HAHA oh wow people are SOO silly I haven't really had to circle swim since i was in high School but i remember going early to practice on my own with the some older people there and they would literally take there time when they were in front of me and SPRINT to pass me and slow down again.. grr silly people But then i've also had the cranky ladies that would get out their BIG noodles and take up the whole lane and just bob up and down the lane so that NO one could share with them so it forced other lanes to have 4 people in them.. It really just makes me laugh. people are so silly. But you are soo right rm that swimming with faster people helps so much. I've swam for a really long time so then I just get in a rythme.. and its usually a slower one and I forget to push myself so when i'm with someone faster than me I remember that I need to go faster than my usual la-ti-da pace. haha Dont you just love swimming with cranky people.. its such a blast