When/how to transition from "lap" swimming to workouts?

Thanks for the compliments! Hey, if we can't make fun of ourselves, who can? I was at Tara about the time Steve Lundquist was setting the WR at that 84 Olympics......but the only folks I recall from the team, other than the coach, Bob Bugg (who I believe lives in Griffin, now), were my fellow Griffinites.......yep, I'm from there, originally. Grew up on the south side, though, between College and Maple St's. Not far from the city pool where the Summer team (Gators) swam in my day (may still?). I think I may have swum there from 83-85 or so? I didn't last long.....I really never knew how to push myself to practice hard until I was older doing different sports. But hey, I did set myself up nicely to get the "Most Improved" award. Lots easier to drop 5 seconds when you are 10 seconds off the pace than when you are at the front, you know!? I'm like you on the pool temperature. Way too hot. This pool clearly is designed with them in mind. Kept probably at 85 degrees or so, the stairs go down into a lane, making it a pretty useless lane for anything other than freestyle (there is about 3' of usable space beside it). There are no T's at the ends of the lanes.......so that was another thing I couldn't figure out, trying to judge my distance to the wall doing flip turns!!!! The middle lane has a water jet thing right where you push off. The other pool I use, when I can train while my kids are at practice, is much better. A good 5 degrees cooler, everyone I've seen there is a lap swimmer. T's on the ends, recessed water jets, the stairs in a "L" section. Hopefully this Summer I'll be able to do all of my swimming there. You're originally from Griffin? Small world! We're San Diego transplants (by way of San Antonio; long story...). I pass through your old 'hood every Monday when I go to Griffin United Methodist Church to volunteer for the artistic director of Griffin Choral Arts, a community chorus. Yep, I know Bob Bugg, and I have trained at the pool where he trains (and helped design). I affectionately call it the "Buggatorium": 11089 The 25m pool is located on the property of his friends on Maddox Rd. in Griffin. Click on the photo and read what the banner on the wall says. :bow: He's a great coach, too. We did a trade-out a few years back; he coached me in exchange for me shooting stroke videos for him. He now coaches war vets; good on him! As for the Gators, they're still slithering around. Someday, if it ever gets built, they will have a new community pool to train in at Wyomia Tyus Park. It was part of the approved TSPLOST, but it will be awhile... Hey, there's another USMS swimmer in your area who is on my team, the Georgia Masters Killer Whales. He's on the Forums as Swimosaur. You two should meet; he's a great guy!

Thanks for the compliments! Hey, if we can't make fun of ourselves, who can? I was at Tara about the time Steve Lundquist was setting the WR at that 84 Olympics......but the only folks I recall from the team, other than the coach, Bob Bugg (who I believe lives in Griffin, now), were my fellow Griffinites.......yep, I'm from there, originally. Grew up on the south side, though, between College and Maple St's. Not far from the city pool where the Summer team (Gators) swam in my day (may still?). I think I may have swum there from 83-85 or so? I didn't last long.....I really never knew how to push myself to practice hard until I was older doing different sports. But hey, I did set myself up nicely to get the "Most Improved" award. Lots easier to drop 5 seconds when you are 10 seconds off the pace than when you are at the front, you know!? I'm like you on the pool temperature. Way too hot. This pool clearly is designed with them in mind. Kept probably at 85 degrees or so, the stairs go down into a lane, making it a pretty useless lane for anything other than freestyle (there is about 3' of usable space beside it). There are no T's at the ends of the lanes.......so that was another thing I couldn't figure out, trying to judge my distance to the wall doing flip turns!!!! The middle lane has a water jet thing right where you push off. The other pool I use, when I can train while my kids are at practice, is much better. A good 5 degrees cooler, everyone I've seen there is a lap swimmer. T's on the ends, recessed water jets, the stairs in a "L" section. Hopefully this Summer I'll be able to do all of my swimming there. You're originally from Griffin? Small world! We're San Diego transplants (by way of San Antonio; long story...). I pass through your old 'hood every Monday when I go to Griffin United Methodist Church to volunteer for the artistic director of Griffin Choral Arts, a community chorus. Yep, I know Bob Bugg, and I have trained at the pool where he trains (and helped design). I affectionately call it the "Buggatorium": 11089 The 25m pool is located on the property of his friends on Maddox Rd. in Griffin. Click on the photo and read what the banner on the wall says. :bow: He's a great coach, too. We did a trade-out a few years back; he coached me in exchange for me shooting stroke videos for him. He now coaches war vets; good on him! As for the Gators, they're still slithering around. Someday, if it ever gets built, they will have a new community pool to train in at Wyomia Tyus Park. It was part of the approved TSPLOST, but it will be awhile... Hey, there's another USMS swimmer in your area who is on my team, the Georgia Masters Killer Whales. He's on the Forums as Swimosaur. You two should meet; he's a great guy!