25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Wed, 22 May 2019 15:39:10 GMT

I have competed in a 20 yard pool. It was about turns, not swimming. Yes, there was-when I was young - competition in 110, 220, 440 yards, which seemed to replicate the metric versions of those events. I have no memory of an 880 yard event, but why not. Perhaps the 20 yard pool was an alternative for applications with either less space, or less cost ? Difficult to swim a 110 yard race in a 20 yard pool, but they did it. Just drape the "false-start-rope" across at mid pool, and judge the finish by who touches the rope 1st. What was the mile equivalent of 1500 meters, swum in a 55 yard pool ? 55 yards x 30 = 1,650 yards ~= 1509 meters Was 1500 meters in a 55 yard pool another "rope finish ?" I once competed in a 50 meter race at the pool on Coronado, in California. My time disappointed, until I realized that was an old 55 yard pool, which is LONGER than 50 meters. 55 yards = 50.292 meters.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Wed, 22 May 2019 15:18:11 GMT

The Rowdy Gaines meet in Orlando in the fall seems to be a popular place to do 25scm races. I wonder if folks like the 25m events because they get a "gun start" for practice in a new pool ? Do they like it just for practice starts ? Do beginners like the idea of a race that has a start, a pull-out, a swim and a finish that is not too taxing ?

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Jeff Enge — Wed, 22 May 2019 12:37:36 GMT

I remember travelling to Evansville with the University of Arkansas-Little Rock team a number of years ago. They have an old six lane 25 yard pool. But what caught my eye was the tiled markings on the side of the pool: 220Y FR, 1500M FR, and I think 440Y FR. I suppose those were for rope finishes. Was that pool built 25 yards as an anomaly at the time, that they would need to include the 20 yard pool races? Always puzzled me. My sister went to Evansville, I remember seeing those markings! Tangentially, they *really* need a new pool...

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Calvin S — Wed, 22 May 2019 12:31:33 GMT

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Fri, 17 May 2019 14:24:40 GMT

Until just a handful of years ago, the pool on the Newport, RI Navy base where I swim was a 6x35-yard lap pool. (We now have a nice, new 6x25m pool.) At one time there were actually two 35-yard pools on the base. For years I tried to ascertain why in the world the Navy installed these odd distance pools. No good answers. Then, I encountered another couple of 35-yard pools on the Army base at Fort Meade Maryland. People there told me they knew of other military installations with 35-yard pools as well. There at Ft. Meade, they had cleverly set jersey barriers in the shallow end to make 25m lap lanes...which also created a good sized area for the kiddos to play in. All these pools were built in the WWII era. But the people at Ft. Meade gave me a good answer as to why the military built these odd-length pools. Initially, it was simply so that outside entities wouldn't come to them asking to use the pool for swim meets...since events swam in the odd-length pools couldn't be recognized for records, etc. That didn't work for long. By the time I got stationed on the Navy base here in Newport in 1988, when they still had only the 35-yard pools, the base hosted a youth club team, and a USMS group. Good enough for workout/practice. Still not OK for meets. Dan So I math'd this out, just because 35 yards seemed so oddly specific that there had to be some logic for it to be on several different bases. 35 yards is 32 meters (or, 32.004 if you want to be extra precise), which divides a 1600m swim right nicely into 50 lengths. So if for some reason you want to swim a pool mile, there you are. Still no idea why so many older pools seem to be 20 yards, though.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

ForceDJ — Fri, 17 May 2019 10:59:55 GMT

So I math'd this out, just because 35 yards seemed so oddly specific that there had to be some logic for it to be on several different bases. 35 yards is 32 meters (or, 32.004 if you want to be extra precise), which divides a 1600m swim right nicely into 50 lengths. So if for some reason you want to swim a pool mile, there you are. Oh yeah...I always figured that they made them at some useful divisor length. I'm mean using those pools for training military troops...swim tests for certain qualifications, or acceptance into a certain program requires a swim of a specific distance. Otherwise they could have made them something really odd length that doesn't multiply nicely...like 31 yards, 7.5 inches, or whatever, for example. Dan

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

knelson — Fri, 17 May 2019 10:33:20 GMT

Still no idea why so many older pools seem to be 20 yards, though. The 440 yd free used to be an event, so that may be the reason.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Thu, 16 May 2019 16:57:55 GMT

And it was uphill both ways... m.youtube.com/watch

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Glenn — Thu, 16 May 2019 09:30:56 GMT

And it was uphill both ways... You're right, how did you know that???

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Windrath — Thu, 16 May 2019 05:40:41 GMT

and you think those guys in the video had it bad, let me tell you.....

