I need some help here folks.
Those of you who "know" me know that I am a beginning "serious" swimmer. I've been slowly but steadily working my way up to swimming a mile as my first goal I'm pleased with the progress I've made, feel stronger, dropped some pounds, added some muscle - all good stuff.
Because I am a slower swimmer, I've tried to be careful not to get in the way of stronger swimmers' workouts. I try to enter lanes where I can match the pace and let people pass me if I get overtaken.
Usually, if I share with just one other person, we split the lane down the middle rather than circle swim. This works out great. If we add another swimmer, we circle. I thought this was the norm for two people.
This evening, though, I asked to share a wall lane with a man who was a faster swimmer. All the other lanes had 2 people. No one was circling. I suggested we split the lane, and he said, no - circle swim only. I warned him that I swim slowly, but no dice. Circle swim only.
So we circle swam - no, he circle swam, and I got out of his way every 50-75 yards. I'm mad at myself because I messed my own workout up as I was pushing myself to swim faster and exhausted myself far short of my goal.
So, please help me out here: is it wrong to split a lane with just 2 people? What is the "right" way to handle this situation? As I develop into a stronger swimmer, I feel I have a place at the pool. I'm just not just where that is.
Many thanks - Barb
Parents
Former Member
most pools post lap swimming etiquette rules somewhere...if you are talking about swimming during open rec swim that is. I've found, for the most part, that most rec swim participants don't follow the rules, such as swimming in the lane that is marked "Fast" when one is fast or "Medium" when one is not so fast etc. It is usually whatever lane is empty you take until all the lanes are full and then you start spliting the lanes until more people arrive etc. I've also found that it is generally up to the person that was there first to decide if the two people are going to split or circle.
most pools post lap swimming etiquette rules somewhere...if you are talking about swimming during open rec swim that is. I've found, for the most part, that most rec swim participants don't follow the rules, such as swimming in the lane that is marked "Fast" when one is fast or "Medium" when one is not so fast etc. It is usually whatever lane is empty you take until all the lanes are full and then you start spliting the lanes until more people arrive etc. I've also found that it is generally up to the person that was there first to decide if the two people are going to split or circle.
