Swimming

hell-o, what's this?

http://www.serpentine.org.uk/pages/location_orchard_lisle.html

quite a few sessions here but i'm put off by the need to join the serpentine running club, get on a waiting list and the fact it's so tri (relentless freestyle) oriented.

on that subject, even though i'm doing a couple of triathlons this year there's something about the oversubscribed and overtly macho nature of tri culture that really puts me off. a lot of guys i see training are horrible brutish swimmers and bad, rude, aggro cyclists. and when i have to sign up and pay to sit on a waiting list for honour of being elbowed, kicked and cut up by them i start to wonder if triathlons are really my thing...

Dooks, you're now at Oval right? I've been going to Brixton Rec tues/fri mornings at about 7.30am for an hour. Its been pretty quiet (maybe 2/3 others that can swim in the lane) - though yesterday it was a bit busier. I don't get these people who turn up for about 15mins, piss you off then get out and go home.
I'm going to try the cali masters when I get back from holidays. I need a kick up the arse instead of doing the same old routine everytime I go. I'm at that point where I don't see any improvement/benefits - just bog standard maintenance.

What about the refurbed place that opened in Soho the beginning of the year. Meant to be a beautiful art-deco pool. Marsham Street Baths or something. May well be worth a look.

As I'm not really cycling much at the moment I have been doing a fair bit of swimming. I can't get this whole lane range thing though. Why should someone deliberately swim into me if I am going slower. Would it be acceptable to cycling or drive straight into someone if they were going a little slow in front of you? Just makes it unpleasant for other users really.

The pool I swim in is so filthy though, I am put of going a bit because of it

cool, thanks peeps. i will try both of them. going to try this mysterious queen mother place in victoria on the way home today. maybe try soho on friday and yep, brixton rec sounds perfect for the occasional morning swim. so hard to get out of bed at the moment but must htfu and get on it.

yeah kattie come to masters dude! i really enjoy it. i'm not sure if i'm pushing myself as hard as i shoud at the moment because i'm just happy in my lane. i really ought to move myself up one.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/london/hi/people_and_places/newsid_8877000/8877779.stm

Dooks, not sure who you work for, but you might get a swim here:

http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/working/benefits/thomas-guy-club.aspx

Also, there is a pool in the basement of the shell centre, but I'm not sure how you join. I know a dive club and a water polo club train there though so swimming must be available.

Thirdly, is ironmonger row too far?

Joe.

Dooks, not sure who you work for, but you might get a swim here:

http://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/working/benefits/thomas-guy-club.aspx

Also, there is a pool in the basement of the shell centre, but I'm not sure how you join. I know a dive club and a water polo club train there though so swimming must be available.

Thirdly, is ironmonger row too far?

Joe.

Thanks Joe S. Will investigate Guys and St Thomas'. I don't work there but know a man who does... From that Serpentine Running Club link a few posts back i see there are quite a few private pools that seems to hire themselves out to clubs for training but aren't open to individuals. I assume the Shell one is similar.

Ironmonger was my local pool for four years but it's shut until summer 2012 for a redevelopment at the moment. Should be lovely when it finally does reopen though. I met the architect at one of the consultations and the plans looks great.

Think i'm going to to try Marshall Street instead of Queen Mother this afternoon/tonight.

Cheers for the tips!

Used to love Marshall st, upstairs had a sauna, but watch it dont touch legs ffs,
same as for the pool/ sauna at Victoria, (think thats oasis?) men only rooms that are well dodgy.

Im training for an aquathlon, with 1 k swim which in my 25 metre pool is 40 lengths,
working up to two clean sets of 20 front crawl, and concentrating on getting out and avoiding any oxygen deficit whatsoever.

this looks like fun

http://endurancelife.com/event.asp?series=48

£40 to swim down a cold river?! You're mental.
(I'm really crap at open water)

£40 to swim down a cold river?! You're mental.
(I'm really crap at open water)

it's only twenty to swim up.

Wow, cant believe there's a swimming thread ! Thought it would be banned or something on here !

Nice to see some peeps love the water too ! :)
( shhhh , its my number one love ) ( sorry bf, kids and bikes ! )

www.swimclub.co.uk is very useful for any swim related questions.

Also, there is a pool in the basement of the shell centre, but I'm not sure how you join. I know a dive club and a water polo club train there though so swimming must be available.

It's a private pool, so AFAIK there is no public access. But I also know that a diving club uses it, I know someone who used to go. I wonder if you joined the diving club you'd get to swim in it the rest of the time, or just for the specific sessions?

I can't wait for Ironmonger to reopen, there's nowhere as good, I really miss it.

yeah me too.

although beeing forced to move on made me finally get used to both 25 and 50m pools so in the long run it's helped me get out of my rut there. i'm such a creature of habit i need a good kick up the bum to make me branch out sometimes. since ironmonger closed i've found lots of nice other places to swim, though starting masters been forced to address my previous total neglect of breast, back and fly (i actually love fly now) and i've met loads of very nice new people. none of which would have happened if i was still plodding up and down ironmonger on my own week in week out. blessing in disguise. plus! when it does reopen it's going to be great.

edit: howdy Nick-Nack!

Howdy Mooks, I feel really guilty posting about swimming on here.
feel like im ducking down as I type......

I swim 4x week. Ave 12.5k at the moment.

I too keep meaning to join local masters, but 1) costs a fortune 2) its on fridays and sunday evenings..... hmmmm, but I know I need pushing, because some swims just seem to be maintenance !

(skulks back off to cycle related stuff.... )

don't feel bad. i came for the cycling but stay for the scat porn references and bitter in-fighting.

Did you check out Marshall Street? Was it any good?

I did and it is! Very busy after work though. Going to try the Vauxhall Queen Mum one on Sunday.

Full report when i'm not nearly catatonic with sleep deprivation.

I had a feeling it would be very busy. I work just up the road and have yet to go there.

this looks like fun

http://endurancelife.com/event.asp?series=48

£40 to swim down a cold river?! You're mental.
(I'm really crap at open water)

tbh, Endurancelife events arent all that. did the Dartmoor mtn marathon last year,
the parking was a joke at Princetown, there wasnt anything you wouldnt get at Orienteering events and for a lot less money.Just seems theres nuff people who are wealthy enough to pay their fees, like the coastaltrailquest ones too.

exactly Katie, just go there and do it for free if you wanna.
(learn your shit about the location though first ....)

howdy

• tried queen mother sports centre by victoria (on vauxhall bridge road). £5.15 for non member swim, changing rooms were quite scummy but the pool was nice, clear, cool, very wide (6 double width lanes) and not too crowded between 4:40 and 5:30 on tuesday when i visited. will definitely make this my local distance training destination.

• heads up for cally masters tonight. 8-9:30pm at caledonian road pool. missed last week so am raring to make some waves tonight.

last night's middle lanes set.

800m warm up. 20 mins alternating front crawl and own choice.
500m butterfly kick. odd lengths “dolphin” (underwater legs only with fins) even lengths on the back.
3x200m front crawl pull with a pull buoy on 3 minutes.
8x50m back stroke pull with 5 seconds rest. odd lengths catch up. even, roll and hold.
3x200 front crawl pull with pull buoy and paddles. 10 seconds rest between sets.
8x25 breast stroke sprints on 1 minute.
3x200m front crawl with fins and paddles. 10 seconds rest.
100m easy
1x200 front crawl sprint with fins only.
(90 mins. 4000m)

I like the look of the 100m easy.

Am back from hols at the end of March and will be popping along to attempt to splash about with a bit more focus.

http://swimseries.humanrace.co.uk/events/eton