 lanes and they were not geared up for wave starts. It was 25m wide and someone decided we could swim crosswise, just double the lap count. No lane dividers, not even lane lines on the bottom. The guy who started on my left finished on my right and there were several collisions. A fun time was had by all.
Even today 'indoor' and/or pool triathlons are a thing. BUT...the swim has to be the last event. The best method is to "snake" across the pool beginning in lane 1. Swim up and back in lane 1 (as if circle swimming), duck under the laneline and swim a lap in lane 2, etc until you've completed a lap in each lane. It works well.
Dan
