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:
You don't necessarily have to do "the same work" to feel like a team. (And I don't even see how distance swimmers, strokers, and sprinters can always do the same workout?!) My team is still a "team" (and not a superteam), and we have Top Ten relays as well. But I feel like there is some respect for diversity.
Diversity, sure. Slacking or being a wuss? Not so much. I think there is respect for working hard, and if you seem like you aren't, then you aren't going to get anyone's respect. And over-reliance on equipment or changing sets is going to be interpreted, correctly in most circumstances, as not working hard.
If you show up to a distance practice, you should swim the distance set, and if you don't want to, there are sprint days or open swim just waiting for you. And I know all the folks who decide to do something else claim they are courteous and staying out of the way, yet I can count the number of times it hasn't been disruptive on one hand.
I wonder if it's an age thing? We have quite a few 40+ competitors. Maybe we're more tolerant, because we're always breaking down? lol
Maybe -- my team is pretty young compared to a lot of others. But we have some 40+ folks and it basically breaks down by lane: the faster the lane, the less likely someone is to opt-out, and that's across all ages.
On the whole, though, I think the key is to just be courteous. If you are, no one should get on your case. And, as Matt said, who needs censure and battles and disapproval at swim practice?!
One could just as easily say though, I spend all day navigating chaos. Why should I have to do it at practice too? But honestly, I think it breaks down to liking being on a serious (in the pool) team and not enjoying ones that feel less so. Good thing we can mostly find clubs that suit us.
You don't necessarily have to do "the same work" to feel like a team. (And I don't even see how distance swimmers, strokers, and sprinters can always do the same workout?!) My team is still a "team" (and not a superteam), and we have Top Ten relays as well. But I feel like there is some respect for diversity.
Diversity, sure. Slacking or being a wuss? Not so much. I think there is respect for working hard, and if you seem like you aren't, then you aren't going to get anyone's respect. And over-reliance on equipment or changing sets is going to be interpreted, correctly in most circumstances, as not working hard.
If you show up to a distance practice, you should swim the distance set, and if you don't want to, there are sprint days or open swim just waiting for you. And I know all the folks who decide to do something else claim they are courteous and staying out of the way, yet I can count the number of times it hasn't been disruptive on one hand.
I wonder if it's an age thing? We have quite a few 40+ competitors. Maybe we're more tolerant, because we're always breaking down? lol
Maybe -- my team is pretty young compared to a lot of others. But we have some 40+ folks and it basically breaks down by lane: the faster the lane, the less likely someone is to opt-out, and that's across all ages.
On the whole, though, I think the key is to just be courteous. If you are, no one should get on your case. And, as Matt said, who needs censure and battles and disapproval at swim practice?!
One could just as easily say though, I spend all day navigating chaos. Why should I have to do it at practice too? But honestly, I think it breaks down to liking being on a serious (in the pool) team and not enjoying ones that feel less so. Good thing we can mostly find clubs that suit us.
