Swimming Thread

I was back at Manchester Aquatics Centre this morning. Got there relatively early while the pool was still in 50m configuration, and really enjoyed swimming lengths in the really refreshing cool water.
One thing I noticed today is that the younger lads there (must have been either late teens or late twenties) seem to have a unique swimming style. They seem to set off at an all out sprint doing front crawl for about 6 or 7 strokes, before realising they can't maintain it over 50m and reverting to a really slow form of breaststroke.
Whilst they are perfectly entitled to swim how they like, it makes it really difficult to judge whether to overtake them or stay behind them!
 
I returned to Nantwich Leisure Centre this morning to swim in the outdoor brine pool for a last time this year before it gets mothballed for winter.
Despite the rain, there were several other swimmers of various ages and abilities present for my session. The water temperature was pleasant but not too warm, but clearly warmer than the air temperature given the amount of rising steam.
The only issue was the water being full of broken up leaf particles, which required a bit of concentration not to swallow or inhale any. When I showered post swim, loads of these leaf bits washed off me, so I must have looked like the creature from the lagoon when. I exited the pool!
Will concentrate on indoor swims until May, but will attempt a lido swim or two if I'm down in London in the coming months, where many of the pools remain open throughout the year.
 
staffsblue said:
I returned to Nantwich Leisure Centre this morning to swim in the outdoor brine pool for a last time this year before it gets mothballed for winter.
Despite the rain, there were several other swimmers of various ages and abilities present for my session. The water temperature was pleasant but not too warm, but clearly warmer than the air temperature given the amount of rising steam.
The only issue was the water being full of broken up leaf particles, which required a bit of concentration not to swallow or inhale any. When I showered post swim, loads of these leaf bits washed off me, so I must have looked like the creature from the lagoon when. I exited the pool!
Will concentrate on indoor swims until May, but will attempt a lido swim or two if I'm down in London in the coming months, where many of the pools remain open throughout the year.
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Brine pool sounds interesting . There's an indoor one near me but it's only 10 m long ...I think Hathersage Lido is open all year . Hoping to swim in there over Christmas . I'm not keen on plant debris either
 
surprisedbygrass said:
Brine pool sounds interesting . There's an indoor one near me but it's only 10 m long ...I think Hathersage Lido is open all year . Hoping to swim in there over Christmas . I'm not keen on plant debris either
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Yeah, I was at Hathersage last week. However, the winter schedule which is about to kick in only has one hour sessions, so to me it seems a long way to travel just to swim for an hour.
 
Getting into swimming after many years due to a ongoing hip injury laying me off football, walking, running and generally most things. Whilst it's probably the best exercise I can do right now, it is still hard due to the natural hip rotation in front crawl (breaststroke is a no)

I like the sound of the above posters blocks of 16, I'm currently doing blocks of 10, will up it to 12 soon. I'm only going once a week due to struggles with chlorine, my skin is really not enjoying it.

Got some ear plugs today, had a blocked ear for weeks and I'm worried about swimmers ear.

Despite my body's clear dislike to indoor swimming pools, I will persevere. I'm currently on 1.75km a session, once a week, but would perhaps prefer 1km 3 times a week, if my poor precious skin, ears etc will allow it.
 
shemnel said:
Getting into swimming after many years due to a ongoing hip injury laying me off football, walking, running and generally most things. Whilst it's probably the best exercise I can do right now, it is still hard due to the natural hip rotation in front crawl (breaststroke is a no)

I like the sound of the above posters blocks of 16, I'm currently doing blocks of 10, will up it to 12 soon. I'm only going once a week due to struggles with chlorine, my skin is really not enjoying it.

Got some ear plugs today, had a blocked ear for weeks and I'm worried about swimmers ear.

Despite my body's clear dislike to indoor swimming pools, I will persevere. I'm currently on 1.75km a session, once a week, but would perhaps prefer 1km 3 times a week, if my poor precious skin, ears etc will allow it.
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I swim at least 5km a week in 2 sessions. I think I'm currently doing too much per session as I've got cramp a couple of times recently, but also want to fit in 3 runs per week and a couple of recovery days.
I intend shifting things around in the new year doing 3 x 2km swims per week, but reducing my running to twice a week, but working towards one of the runs being 10km.
I think chlorine levels vary widely between pools. I read recently that the chlorine has to work harder in pools where swimmers don't shower before swimming, which actually sounds a bit minging!
However, I've noticed when I swim at Manchester Aquatics Centre, I hardly notice the smell or after effects of chlorine at all.
 
staffsblue said:
I swim at least 5km a week in 2 sessions. I think I'm currently doing too much per session as I've got cramp a couple of times recently, but also want to fit in 3 runs per week and a couple of recovery days.
I intend shifting things around in the new year doing 3 x 2km swims per week, but reducing my running to twice a week, but working towards one of the runs being 10km.
I think chlorine levels vary widely between pools. I read recently that the chlorine has to work harder in pools where swimmers don't shower before swimming, which actually sounds a bit minging!
However, I've noticed when I swim at Manchester Aquatics Centre, I hardly notice the smell or after effects of chlorine at all.
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Thanks, that sounds a lot! I am planning to up it next week or the week after.

I can't believe you can hardly notice the smell of chlorine after the aquatics, where I am the stench on me is crazy, perhaps due to kids classes? I dunno, swimming seems like the perfect thing for me right now, plus if I give it up I've got next to nothing for exercise, but swimming pools seem pretty disgusting
 
shemnel said:
Thanks, that sounds a lot! I am planning to up it next week or the week after.

I can't believe you can hardly notice the smell of chlorine after the aquatics, where I am the stench on me is crazy, perhaps due to kids classes? I dunno, swimming seems like the perfect thing for me right now, plus if I give it up I've got next to nothing for exercise, but swimming pools seem pretty disgusting
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One thing that surprised me when I restarted swimming 3.5 years ago after a long break was the lack of foot sanitising pools between the changing room and the pool. I assume people still get verrucas and athletes foot, but there doesn't seem to be anything to stop these getting spread around.
The other thing that annoys me is when you pick up strands of floating hair between your fingers. Don't ladies (and long haired guys) wear swimming caps anymore?
At least I don't seem to spot any floating plasters these days!
 
Pingu the Penguin said:
What’s a good time for a mile breaststroke?
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Depends on your age, fitness and weight.
I'm a retired slightly overweight bloke and can do 2km (80 x 25m lengths) in just under an hour. For a mile (64 lengths), that would take me around 48 minutes.
I'm not particularly fast, take a rest to let faster swimmers overtake me, and usually reside in the "medium" speed lane.
 
shemnel said:
Getting into swimming after many years due to a ongoing hip injury laying me off football, walking, running and generally most things. Whilst it's probably the best exercise I can do right now, it is still hard due to the natural hip rotation in front crawl (breaststroke is a no)

I like the sound of the above posters blocks of 16, I'm currently doing blocks of 10, will up it to 12 soon. I'm only going once a week due to struggles with chlorine, my skin is really not enjoying it.

Got some ear plugs today, had a blocked ear for weeks and I'm worried about swimmers ear.

Despite my body's clear dislike to indoor swimming pools, I will persevere. I'm currently on 1.75km a session, once a week, but would perhaps prefer 1km 3 times a week, if my poor precious skin, ears etc will allow it.
Click to expand...
I can recommend Ear Calm as a prevention for swimmers ear . I buy mine on line and use it weekly . . And I use liberal amounts of Palmers Cocos butter every day which helps the skin and makes me smell like hot chocolate . Finally I need eye drops to stop the chlorine irritating my eyes ....is it al worth it ....yes . Nothing like it for mental health and fitness .
 
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