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
I'll take the contrary view here. All pools should require circle swimming all the time. What you do by insisting to swim side by side, or down the center, is make the next person entering the lane stop you and ask for permission and work out a plan you can accept. Circle swimming is the most efficient use of a finite space. Assuming this is public pool space so whether you develop a bad habit of circle swimming in races shouldn't be the concern of the owner of the pool. Their concern should be to fit as many people in the space as they can.
But what if no one is waiting for a lane and it's uncrowded? I believe that is the situation mentioned by some side-by-side swimming posters, including myself and scyfreestyler. Do I have to circle swim all by myself in an unoccupied lane? No one wants to be a lane hog, but if there's only 1 or 2 people per lane and no one is waiting, exactly what is the problem? If more people come, you can always adjust, but I haven't had that happen yet. (I try to swim at off times, if possible.)
I'm also not overly troubled by stopping someone at the wall briefly (especialy if they're doing an open turn) to ask if they mind me taking a side of the lane. Or, I'll hop right in like Geek. Likewise, if I have a lane to myself and see someone waiting, I stop what I'm doing and ask if they would like a side. What's it going to take? A few seconds. Doesn't seem like a big deal. I've never had to sit down and negotiate a lane truce at great length.
I guess some people get their knickers in a twist over every little thing. Pretty soon we'll need mother hens at pools. I'm sure if there's a problem the lifeguard can step in. But if everyone's doing fine without intervention and no one's waiting, why do we "always" have to do it your way?
I'll take the contrary view here. All pools should require circle swimming all the time. What you do by insisting to swim side by side, or down the center, is make the next person entering the lane stop you and ask for permission and work out a plan you can accept. Circle swimming is the most efficient use of a finite space. Assuming this is public pool space so whether you develop a bad habit of circle swimming in races shouldn't be the concern of the owner of the pool. Their concern should be to fit as many people in the space as they can.
But what if no one is waiting for a lane and it's uncrowded? I believe that is the situation mentioned by some side-by-side swimming posters, including myself and scyfreestyler. Do I have to circle swim all by myself in an unoccupied lane? No one wants to be a lane hog, but if there's only 1 or 2 people per lane and no one is waiting, exactly what is the problem? If more people come, you can always adjust, but I haven't had that happen yet. (I try to swim at off times, if possible.)
I'm also not overly troubled by stopping someone at the wall briefly (especialy if they're doing an open turn) to ask if they mind me taking a side of the lane. Or, I'll hop right in like Geek. Likewise, if I have a lane to myself and see someone waiting, I stop what I'm doing and ask if they would like a side. What's it going to take? A few seconds. Doesn't seem like a big deal. I've never had to sit down and negotiate a lane truce at great length.
I guess some people get their knickers in a twist over every little thing. Pretty soon we'll need mother hens at pools. I'm sure if there's a problem the lifeguard can step in. But if everyone's doing fine without intervention and no one's waiting, why do we "always" have to do it your way?
