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
and therein lies the problem. how many times have you gone to swim during rec swim hours, and no one is obeying the slow, medium, and fast signs posted??? or better yet, how many pools don't have the signs at all? i think this is why if there's only 2 people in a lane, splitting it is a much better idea.
just my :2cents:
Mollie, I'm very open minded on the whole circle vs side by side thing. I didn't mean to sound preachy. I was supporting howard as having a valid point, with the caveat that lane discipline has to be enforced for it to work--I would not be the "pool mother" organising the lanes at rec time though.
So I agree with you that in the unperfect world we get the person in the fast lane (even if designated) swimming a :60 25yd without getting their hair wet etc. So until perfection has been establsihed, yes Virginia, I agree that side by side is better until >3 swimmers come along. ;)
and therein lies the problem. how many times have you gone to swim during rec swim hours, and no one is obeying the slow, medium, and fast signs posted??? or better yet, how many pools don't have the signs at all? i think this is why if there's only 2 people in a lane, splitting it is a much better idea.
just my :2cents:
Mollie, I'm very open minded on the whole circle vs side by side thing. I didn't mean to sound preachy. I was supporting howard as having a valid point, with the caveat that lane discipline has to be enforced for it to work--I would not be the "pool mother" organising the lanes at rec time though.
So I agree with you that in the unperfect world we get the person in the fast lane (even if designated) swimming a :60 25yd without getting their hair wet etc. So until perfection has been establsihed, yes Virginia, I agree that side by side is better until >3 swimmers come along. ;)
