So, to set the stage. There were no signs on the doors and no clear indication on the website that the pool was, indeed, closed. I got there and checked in, then asked if the pool was still open for lap swimming since there were a lot of high school kids around. The answer was no, but that I could go over to the rec center and swim even though I don’t have a membership there.
Back out into the cold and over to the rec center. It takes me a minute or so to figure out where to check in, then I ask for clarification and directions to get to the locker room and pool. The directions aren’t clear, but I get there anyway. Changed into my suit and then tried to find the exit to the pool. I wandered around for several minutes, looking like an idiot, until I finally found an unmarked hallway leading to an unmarked door that looked like a utility closet – and that turned out to be the exit to the pool. The rec center has only two lanes for lap swimming – and one was already taken. I asked the lifeguard the distance of the lanes and she replied with a sigh of disgust – “25”. Which wasn’t very helpful in that it could have been 25 meters or 25 yards – and that makes a difference when one is planning on swimming a mile.
I decided to do 36 laps – which is either just enough or slightly more than I needed to do to get my distance. I got in the pool and discovered another issue – the lanes were narrow. Very narrow. I’d guess about 3/4 as wide or less than I’m used to. The first few laps I was pretty much hitting the wall with either hands or feet (or both) on each stroke until I finally got my stroke modified. Still felt like I was swimming in a spaghetti box.
I also pushed off from the wall at one end and realized just how shallow it was. I scraped my nose and my chest on the bottom of the pool. I compensated for that as well, but it was still irksome.
When I was finally done, I got out, got a shower, got dressed, and got the hell out of there.
So, I got in my swim. Mostly uninjured. And at an indeterminate distance. I’ll be glad when the ONAT is open again.
