Different pools, different difficulties?

I'm in the same situation. Indoors I'm great, but in the outdoor pool . . . if it's not coached, I'm not finishing. :blush: Maybe it's the novelty of being outside (I'm in MN) that is too distracting? I always feel like I'm somewhere else when I'm out there. Our indoor pool is SO boring and uninspiring that there's really nothing else to think about except my workout. LOL

I had a similar problem when I first started running (by myself), and also when I got back into the pool. I like to be around other folks. When I started running, I could not run longer than 20 minutes at a time. So I asked my brother-in-law who is an experienced runner and he told me not to wear a watch, and just run. It was easier to think about running instead of what I had to do and how long I had to go. Maybe instead of going in when the "I have to get in x amount of yards" go in with "I am going to swim and relax". When I am swimming solo and feel like getting out, I just said to myself--how will not finishing this practice affect me? Will I look back on my season and say "I trained as hard as I possibly could" or will there be those days that I slacked off. That is the serious way to do it. Maybe if you break it down into smaller segments--instead of having in mind this whole practice that you want to finish, then put a goal for each set--a time, a distance, whatever. However, getting out is much easier when I am uncomfortable due to pool/air temperature. Hope this helps...

Yes, I'm in the same boat. I swim at a pool that is much colder, then my other pool that I swim at is much warmer. I lack motivation to train at the warmer pool. I can also add that I swim at the colder pool 3/4 of the year. It feels to me that the warmness makes me just want to go slow and sluggish. I dunno, I dont like training at the warm pool. I also find it much harder to train in the warmer one too.

I need a coach or I have motivation problems, regardless of the water temp.

I need a coach or I have motivation problems, regardless of the water temp. This too.

I'm in the same situation. Indoors I'm great, but in the outdoor pool . . . if it's not coached, I'm not finishing. :blush: Maybe it's the novelty of being outside (I'm in MN) that is too distracting? I always feel like I'm somewhere else when I'm out there. Our indoor pool is SO boring and uninspiring that there's really nothing else to think about except my workout. LOL I think that may be part of it...the novelty of being outside. I want to see what's going on, the sun is always out, 10 other things are on my mind (like getting a tan & reading, lol)...but at the indoor pool, I don't care about any of that. None of my workouts are coached since I'm not swimming with the team right now (in school & working full time so no time for their late-evening practices)....so it's hard to maintain focus outdoors. The team I swim with (when I do swim w/them) does practice outside in the summer for the majority of their practices, so really I have no excuse.

However, getting out is much easier when I am uncomfortable due to pool/air temperature. Hmmm, that may be part of it...I always make excuses (The pool is too cold, my fingers are numb, my stomach hurts, I have a split toe...) whatever. LOL

Maybe you're wearing out because you don't get to do a turn every 25m? The pushoff alone cuts way down on the number of strokes per 100m. (Not that I'm suggesting you love turns, mind you...)

Maybe you need a talk :blah:with yourself. OK self if we are going to improve , we need to challenge ourselves. So ,let's forget about that wimpy 25 pool & work the entire lap in the BIG pool !!!:applaud:

My workouts are best if the other people in the pool are swimming for exercise, not just splashing around or socializing or noodling (or all 3). The first few times I ever swam long course I was daunted by how long it seemed and I really missed having turns to rest on. Turbulence demotivates me. I don't like swimming in chop whether it's due to lack of lane lines, butterfliers, people diving/jumping in. It makes it harder to feel the water and it kills my speed. If conditions are otherwise sub-optimal it also clobbers my motivation. Temperatures, water taste, wind/rain, being hungry, swimsuits or equipment that acts up, interference from other swimmers, funny water currents, odors, you name it. I also don't like swimming backstroke outdoors especially if there are no lane ropes. I don't live near a 50m pool although I've gone to some meets held in one (not really convenient to travel there on a regular basis). The first time I did a meet in the LCM pool, it felt really strange... did a 50 freestyle as my first event and it felt like I'd never finish! I kept thinking, "who stretched this pool?" :) Mostly, I swim in a 25 yard pool, but I can relate to the part about no lane lines. Even if others are swimming laps, the boundaries are less defined. During the mid-day lap swim period at my Y, there's only a single lane line to divide the pool in half, because many during that period want to just do water walking or chit chatting. The lap swimmers take the other side, and although we're pretty careful about circling and such, it still is harder to focus if the pool gets crowded. I don't even like swimming backstroke indoors, but outdoors, I can imagine two major issues: no line on the ceiling to follow (more or less) and (on bright days) sun glare, which I doubt even tinted goggles can adequately correct.