Catch a wave...Or the swimming thread

[KSH]

I went to the pool today for the first supper time swim since SPring Break and I was severely disappointed to find out they have cancelled the 5-6pm lane swim time! The only lane swims they have now are during my work hours (oh, and at 6am, I think not). I can swim on the weekends but not my 2 weeknights times. I have two choices - they have one lane open during public swimming from 7-8:30 every night (but I imagine that will be busy since there will be lots of displaced swimmers now), and there are two adult swims a week from 8:30-9:30. I chose not to do Master's swim time because it was from 8:30-9:30 as well and that was just not working for me.

Ugh. Ugh. And I just bought a 3 month swim pass (I'm sure I can get my money back if I want though.) There is another pool in town but it's a 35 min drive away. I guess I will check their schedule, and/or try to public swim time from 7-8... More ugh.

Why not at 6:00 AM?

I really hate mornings, but I drag myself out of bed at 5:30 AM, 1-2 days a week, and I go swim. Sure, it's miserable getting up. But once I'm in the water and moving, it's not bad at all. And my 7:00 AM I am awake.

Maybe try it once, if your work schedule permits.

[Wahine]

I get up for masters and I am not a morning person. The trick is to have everything ready to go the night before, roll out of bed, grab coffee, get dressed and teeth brushed and out the door. This takes me about 20 min if I organize ahead. Then I can be in the pool in the AM, get one workout done and feel good about my day before I even get to work.

It might be harder for KG though as she has a child at home that may still need a lot of input to get hime off to school successfully.

Speaking of masters. I swam my fastest 100 m ever this AM.

[alpinerabbit]

I'll try that next week.
I have to or else I will fall miserably behind everyone else.

Why is it that I am chicken to sign up for an Oly if I know I can do the distance - just because I will have to try a bit to avoid back of the pack? Geez.

The other big pool in the city is minutes from where I work and I have a year round pass. So in at 7, at work at 8, freshly blow dried and all.

[kelownagirl]

Why not at 6:00 AM?

I really hate mornings, but I drag myself out of bed at 5:30 AM, 1-2 days a week, and I go swim. Sure, it's miserable getting up. But once I'm in the water and moving, it's not bad at all. And my 7:00 AM I am awake.

Maybe try it once, if your work schedule permits.

I could probably make myself get up and swim at 6am if it was my only choice, but we are trying hard to live with one car and I have a ten year old son who I have to get ready for school in the mornings. If I swam from 6-7, the earliest I could get home would be 7:30. DH and son and I leave for school at 7:45. It would mean my hubby would have to be responsible for my son two mornings a week. Once awhile is ok, but I'm not sure I'm ready to foist that upon him on a regular basis.

I've been looking into the YMCA and although it's a further drive, they have an awesome program and 6am - 10pm lane swimming everyday and free fitness classes and much more. I think I might join there... My son could even swim after school while I do lane swimming.

[rocknrollgirl]

I hate being held captive by the hours at the pool. My pool does not open until 6:30. It is very hard for the working folks to get a workout in and get to work on time. The latest I can get to school and not be late is 7:25. That does not leave much time. If they would only open at 6, it would make it so much easier for the working members, but they do not want to hear it.

Nov-mid Feb the swim teams are there, and it is closed from 3 pm until closing. No open lanes. So those months I can only swim on w/e. Not that big a deal because it falls during a slow time of the season, but I like to swim and it pisses me off.

I just try to work around it as best I can and not get too ticked off. A few more weeks and I will start swimming OWS once a week. I am looking forward to that. As long as it is above 57 degrees we are good to go.

[firenze11]

I hate being held captive by the hours at the pool. My pool does not open until 6:30. It is very hard for the working folks to get a workout in and get to work on time. The latest I can get to school and not be late is 7:25. That does not leave much time. If they would only open at 6, it would make it so much easier for the working members, but they do not want to hear it.

I was just thinking the same thing. I'm moving next month and I have to go pool shopping. One nearby town has a huge new fitness facility with an 8 lane pool but they only have lane swim starting at 11 am. Part of me is wondering why they would build this nice big pool with 8 lanes if working people can't get in it before or after work.

When I lived in Maryland and took swimming lessons as a kid I went to this huge aquatic center. There was a splash pool area, a diving area, and I think about 10 dedicated lanes always open for lane swim. It was pretty nice to have that available.

Tri training starts Tuesday so I'll be able to post some of my swim adventures!

