It's been a tough summer for me. I have not been getting in my laps as I have in the past.
I live in Forest Hills, Queens, NY. I work 45+ hours a week. My swimming options are limited. Here's why I have been missing workouts in the pool, while opting for dryland workouts:
YMHA(Young Men's Hebrew Association)
This is the closest pool to my house. Costs $400 a year. It's closed from Friday night until Sunday afternoon. The pool is clean and the staff is professional. But like most pools, the lap section is dominated by crusty old men and women who float or do doggy paddle, making laps impossible.
Queensboro Community College
Gotta take the LIE or Grand Central, so I'm facing traffic delays just to get to the pool. Very limited hours and it's closed three months out of the year. Sometimes the elderly take over the lap lanes for doggy paddle and floating.
Queens College
Nights only. Closed Friday.
Aspalt Green
The best pool in New York City area. Lots of lanes. Clean. Serious environment. It's 1:10 mins from home. It's so expensive. $875 is the cheapest rate. But I have to admit, swimming here is just awesome.
Wanted to let everyone know that I was asked to stop swimming at a lake in Pennsylvania on Thursday. I happened at Beltzville Lake Park. There are three sections. The center is where kids and families play. If it gets crowded, they open the side sections.
Before I hit the water, I told the lifeguard that I'd be swimming in the empty section to avoid colliding with everyone. After about 30 minutes, another lifeguard told me that I have to swim in the center section with everyone else.
I exploded!!!!!!
This was the straw the broke the camel's back. I told the lifeguard that this is wrong. You have this big lake, with kids splashing and pissing in the water, adults on speed boats and jet skies, but a man can't actually SWIM in the water.
So I've come to the conclusion that if I'm going to maintain a fit lifestyle, I'm only going to be able to swim once a week. I'll have to hit the gym the rest of the week, where I'm guaranteed to get a complete, uninterrupted workout.
It's a shame, but most pools emphasize horseplay by kids or attract elderly people who just take up space. You'd never see this in the weight room or on the cardio equipment. I wish I could say the same about the pool.
Hey, I never claimed to be fast either; specifically, I'm a distance swimmer and wouldn't know how to sprint if it were life or death. Alas, not the first time I've gotten people mixed up - probably not the first time today, and it's not even 11 am.
Which YMCA do you swim at - the National Capital? From September to May, a few of us get together in the mornings there from about 6:30-7:30, and you'd be more than welcome to join us - we don't officially have a lane, but we sort of just swim an organized workout and everybody else clears out of our way trembling in fear :D . Unfortunately, I'm moving to Boston in this week for the next two years, so I can't tell you when we're starting up again. You can also workout with the official master's group, although we practice from 7-8 at night which isn't as convenient for people commuting into the city.
Something else I've found that has worked at pools almost everywhere - scope out a swimmer about the same speed as you who appears to be in misery with the comotion around, and ask them if they'd like to do a workout. I travel constantly for work, so I try this a lot, and seldom do I find myself turned down.
Finally, kudos to you for being a non-car commuter here. Those of us who live in DC and have asthma appreciate people like you a lot :).
-Victoria:D
Hey, I never claimed to be fast either; specifically, I'm a distance swimmer and wouldn't know how to sprint if it were life or death. Alas, not the first time I've gotten people mixed up - probably not the first time today, and it's not even 11 am.
Which YMCA do you swim at - the National Capital? From September to May, a few of us get together in the mornings there from about 6:30-7:30, and you'd be more than welcome to join us - we don't officially have a lane, but we sort of just swim an organized workout and everybody else clears out of our way trembling in fear :D . Unfortunately, I'm moving to Boston in this week for the next two years, so I can't tell you when we're starting up again. You can also workout with the official master's group, although we practice from 7-8 at night which isn't as convenient for people commuting into the city.
Something else I've found that has worked at pools almost everywhere - scope out a swimmer about the same speed as you who appears to be in misery with the comotion around, and ask them if they'd like to do a workout. I travel constantly for work, so I try this a lot, and seldom do I find myself turned down.
Finally, kudos to you for being a non-car commuter here. Those of us who live in DC and have asthma appreciate people like you a lot :).
-Victoria:D