Apologies if this is a very silly topic. :)
On Tuesdays I like to swim a hard 200m. My last 4 Tuesdays have seen 3:05-3:05-3:05-3:04. I was dreaming of 3:03 today.
I went to a different pool today, and during the length-swim time, no ropes were up. You find a black line and go! There were several people doing lengths. I was very surprised at the "sea-state" this created. It's amazing how much those ropes retard the waves. When swimming I could feel myself bouncing around!!
Anyway....I swam 3:11. WTF?? I can't believe that I was that slow. Maybe I'm just having a really off day.
Or....could the lack of ropes and presence of waves account for a difference of about 4%?
(Or am I just looking for excuses?) :)
Yes, no lane ropes can be a big difference - even if you were just swimming by yourself. Lane ropes damp down waves, let them get big enough and bounce off hard walls and that's a whole lot of turbulence you're swimming through.
I train in an 84-degree, 5-lane pool with lane lines in only two lanes. There are no gutters, the pool ranges from 3'6" - 5' deep, and I often share the pool with the noodlers bobbing up and down like corks. It's like swimming in a washing machine!
12049
The good part about training under these conditions is that I very much appreciate the heaven-like conditions of an awesome pool at a swim meet! :bliss:
Even with lane dividers, having just one other person in the lane has an impact. For me, it probably costs 1s per 100, maybe more in backstroke. Doesn't matter if circle swimming or splitting the lane, sharing = slower for a given effort level. (drafting notwithstanding of course)
Thanks for your thoughts. (I was worried that this was the silliest thread ever.) :)
I hate to be a wuss, but lack of ropes in a busy pool is a show stopper for me. I'm lucky enough to have other options.
It can make a rather large difference, particularly if you are sharing the pool with a number of others. I find myself in this situation somewhat often at our local pool. As to being in a lane near the wall, I'd say if that wall has a spill over gutter to 'absorb' the waves you would probably be better off there than in the middle of the pool.
Not a silly thread at all. As everyone's said lane lines/ropes make a huge difference. One of the reasons they're required for any swim meet.
I agree with ElaineK about going to a meet in a pristine competition pool. If you can train at home in a shallow pool with a lot of turbulence and waves then a meet pool will be completely wonderful.
As wavy as the water was for you, all I could think was how much water you probably swallowed while you were swimming. My suggestion is to stay away from pools that give you that open water feel unless you really have to. I feel fortunate that I swim 95% of my workouts in a great pool. When I think of relocating the question I often have is where am I going to find a pool like this one.
1207312074
