How about some reminiscing about the worst pools you ever were forced to work out and/or compete in ??
Our old pool was 20 yards long, with gutters and the deck was about 2 feet above that. The water level was always low, so it was like ocean swimming every day. There were no starting blocks and the "lane lines" were nylon cord with a plastic bobber every 3 feet or so. The water was always quite warm to accomodate the family swims and lessons that were also sharing the pool during the day.
Since goggles had not yet been invented and the only antiseptic method was chlorine (lots of it), we would have those chlorine "light halos" until the next day. The kick-boards were solid, varnished wood and they doubled as pull-buoys. There were no fins or hand paddles.
Thank the higher power of your choice that we had a GREAT coach.
Oh, did I mention that they used to beat us with knives???
Bert
This swim wasn't in a pool, but it was BAD!!
This triathlon featured what was billed as a 1/4 mile swim. Actually the swim part was even shorter as a good part of the beginning of the "swim" consisted of running because the water was too shallow for anything else (like knee deep). Eventually the water got deep enough to swim to a marker and then turn and swim at an angle to where we had been. At the very end of the swim the width of the swim area got narrower and narrower and narrower, while the water grew increasingly dark, murky, and ominous. I swear they had us swimming in a drainage ditch of some sort. Most of us finished the swim with a water polo version of swimming - it was the only way to see.
After the race everybody found that they had all sorts of dirt inside of our bathing suits, and we took turns hosing each other down to the point of putting the hose down our bathing suits. Even so, when I went home and took a shower, I still had a lot of caked dirt on me.
It seems funny now, but at the time ---- UGH!!
This swim wasn't in a pool, but it was BAD!!
This triathlon featured what was billed as a 1/4 mile swim. Actually the swim part was even shorter as a good part of the beginning of the "swim" consisted of running because the water was too shallow for anything else (like knee deep). Eventually the water got deep enough to swim to a marker and then turn and swim at an angle to where we had been. At the very end of the swim the width of the swim area got narrower and narrower and narrower, while the water grew increasingly dark, murky, and ominous. I swear they had us swimming in a drainage ditch of some sort. Most of us finished the swim with a water polo version of swimming - it was the only way to see.
After the race everybody found that they had all sorts of dirt inside of our bathing suits, and we took turns hosing each other down to the point of putting the hose down our bathing suits. Even so, when I went home and took a shower, I still had a lot of caked dirt on me.
It seems funny now, but at the time ---- UGH!!