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

ForceDJ — Wed, 15 May 2019 10:53:34 GMT

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Karl_S — Wed, 15 May 2019 08:48:08 GMT

... Still not OK for meets. but should be.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

knelson — Wed, 15 May 2019 05:14:52 GMT

Lucky you! We had four lanes, no lane lines, no blocks...and of course no goggles. Could hardly see the bus coming after practice on my way home as my eyes hurt so much from the chlorine. I never swam in the pre-goggle era, but my high school's pool did have just four lanes. We also had the added fun of having the diving team practice at the same time as the swim team. Luckily I always swam in a wall lane and didn't have to worry about being dived on!

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Rob Copeland — Wed, 15 May 2019 03:40:00 GMT

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Glenn — Tue, 14 May 2019 02:38:00 GMT

The good old days. IN High school our home pool was a 5 lane 20 yard tank. I think our 160 Medley Relay times were almost as fast as the 200 MR's of today. The sprinters in the 60 free has a tougher time. And there were always broken ceiling tiles from divers who got a little too much spring in their step. Lucky you! We had four lanes, no lane lines, no blocks...and of course no goggles. Could hardly see the bus coming after practice on my way home as my eyes hurt so much from the chlorine.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Rob Copeland — Tue, 14 May 2019 01:52:10 GMT

In the mid-west, some older HS pools are 20-yards. ...The good old days. IN High school our home pool was a 5 lane 20 yard tank. I think our 160 Medley Relay times were almost as fast as the 200 MR's of today. The sprinters in the 60 free has a tougher time. And there were always broken ceiling tiles from divers who got a little too much spring in their step.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Karl_S — Fri, 10 May 2019 11:49:01 GMT

Here in the mid-Atlantic states, there are a lot of older non-regulation pools. There are quite a few 33-yard pools, often at summer swim clubs. There are a number of 55-yard pools. UPenn has one for example. I think the idea behind these is that a 1650 is 30 lengths, making it analogous to a LCM 1500. Some summer league teams swim in SCM pools. There is a 49-yard pool not far from my home. In the mid-west, some older HS pools are 20-yards. (I seem to remember a news story from a year or two back about some college coach who put the bulkhead at 20 yards for a meet so they could have fun breaking a lot of very old records set in 20 yard pools.) While I understand the appeal of having standardized pools for record-keeping and direct comparison, I think it would be great fun if swim meets were held in these non-standard pools. It would add variety and shift the emphasis from times more towards meet strategy and racing. Wouldn't an 80 IM or 132 IM be fun?! How about sprint races in a 15-yard diving well? Us slow-twitch folks wouldn't be rushing to sign up, but I bet they would be quite popular with the drop dead sprinters. I know a local coach had blocks set up in the diving well to practice starts and for sprint training. (ULTRA usrpt!) The term "pool record" would take on a new significance.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Jeff Enge — Fri, 10 May 2019 09:51:53 GMT

If the U.S. abandoned the imperial system like the rest of the world did, this madness wouldn't happen. In the rest of the world, when we say 100 race it is unambiguously 100 m race, but in the U.S. we need to check the pool used is in yards or meters first! It's not really unambiguous, because it could be a short course 100m or a long course 100m, and there are definite differences time-wise between the two. Pretty decent rule of thumb for non-international level swimmers in the US: If a meet is done in the summer, it's in a long course 50m pool. If it's done in the fall/winter/spring, it's in a short course 25y pool. This holds true for at least 90% of domestic meets.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Rob Copeland — Fri, 10 May 2019 09:28:29 GMT

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Fri, 10 May 2019 05:52:37 GMT

The US wants to Make Imperial Great Again. "Metric is a total disaster. That I can tell you. Sad!"

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Former Member — Fri, 10 May 2019 05:00:15 GMT

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Rob Copeland — Tue, 07 May 2019 09:22:05 GMT

Pools have to be constantly measured to make sure they meet the requirements, but who's checking the blocks? I bet no one would even notice if the blocks were mounted an inch forward from the edge of the pool.Typically the referee will inspect all starting blocks for wiggle, overhang, angle and height.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Calvin S — Tue, 07 May 2019 08:24:42 GMT

Do they now? I've been on some unsettelingly wiggly blocks. You could say that on the subject of how tight the blocks need to be anchored to the wall, there is some "wiggle room."

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

Karl_S — Tue, 07 May 2019 05:48:04 GMT

Typically the referee will inspect all starting blocks for wiggle, overhang, angle and height. Do they now? I've been on some unsettelingly wiggly blocks.

RE: 25 yards and 25 meters - where are we going with this ?

knelson — Thu, 02 May 2019 10:36:47 GMT

Because you are taking it from the side with the block, which has a wall that is back the requisite amount to be legal distance with the pad and moving it to the other end that does not have that allowance. It would work if you then moved the block back the requisit amount, which would be a lot of work. I think this is incorrect, Allen. The blocks are set flush to the end walls with no provision for pad thickness. Here's the statement from USA Swimming's rulebook: The front edge of the starting platform shall be flush with the face of the end walls.