Death to all Noodlers!

So, today, I figured, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em! Up until 9am, I swam my workout, then, I joined them for their class, I'm sure, to their total dismay. And, I blew them away...:D I double and tripled movements to every one of theirs, and when it was time for flutter kick? Ha! They don't like splashing? TOUGH! :bump: The saga continues... And, Old Fart Hoosier? Thanks for starting this thread so I can vent, too! :blah: Love it!! Monday I didn't get word that practice was cancelled so I showed up. Myself and another swimmer helped put in a few of the 10 lane lines for the lap swimmers (normally the other age group team puts them in but they took the day off, too). As Steve and I are finishing up, one of the noodlers, who swims in a sports bra and board shorts comes in and asks if the lane lines can be moved from LCM to SCY. Um.. nope. The pool is advertised as LCM from 5:30-7:15am all summer long. If you don't like it, don't show up at that time, noodler! Be glad we put the lane lines in so you didn't have to.

I define it more broadly: Any pool user who DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE. Typically (at least at my pool), a noodler includes those who participate in water aerobics classes or use the pool for water therapy, but with total disregard for lap swimmers. By total disregard, I'm saying they are clueless by getting into the lap swimming lane to walk their laps, talking to you when you are swimming intervals, etc. Not all water aerobics participants are "noodlers", in my opinion. We have a couple of very athletic water aerobics participants who are respectful to me, stay out of my way, ask about my swim meets, encourage me, and congratulate me when I reach my goals. I even had one who said, "I'm PROUD of you!" Sure, she uses a noodle, buy she has a clue. Thanks, this makes sense to me -- it's more the attitude than the noodle, but the noodle and the attitude often go together. It's been awhile since I had to try to share a pool with people like that. Seems like they've gotten more self-entitled, self-centered, and aggressive. Sorry, that sounds very frustrating to deal with.

I'm curious about the definition of "noodler" -- does one actually have to be using a noodle to be a noodler? Or is it more general than that? I define it more broadly: Any pool user who DOESN'T HAVE A CLUE. Typically (at least at my pool), a noodler includes those who participate in water aerobics classes or use the pool for water therapy, but with total disregard for lap swimmers. By total disregard, I'm saying they are clueless by getting into the lap swimming lane to walk their laps, talking to you when you are swimming intervals, etc. Not all water aerobics participants are "noodlers", in my opinion. We have a couple of very athletic water aerobics participants who are respectful to me, stay out of my way, ask about my swim meets, encourage me, and congratulate me when I reach my goals. I even had one who said, "I'm PROUD of you!" Sure, she uses a noodle, buy she has a clue.

Regardless of definition of noodler*, this thread is indeed therapeutic. I, too, feel Elaine's pain. The easiest pool for me to get to duirng a mid-day workout is now closed to lap swimmers from 11:30 to 1:30 for a water aerobics class. These noodlers have, over the last two years, slowly expanded that time from one hour to two, the current timing of which makes no sense as the pool closes at 2:00 for 3 hours. Back when they had the pool from noon to 1:00, I would make sure I got to the pool early to finish up by noon. At a quarter til, they would begin dragging the divider across the pool and shut off my lane. A bunch of old bullies is what they are! *I define noodler as anyone who (organized in a class or not) engages in some sort of hopping and jumping or wading activity usually with a bunch of pool toys. Of course, I have known some friendly, pool-sharing noodlers. It is those that aren't that tend to ruin the image for the lot of them.

As I started this thread, (one of my greatest achievements, telling my wife to put, "Originator of THE "death to all noodlers" USMS thread in my obit) I agree that you do not need a noodle to be a noodler, and having a noodle doesnt make you a noodler by this def. I will say this thread has been very theraputic (sp). Why just the other day someone posted that they went to the bathroom and came back to find a noodler in their lane, and that had happened to me the day before the posting. ElaineK's def is spot on for the sake of this discussion. but most importantly I know.... I AM NOT ALONE!

Has anyone else encountered the new breed of "pre-noodlers"? This morning, 2 reasonably fit/athletic looking women probably early 40s at most, turn up, borrow a kickboard each and sit at the end of one of the 4 open lanes. (The pool has 6 lanes, 2 roped, 4 open, but all for lap swim only early in the morning) They dangle their feet in like a pair of school kids and complain about it being cold. I swim 8 lengths cool down while this performance is going on and then get out. They eventually get in and kick the length with their heads up chatting to each other. As I needed breakfast I didn't stop for the next exciting installment, but its going to end in noodling.......

*I define noodler as anyone who (organized in a class or not) engages in some sort of hopping and jumping or wading activity usually with a bunch of pool toys. Of course, I have known some friendly, pool-sharing noodlers. It is those that aren't that tend to ruin the image for the lot of them. Actually, I group "hoppers, jumpers and waders" in to a special class of pool-vermin which I label as "Bobbers." Like fishing bobbers, they come in various colors, sizes and shapes. :)

Has anyone else encountered the new breed of "pre-noodlers"? This morning, 2 reasonably fit/athletic looking women probably early 40s at most, turn up, borrow a kickboard each and sit at the end of one of the 4 open lanes. (The pool has 6 lanes, 2 roped, 4 open, but all for lap swim only early in the morning) They dangle their feet in like a pair of school kids and complain about it being cold. I swim 8 lengths cool down while this performance is going on and then get out. They eventually get in and kick the length with their heads up chatting to each other. As I needed breakfast I didn't stop for the next exciting installment, but its going to end in noodling....... Yes, we have those. We have some like that as young as 20's in our pool. I guess they are the social kickers. :blah:

I was looking at suits online and came across this site: http://www.swimandsweat.com/ I thought you'd all appreciate the picture of the noodler, with her dry hair and lack of splash.

I was looking at suits online and came across this site: http://www.swimandsweat.com/ I thought you'd all appreciate the picture of the noodler, with her dry hair and lack of splash. Not to mention make-up in place. As for "bobbers," they can pose a problem for those doing serious water running workouts. During one of my running injuries, when I hadn't yet gotten into swimming, I was doing an interval workout in the water with one of those vests. So was a young man of high school age. We were both having a time trying to get around (a) two high school girls and (b) two 60something women... both pairs were bobbing along oblivious to any attempt by the guy or me to get by them and do our workout. He was motoring along pretty well in spite of it, and I don't think I was doing too badly at the time. But when I got within range of the perfume the women were wearing, that would disrupt my rhythm and slow me down. Perhaps that's just one of the "aha!" moments that eventually led to my using the pool for swimming, not for deep water running. I recover pretty well from running injuries by swimming my interval workouts instead of "water running" them. So I suppose I owe these two pairs of women thanks for inspiring me to get started with masters swimming. :)