I remember the noodler thread of a long time ago, and I just kinda laughed at the idea of how annoyed some swimmers were with the "noodling". Today, I had a particularly ugly encounter with some noodlers.
I haven't swam since my unfortunate exit, after the 200 IM, at Nationals. Tuesday and Wednesday I had really bad food poisoning that had me laid out the entire time (when I wasn't yakking my guts out!), and on top of it all, I'm one month pregnant with number 4. (Happy about pregnancy, not so much about the other things).
So, my first day back swimming was today at the gym, on this beautiful, sunny 75 degree day. Ahhh. There's a 5 lane 25m pool. Albeit too warm because of the charming noodlers!
I got in, swam an easy 1000, and then the noodler class started. I was in lane 2 as lane 1 is really narrow. I knew that the noodlers get lanes 3-5. I went to push off the wall and a noodler was about 7 meters out right in front of me. Good thing I looked, or she would have had some owies. I stopped and looked at her (she couldn't see the glare in my eyes because I had my goggles on). She just stood there looking at me. A "friend" of hers said, "Do you want to move over?" She asked. I said, "No. I don't." To which she replied, "We get three lanes." I said, "You HAVE three lanes." Apparently, when a lane line isn't in, that counts as one! Long and short of it is I moved over.
It gets better. The "lady" (blue suit) who told me about how many lanes they get started chipping on me as I was swimming/kicking. I held my tongue for awhile and then suggested that she "grow up."
I finished 2,000m which was just right for me, now, and was sitting on the deck, while a guy who was obviously waiting for our ONE lane, got in. I was watching the noodlers noticing that of the 25 of them or so, they were all much older ladies or younger, MUCH heavier "ladies". I'm guessing over 300 pounds, which might account for their ill temper. Blue suit was probably pushing 350. As I was sitting their I saw her turn around, look right at me, and clear as day, say to her friend, "The b!t@h got out!" I couldn't believe my ears, was she kidding me?!
I walked over to her and from the side said, "Do you have a problem with me?" She said, "No. Why?" And I said, "I have a problem being called a b!t#h for no good reason." She didn't answer again, but her friend said, "She didn't say that." I told her that I clearly heard her. She said, "She doesn't even use words like that. She said, 'You got out.' " (Oh, they sound so similar! Plus it doesn't even make sense, she wasn't talking to me! Anyway...)
I said again, "If you have a problem I think you should talk to me." She still didn't answer. Her friend said, "If you have a problem, maybe you should go to the front desk." I said, "I'd rather work it out with you." So, I hadn't thought of going to the front desk, but it sounded good.
The manager came over and I pointed them out and he said he'd give me a call... we'll see.
I couldn't believe the rudeness. I'm sure not all noodlers are that rude, but she was over the top.
Parents
Former Member
So far, no one's taken kickboards or pull buoys that I use in the pool. Sometimes if I'm done using them, and another swimmer nearby is doing a workout, I'll tell them I'm done and they can go ahead and use the equipment. But that aside, with all the violations of pool etiquette that I've witnessed, that's not been one of them. Probably laughing was just the way to go... got the guy weirded out enough to make him think (maybe?) about what he was saying/doing.
I do remember an incident at a pool quite a few years back--two women just standing in the middle of the lap lane chitchatting (only two lap lanes and the rest of the pool for lounging/open swimming). Pointedly swimming between them didn't seem to get the message across. But at that same pool more recently, the lifeguards have been better about enforcing the rules.
As a slower swimmer (maybe not 2 mins. to do 25 but usually not under 30 seconds unless pushing myself), I respect all speeds. Only ask that people put themselves in the appropriate lanes. If the pool is crowded, I check the lanes to see whose swimming style is most compatible w/ mine, and wait until the swimmer knows I'm interested in sharing the lane.
Interesting and encouraging experience: I was swimming at a comfortable pace one day when a man in the next lane appeared to be trying to "race" me. As I mentioned, I'm not fast, and I wasn't pushing to the max, just trying to remember some advice my masters coach gave about my stroke. The man in the next lane passed me near the end, but he was breathing VERY, VERY hard, seeming to sprint for all he was worth, and when I turned, he hung on the wall for a couple minutes. He tried again to "race" me and the same thing happened. Of course, measured against my much faster masters team-mates, I'm probably to them what that man was to me... But still, kind of refreshing to have the tables turned for a change.
Hahaha I don' tmind if someone paces with me it pushes me to swim hard and such. I just don't mind when they get to the wall and look round to see if they "beat" me...it's tough not to try to keep up when you go to meets and race, it's an instictive thing...I sometimes have to force myself to not play that game so I can get my workout done how I want.
So far, no one's taken kickboards or pull buoys that I use in the pool. Sometimes if I'm done using them, and another swimmer nearby is doing a workout, I'll tell them I'm done and they can go ahead and use the equipment. But that aside, with all the violations of pool etiquette that I've witnessed, that's not been one of them. Probably laughing was just the way to go... got the guy weirded out enough to make him think (maybe?) about what he was saying/doing.
I do remember an incident at a pool quite a few years back--two women just standing in the middle of the lap lane chitchatting (only two lap lanes and the rest of the pool for lounging/open swimming). Pointedly swimming between them didn't seem to get the message across. But at that same pool more recently, the lifeguards have been better about enforcing the rules.
As a slower swimmer (maybe not 2 mins. to do 25 but usually not under 30 seconds unless pushing myself), I respect all speeds. Only ask that people put themselves in the appropriate lanes. If the pool is crowded, I check the lanes to see whose swimming style is most compatible w/ mine, and wait until the swimmer knows I'm interested in sharing the lane.
Interesting and encouraging experience: I was swimming at a comfortable pace one day when a man in the next lane appeared to be trying to "race" me. As I mentioned, I'm not fast, and I wasn't pushing to the max, just trying to remember some advice my masters coach gave about my stroke. The man in the next lane passed me near the end, but he was breathing VERY, VERY hard, seeming to sprint for all he was worth, and when I turned, he hung on the wall for a couple minutes. He tried again to "race" me and the same thing happened. Of course, measured against my much faster masters team-mates, I'm probably to them what that man was to me... But still, kind of refreshing to have the tables turned for a change.
Hahaha I don' tmind if someone paces with me it pushes me to swim hard and such. I just don't mind when they get to the wall and look round to see if they "beat" me...it's tough not to try to keep up when you go to meets and race, it's an instictive thing...I sometimes have to force myself to not play that game so I can get my workout done how I want.
