i swim in the medium to slower lanes at a very competitive masters team workouts in san diego, and am usually asked to slide down to slower lanes when the equal ability swimmers (vs triathletes) show up.
the funny thing is most of these swimmers use a pull bouy or fins for the WHOLE workout. i think it's a ego thing in la-la land.
i would like to swim with people who can push me harder, instead of down in the last slowest lane. should i just chalk it up to normal swimmers protocal? or find another team? :confused:
I agree with Chris' comment and Osterber's comments above. Speed is speed.
I don't understand why people get so irritated/judgmental over equipment use. We're all adults. And we do all have different goals, agendas, meet focuses, injury issues, etc. Can't we live and let live?
When I swim with my team, I try to pick the correct lane and and never get in anyone's way. However, I frequently change things up and do backstroke during free sets, kick during free sets (yes, I can keep up), use fins when others aren't. As long as I'm swimming the same distance, making the lane intervals and not getting in anyone's way, I don't see how this is a major problem. There's some natural chaos built into masters' practices because of our diversity. But we're masters; we don't need strict rules and scoldings like age groupers, do we?
Sometimes when I read this stuff, I'm glad I practice solo most of the time ...
I guess it is a few things. For one, I feel like if you aren't interested in doing the workout, you should swim alone. Why are you taking up precious space if you are just going to ignore the sets and coaching? (General you.) Then again, like I've said, it is possible I'd find it less irritating if we had more room.
More broadly, one of the things I like about my team is that it feels like a team, not just a collection of people splitting pool rental fees. We do hard work together and suffer together and I value that. Everyone gets their chance to lead and their chance to suck and doesn't cop out. I think the fact that most of our 400 relays wind up in the Top Ten every year is a result of that focus, as much as anything else. Same reason I detest the concept of "superteams." And the whole feeling begins with doing the same work.
In the end though, that's why I swim for the team I swim for. The city has plenty of other teams where you can wear fins and ignore sets to your hearts content, and that is awesome for people who want that.
I agree with Chris' comment and Osterber's comments above. Speed is speed.
I don't understand why people get so irritated/judgmental over equipment use. We're all adults. And we do all have different goals, agendas, meet focuses, injury issues, etc. Can't we live and let live?
When I swim with my team, I try to pick the correct lane and and never get in anyone's way. However, I frequently change things up and do backstroke during free sets, kick during free sets (yes, I can keep up), use fins when others aren't. As long as I'm swimming the same distance, making the lane intervals and not getting in anyone's way, I don't see how this is a major problem. There's some natural chaos built into masters' practices because of our diversity. But we're masters; we don't need strict rules and scoldings like age groupers, do we?
Sometimes when I read this stuff, I'm glad I practice solo most of the time ...
I guess it is a few things. For one, I feel like if you aren't interested in doing the workout, you should swim alone. Why are you taking up precious space if you are just going to ignore the sets and coaching? (General you.) Then again, like I've said, it is possible I'd find it less irritating if we had more room.
More broadly, one of the things I like about my team is that it feels like a team, not just a collection of people splitting pool rental fees. We do hard work together and suffer together and I value that. Everyone gets their chance to lead and their chance to suck and doesn't cop out. I think the fact that most of our 400 relays wind up in the Top Ten every year is a result of that focus, as much as anything else. Same reason I detest the concept of "superteams." And the whole feeling begins with doing the same work.
In the end though, that's why I swim for the team I swim for. The city has plenty of other teams where you can wear fins and ignore sets to your hearts content, and that is awesome for people who want that.
