Well, due to my schedule this week, I couldn't make my regular morning workouts for a few days, and decided to get in a workout at a nearby city pool. I had no idea what I was in for... I had called ahead, and they assured me that they always have 'at least 2 lanes' available for lap swimming.
When I arrived, there were 2 lanes setup for lap swimming. However, 1 lane had 2 guys swimming side-by-side, the other (along the edge) had a group of kids going back and forth while holding onto the wall. Despite repeated requests from the lifeguards after they saw me waiting, the kids didn't get out of the way (perhaps a language problem).
Anyway, the best way to get rid of stragglers in the lane turned out to just getting in and swimming!! I think after they saw me, especially doing a few flip turns, everyone quickly moved out of the way. Actually, I got in a nice workout (hard to think up things on my own when I'm used to a coach), and had few interruptions.
Not bad for the $1.50 admission I paid to get in. And who said it was expensive to swim here.... Plus a few people approached to ask me about swimming.
Tim
Most of us who have swum during “open swimming” have had encounters with other users of the pool (calling many of them swimmers is a real stretch). Like the times my fins, paddles, and other equipment somehow ended up lanes away, attached to a group of kids. Or the 10 year old who likes to stand on a kickboard and shoot it at you as you pass…
And while these tend to raise my blood pressure, I try to remind myself that my $2.00 does not rent 75 feet by 8 feet of real estate for the duration of my workout. Hence the term public pool. Now if this were a truly private pool where I could rent a lane for my personal use, then it would be a different matter.
The six little girls who swim under the ropes right in front of me to get wherever little girls go, aren’t deliberately trying to disrupt my workout, or at least I hope they aren’t. And those who circle swim slower than me have every right to share this public lane with me. Intimidation and bullying tactics do not demonstrate much of a sporting behavior and don’t speak well for Masters Swimming.
And as Bob mentioned keep working with the lifeguards. Remember to thanks them and let you know how much you appreciate it when they can open up a lane and keep it clear for your swimming.
Most of us who have swum during “open swimming” have had encounters with other users of the pool (calling many of them swimmers is a real stretch). Like the times my fins, paddles, and other equipment somehow ended up lanes away, attached to a group of kids. Or the 10 year old who likes to stand on a kickboard and shoot it at you as you pass…
And while these tend to raise my blood pressure, I try to remind myself that my $2.00 does not rent 75 feet by 8 feet of real estate for the duration of my workout. Hence the term public pool. Now if this were a truly private pool where I could rent a lane for my personal use, then it would be a different matter.
The six little girls who swim under the ropes right in front of me to get wherever little girls go, aren’t deliberately trying to disrupt my workout, or at least I hope they aren’t. And those who circle swim slower than me have every right to share this public lane with me. Intimidation and bullying tactics do not demonstrate much of a sporting behavior and don’t speak well for Masters Swimming.
And as Bob mentioned keep working with the lifeguards. Remember to thanks them and let you know how much you appreciate it when they can open up a lane and keep it clear for your swimming.
