I had a great chat with a tri geek pal from college last night and I couldn’t help busting his chops about the fact that he is still indoors swimming while we have the chillers on! Are you folks who swim indoors a lot still able to enjoy swimming as much or does it take the edge off? I love the snot out of swimming, but I question what would happen if I were forced indoors part/all of the time. The last time I was in an indoor pool was 1994! Does it fit the same trainer vs road conversation?
I was and still am a bit of an outdoor spaz and being indoors just grinds my last nerve. But I wonder if my love of swimming could possibly be thwarted by being forced indoors? Anyone here come from a climate where outdoor was their norm and then forced in? I think I’m questioning if I would be hardcore enough to head indoors…my gut tells me I’d lose my zest for the black line.
I love working out and training hard, from that standpoint I love the pool and the trainer, for me they are better tools for making gains.
When I lived near a lake I only swam in the lake because it was just more fun, but I didn’t necessarily get in the workouts I should have.
I like being outside and inside but for entirely different reasons, I wish I had an option to swim outside where I currently live.
Oh I’d kill for a lake! While not as spot on to the second I’m still able to get great workouts in the lake. I just know my stroke rate and how many strokes I need for a 100 at threshold pace and go accordingly, just no walls to rest on so flop over for active recovery backstroke. But yea not ideal I guess. That said off to practice it’s already 71 hope the chillers are ripping!
Not a trainer vs road to me, more like an indoor track vs outdoor track.
I’ve lived in places where there were either no indoor pools, or (almost) no outdoor pools. I started competitive swimming in outdoor pools on our high school team in bermuda, where there are no indoor pools, then my family moved to Canada where I started competitive swimming more seriously, with a club program and eventually in college. In college my folks moved back to Bermuda, where I swam on the national team in the summer, and our college did training camp every Xmas break in Florida, which was outdoor.
There are things I like about both. Indoor, you aren’t messed up bh impending lightning storms, cold, rain, wind. The sun doesn’t blind you in a backstroke set (usually). You don’t find dead things floating in your lane. But outdoors you get the sun, and you don’t get the smell o f the pool.
I’ve swum in some really crappy outdoor pools, and some great ones. I’ve swum in really crappy indoor pools, (my daughter does lessons at the y, which is great for lessons but they have a 20yard, 3 lane washing machine with a current going down the centre lane. The backstroke flags are 2 m from the wall) and some great ones.
I guess what I’m saying is that each pool has it’s charms. I don’t really care anymore whether the pool is indoor or outdoor, as long as I can swim in it.
There seem to be no outdoor pools here which sucks. But, I’ve found a fabulous indoor pool - high ceilings 25yx50m, so it’s not all dark and dreary like the pool at the YMCA. It’s worth driving the 15 miles to get there. And the kids’ program is excellent, so there’s always a lot of energy when they are there.
There seem to be no outdoor pools here which sucks. But, I’ve found a fabulous indoor pool - high ceilings 25yx50m, so it’s not all dark and dreary like the pool at the YMCA. It’s worth driving the 15 miles to get there. And the kids’ program is excellent, so there’s always a lot of energy when they are there.
There seem to be no outdoor pools here which sucks. But, I’ve found a fabulous indoor pool - high ceilings 25yx50m, so it’s not all dark and dreary like the pool at the YMCA. It’s worth driving the 15 miles to get there. And the kids’ program is excellent, so there’s always a lot of energy when they are there.
But I’d love an outdoor pool!
I think that is what got me about the indoor pool at Auburn. Little 25 yard pool, no sunlight of any kind got in there basically a cave, noxious chlorine fumes. Yuk. Maybe an indoor with a few skylights would work for the visual lacking.
I am a Mainer and thus grew up swimming indoors. I loved to swim then and still do.
Quite frankly if you’re swimming fast enough you’ll probably forget you’re indoors/outdoors
It does prevent the hassle of putting sunscreen all over your body
ETA - I prefer running on the treadmill to running outside.
I don’t know if I want to tolerate more than 20k a week, any more than that and my zest starts to fade after a few weeks. I will say I definitely have a new respect for working hard in a different way the past couple of years though as I parted from threshold/OW to pool sprint/USRPT. Getting used to a built in failure on almost every set was hard for me mentally when the game used to be making all of them b/f the interval ended with a little fudge rest. Hard to accept that almost every day is a fail set! It’s weird hearing someone say ‘hey you missed it by 2 seconds, but it was 2 more 50’s than Tuesday, nice work!’
Not a trainer vs road to me, more like an indoor track vs outdoor track.
I’ve lived in places where there were either no indoor pools, or (almost) no outdoor pools. I started competitive swimming in outdoor pools on our high school team in bermuda, where there are no indoor pools, then my family moved to Canada where I started competitive swimming more seriously, with a club program and eventually in college. In college my folks moved back to Bermuda, where I swam on the national team in the summer, and our college did training camp every Xmas break in Florida, which was outdoor.
There are things I like about both. Indoor, you aren’t messed up bh impending lightning storms, cold, rain, wind. The sun doesn’t blind you in a backstroke set (usually). You don’t find dead things floating in your lane. But outdoors you get the sun, and you don’t get the smell o f the pool.
I’ve swum in some really crappy outdoor pools, and some great ones. I’ve swum in really crappy indoor pools, (my daughter does lessons at the y, which is great for lessons but they have a 20yard, 3 lane washing machine with a current going down the centre lane. The backstroke flags are 2 m from the wall) and some great ones.
I guess what I’m saying is that each pool has it’s charms. I don’t really care anymore whether the pool is indoor or outdoor, as long as I can swim in it.
Yea good point there are the outdoor hazards, but I’m very fortunate to swim in a private pool so I escape a lot of the ‘other’ items. Very spoiled that way. It’s cleaner than my home, temp perfect and free of nuisances for the most part.
I swim in an outdoor pool during the summer. When I go back inside in late August, the indoor pool seems a bit depressing but after a week or two I no longer notice.
I prefer the indoor poor. More controlled outdoor environment, and no sunburn when you’re doing a lot of swimming.
Totally different than indoor running/cycling, where you’re not moving at all. Youd’ have to be in an endless pool to analogize to treadmill/trainer where you’re not going anywhere.
I usually swim indoors. Currently the lake temp here in Coeur d’Alene is now only 37.7 F. No outdoor pools available in the winter. So I like to swim inside when it is cold outside. I like the lake too but generally can only swim in the lake late May through September.
I swam indoors all last season and I switched to an outdoor this season… No comparison. I don’t choke on chlorine fumes when I get ready to swim… Sure, it’s colder getting out of the pull some mornings, but I’d rather be a little cold than unable to breathe.
I usually swim indoors. Currently the lake temp here in Coeur d’Alene is now only 37.7 F. No outdoor pools available in the winter. So I like to swim inside when it is cold outside. I like the lake too but generally can only swim in the lake late May through September.
Coeur d’Alene is on my top 5 most beautiful places ever. Fernie, BC is my #1, but you are a close second! At least in the summer;)
I swim in an outdoor pool during the summer. When I go back inside in late August, the indoor pool seems a bit depressing but after a week or two I no longer notice.
I think I have just become a sunshine junkie. I could probably adapt if I had to, but being inside in any capacity just gives me the bummers. Plus I’m a huge pussy and when it drops below 70 I’m looking for a jacket.