Swimming Mayham

Last night was just another chapter in the crazy situation I call swimming in Knox,PA. I was all set to swim at Clarion. Unfortunately, my link to the pool situation (Jason, the cross-country coach) was unavailable to text because he was at the National DII Indoor track championships. It usually goes something like this "Hey Jason, how's it looking for tonight - will there be swimming in my future?" His response "Yeah, just saw a few people in there so you should be good. My negotiated time is 6:30pm, after the swim team has left but prior to the average pool go-er at 8pm.

So, I drive over at 6:15 and waltz into the locker room all hopped up on my new bathing suit attire ready to break out 3000 like a rash. I try the door AFTER wetting my hair, nope, locked.. I walk out into the hallway, in my bathing suit, no towel, wet hair, and weave my way around the volleyball team who is stretching to the other door in hopes of getting in the main door not attached to the locker room. No dice. The crazy part is I can see the lights on and some guy in there swimming with his young son. WHAT? Who is this dude? Why aren't the doors open? I can see there is no lifeguard present which is not a good sign and I've been told not to swim without one because of liability. I try again, pull hard, thinking he might get out and just let me in. Nope, ain't going to happen. I walk back out with a disgusted look, put on my clothes, and walk back out.

It is now 6:45pm. What to do? Oil City YMCA is a good 40 minutes away. Well, I drive, or I don't swim. I say no more. No more missed workouts, no more.

So I start to speedily make my way and arrive at 7:25pm. By 7:30 I'm heading into the hot pool when I see all the little kids getting out of the pool..great I think! This is awesome, they are all leaving! Wait? WHY are they leaving.. Then the trouble starts.

This women who looks more like a drill Sargent (and is wearing a whistle I might add) starts to come toward me. She looks at me and says in a loud domineering voice "You weren't thinking of swimming laps were you?" Yes, I reply politely. "Well, we have fitness aerobics from 7:30-8:30 and we spread out, you can't swim." I make a very small space with my hands and say ever so sweetly, "I won't even take up this much room." She gives me some talk to the hand motion and grumbles about not being responsible if someone hits me.

The ten or so ladies spread out along the pool horizontally - why couldn't they form two lanes I think...this is insane!! I try to squeek through but after only a 200 she taps me on my way by, "We just got two more people, you have to swim acrossed the pool in the deep end, no more laps." While she's yelling and blowing the whistle before every set "LEG CIRCLES LADIES" I'm trying to get my workout done. So, I do that for another 20 minutes or so and call it a night in the pool. I go lift sort of mad and just sort of defeated. All that dang driving and STILL no full workout.

So, that was my night. This morning I arrived at the hot pool early and luckily no drill Sargent and my full 3000. FINALLY! So, it's off to bike and run, I had better get to it!

Next time I think I'm bringing a whistle too... I'll just blow it and announce what interval I will be doing before I go - "100 FREE on 10 seconds rest!!!!" GO!!!!