strange experiences when swimming

[lph]

I sometimes swim at my small local pool, which is usually divided in two, half for kids and families, half for swimming back and forth. And I regularly meet the following:
- the very large elderly gentleman who with great precision and impressive slowness swims back and forth in the precise middle of the swimmers lanes, forcing everyone else to swim in circles around him
- the cute so-much-in-love couple in their 40s, who stop to flirt and splash around and lie down, completely blocking all the lanes and oblivious to the swimmers trying to pass without grabbing a foot
- the athletic serious dude wearing goggles and a HRM who does all kinds of drills and swims very energetically - but not very fast
- the skinny pregnant woman who dogpaddles the entire length of the pool, back and forth, without stopping

But the best was the little girl who, when I stopped in front of her wearing goggles, cap and noseclip, stared and asked seriously:

"Are you a woman or a man?"

[redrhodie]

Precisely why I don't like swimming in gym pools. I'd be ready to dunk someone.

[Crankin]

I am laughing out loud at your descriptions.
I often have the same thoughts about the variety of people I see out there, cycling and running. I always say, hey, at least they are out there doing something, but really, some people are oblivious to how their behavior impacts others.

[Biciclista]

wow. that sounds very icky.

what if you swim more aggressively?

[witeowl]

I sometimes swim at my small local pool, which is usually divided in two, half for kids and families, half for swimming back and forth. And I regularly meet the following...

I feel oh, so very lucky to have my (adults only) gym pool now! I've thought, sometimes, about switching to a local pool to save money, but I've never been able to bring myself to do so. (It normally just takes one look - and sniff - to decide against it.) This reaffirms my decision that the money for the pricey membership is well-spent.

Funny tidbits!

[alpinerabbit]

- the very large elderly gentleman who with great precision and impressive slowness swims back and forth in the precise middle of the swimmers lanes, forcing everyone else to swim in circles around him

ugh, yep, here they preferentially swim german backstroke (that looks like a frog swimming on his back)

- the cute so-much-in-love couple in their 40s, who stop to flirt and splash around and lie down, completely blocking all the lanes and oblivious to the swimmers trying to pass without grabbing a foot

In our pools, it gets even better. Type 1 and 2 do their thing in the "tempo" lane (which lately I have felt qualified to swim in)

- the athletic serious dude wearing goggles and a HRM who does all kinds of drills and swims very energetically - but not very fast

or using his kickboard in the tempo lane for drills. Oh how I would like to point out the technique errors to those kind of guys....


Did I mention even in our partner club's practice, where I went a number of times last fall, that old guy actually collided with me - he was swimming the circle the wrong way round. and he was surprised... Then again he's the guy who somehow tethers his reading glasses outside his goggles so he can see the workout.

[lph]

I'm not a very serious swimmer, so mostly I just get a giggle out of this. My local pool has cheap admission and is obviously an entry-level kind of place, so I can't really complain if I go there for a "workout". But yeah, people are surprisingly oblivious. You'd think you'd notice more with your head above water moving slowly...

[crazycanuck]

THis is why I don't swim on my own! I am much happier with our group swim sesssions & three lanes to ourselves!!

[Charlieggo]

I think you're descriptions are hilarious! I'm trying to figure out which one I am. I'm really a non-swimmer, but my daughter wants me to do a triathlon with her, so I'm trying to figure out how to swim laps. It's incredibly taxing and I can only go one length of the pool at a time. I totally panic if someone gets in my lane with me, but usually I spend so much time catching my breath that I can time it so I don't have to pass anyone

[Grog]

- the very large elderly gentleman who with great precision and impressive slowness swims back and forth in the precise middle of the swimmers lanes, forcing everyone else to swim in circles around him

That happened to me once at the university pool. Well, the gentleman was just older, and bigger, not "very large elderly." But I was quite annoyed, stuck behind him in the medium lane where he clearly did not belong with his very slow, very precise breaststroke.

After a bit, I was about to say something to him when I realized it was actually my supervisor! He did not have his glasses on, and he never knew it was me. I just passed him.

[channlluv]

Oh dear. And I just joined the Y, too, to start swim training for a tri.

Roxy

[Kimmyt]

One of the older guys in our Masters class was a fairly decent swimmer, but probably had poor vision. It was horrible when he came late and got in our lanes. He could keep up for the most part, sometimes he was even pretty fast (but he required a lot of rest) however when we did faster sets, you never knew when he'd come careening at you dead straight down the middle of the lane. A few times I was in the process of breathing and upon turning my head back to center realized we were almost going to collide. Most of these times were right after he pushed off from the wall, so it's not like he didn't see me. Several times I left swim class early because I am not going to injure myself in a pool.

I don't know if he ever realized what he was doing, or tried to correct it, but I know myself and several other women whose lanes he tended to share would drop hints. It's hard to come out and say something critical to someone who is your elder, but what can you do?

Another time, there was a woman who clearly did not belong in our Masters class, as she could barely swim. She usually stayed in one of the beginner lanes, but a few times she got there late too and had to come in our lanes, she was so dangerous, she couldn't swim in a straight line at all. I at least felt a bit bad for her, she was just trying to learn to swim, but I wanted to tell her that maybe she should be taking lessons instead of jumping into Masters swim... never got a chance to as she stopped coming after a few classes.

[fatbottomedgurl]

My biggest problem at the Y is the old guy who wants to talk. I finally bought ear plugs and now can point at my ear, shake my head and smile as I swim away.

[SadieKate]

This just sounds like an organized century ride in water.

[sfa]

- the very large elderly gentleman who with great precision and impressive slowness swims back and forth in the precise middle of the swimmers lanes, forcing everyone else to swim in circles around him

Hey, he shows up at my pool too! Fortunately there are usually enough lanes that everyone lets him keep his own. We'll do three to a lane in the other five lanes before anyone doubles up with him, and it's rarely that crowded. I'm just impressed that he's out there swimming at his age and with such good endurance--he's often there before me and still there when I leave.

Sarah