My beef with indoor pools

This weekend I had the unfortunate circumstance of driving to the pool early Sunday morning and finding a swim meet going on. I turned around and went home disappointed that I wouldn't be getting a workout in. Looking around on the internet, I found a YMCA near me that had an indoor pool that had lap swim hours all day. I hate indoor pools but they also had Family Swim from 4-6pm which meant, my hubby and daughter could go swimming too! What a fun activity for a rainy day!

So 4pm we all troop to the pool. Hubby and daughter take toys and go to the family area, I grab my swim stuff and head to the lanes. After eyeing the lanes I picked a Fast lane and jumped in. After 1 length I realize they're too slow for me. So I hop into the next Fast lane and was feeling pretty comfortable in that lane. There were 3 of us and we seem to be timing each other well during circle swimming. Then someone else comes into our lane. Oh boy, this guy was super slow! Did he not read the signs? I'd even wait till he got near the end of the lane before I started swimming and still caught up to him. So much for getting a good workout, at least I got a little bit of pool time.

So here's my beef with indoor pools:

• The people that swim at indoor pools aren't avid swimmers. Only hardcore swimmers would jump in an outdoor pool in the middle of winter in my opinion.
  
• Indoor pools are usually at a gym so people work out and jump in afterwards to cool off and the water becomes all sweaty and murky. Ewww.
  
• Indoor pools are smaller (less lanes) which means more crowded lanes, circle swimming and people inevitably picking lanes that aren't their speed.
  
• You get a lot hotter swimming indoors.
  
• People hit you from the other lanes. Since they are not avid swimmers at indoor pools, stroke technique is totally off and they end up hitting you even if you're swimming in a different lane.
  
• Circle swimming! It's fine when you're in the correct lane for your speed and even if you're not, know the rules! Move to the side and let the faster swimmer pass you if you are going slow. You know who I'm talking about. Don't just look at me and continue swimming your really SLOW stroke, let me through!

Don't even get me started on the summer swimmers. The ones that show up to the pool just on hot days! A lot of these same pet peeves apply to them.

I'm trying to persuade hubby to get me an endless pool, then all my pool troubles would be solved. I keep saying next time we have 25k laying around, this is what we'll purchase.

Ohh, look at this spa option. I bet he'd go for that.

My Workout Schedule thus far

It being winter (dark earlier and wet), and being pregnant, and having a 2 year old, my workout shedule goes as follows.
Spinning (I teach) 2x a week 1 hour each
Running 2-3x a week, 30 min each.
Swimming 1x per week, 45 min.
Not bad, I'm starting to miss my Saturday long runs. I miss running with my running partner for an hour/ hour and a half chatting it up early Sat mornings. So do I really miss the running or the company?

Running talley 2009.
31.91 miles down, 268.09 to go.