[kelownagirl]

Well I think my problem has largely been solved. I checked out the YMCA yesterday and it was wonderful. I have never seen the strength and cardio workout sections before. I had a tour and went for a swim. The showers were hot which was a plus right off the bat.

It was actualyl only an extra 7 minutes of driving.

The lane swimming is availabl from 6am to 10 pm. Wow.

The cost is about $12 a month more than my current swim pass but I would have access to all the gym stuff, free land and water workout classes, and a discount for my son (only $5 a month for his membership.)

They have public swimming from 12-5 everyday so I could take him with me and he could have lessons or play while I swim.

It's only 3km away from the TT route so DH could bring the bike and he could ride while I swim.

There is a huge set of sports fields next door so I could also run on grass before or after if I wanted to.

Finally, for the piece de resistance - for an extra $15 a month, I could have access to the special upstairs changerooms. Carpeted, clean, bright, no kids, bigger lockers, TV, computer with internet, coffee maker, swimsuit spin dryer, towels, showers, shampoo/conditioner - the list goes on and on. DH said I should go for the upgrade. I like him.

So anyway, I have a free week trial to see if I like it and I'm pretty sure I'm going to make the switch.

[HillSlugger]

That sounds like an amazing facility, and it's a YMCA?!? What a find!

[kelownagirl]

Yeah it is the Y. I've been there before but usually avoid it because it's further away from my house. However, I am still waiting for the new pool to open in March 2009. It'll be operated by the Y and has a 50m pool as well as fitness centre, wave pool, waterslides yadda yadda. Hopefully they'll be able to separate the tourists etc from the real swimmers when they come up with membership plans....

[HillSlugger]

Several months ago I bought a used wetsuit here on TE. Today marks the first time I've tried swimming in it. With a triathlon just 2 weeks away it's about time. It was a bit strange; I can't believe how buoyant I was!

When I first hopped into the pool I didn't feel water rushing in anywhere, but as I started stroking I could feel it getting in, but I'm not sure if it was coming in at the wrists, the neck, or through the material at the shoulders. With each stroke I could then feel it moving around the arms. Is this normal?

The pool was too warm today to swim for long in the suit, so after 200m I practiced running up the steps and stripping out of it. Even though this suit has zippers at the ankles I was surprised how hard it was to get my feet out. Any tricks I should know? I'm really glad I didn't wait until race day to try this, and I'll probably do it again at least once or twice more before the race.

[kelownagirl]

I can't wait to try swimming in a wetsuit. I haven't bought one yet and probably won't until the lake warms up a bit (July?). Then I figured I might swim in it once a week to get used to it. I am still freaked about OWS so I figure I can use all the practice I can get. Thanks for the info MD - I am wondering how that will efel@

[rocknrollgirl]

When I get in the water with my wetsuit on, I let it fill up from the neck. When that water warms up, it contributes to the warmth of the suit. When I exit the lake during practice, I like to stand and let it run out of the bottom on my feet. It feels like bathtub water.

I can't wait to get outside. Even when it is really cold, once I get going I feel fine.

[kelownagirl]

We went to the YMCA after school today. I swam 1200m, my son played and swam on his own, and my husband took his bike and did the TT route. everyone was happy! And we were home before 6. Usually I don't get home from swimming until after 6:30 and my boys are waiting and hungry.

As for my swimming, it was only my 2nd swim since my eye surgery so I am feeling winded after each length again. I rested after every 25 or 50 m and then did the last 200m straight through. I'm sure it won't take me more than a 4-5 swims to get back to where I was. I think I need some lessons again though. I'm not sure if I'm swimming efficiently. Everyone else is always passing me.

[firenze11]

I did my first tri training swim yesterday. I got to the pool at 6:30 am and all the lanes were pretty full. I ended up lucking out a bit after one man got out and shared with the woman who arrived at the same time I did. I offered to take the wall. After a little while when someone left the fast lane she moved over and I was left with my own lane. (I just hope I didn't do anything to make her want to leave ) Oddly, no one follows the lane signs at the pool.

I tried some TI drills and alternated between freestyle and breast stroke. I did my very first 75m of straight freestyle without stopping in 1:00. I'm happy with that. I could have pushed myself and done 100m but I want to take it a bit slow and concentrate on my stroke.

On Monday my hips were feeling tight and I did some stretches. Yesterday, after the pool, my hips felt sore and then kept waking me up last night. I guess I'll have to watch out for that.

Overall it was a great workout and I felt really energized afterwards!