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
There is nothing that quite annoys me more than this selfish attitude. I don't care what you are doing, you don't hog your lane cause you are doing some interval work or causing a lot of splash. Share the dang pool. When I can't find my own lane and have to share the first thing I look for is some blowhard who thinks he/she owns the lane and I jump right in with them.
Most people who come into a pool will first look for the empty lane. If you know there aren't empty lanes, you should go to one side of the lane you are in and leave room for other swimmers, regardless of their ability.
As to this situation, some swimmers, especially those who swam competitively for a long time, seem to prefer circle swimming. I have to constantly remind my daughter to not circle swim in meets. It could just be a habit and nothing insidious, although it is more fun to speculate about sinister motives!
Geek I think Muppet got a little confused as to who was there first, and thought the guy came after and acted unreasonably.
I think his response was a bit light hearted though.
Just trying to prevent a scrap.
There is nothing that quite annoys me more than this selfish attitude. I don't care what you are doing, you don't hog your lane cause you are doing some interval work or causing a lot of splash. Share the dang pool. When I can't find my own lane and have to share the first thing I look for is some blowhard who thinks he/she owns the lane and I jump right in with them.
Most people who come into a pool will first look for the empty lane. If you know there aren't empty lanes, you should go to one side of the lane you are in and leave room for other swimmers, regardless of their ability.
As to this situation, some swimmers, especially those who swam competitively for a long time, seem to prefer circle swimming. I have to constantly remind my daughter to not circle swim in meets. It could just be a habit and nothing insidious, although it is more fun to speculate about sinister motives!
Geek I think Muppet got a little confused as to who was there first, and thought the guy came after and acted unreasonably.
I think his response was a bit light hearted though.
Just trying to prevent a scrap.
