I don't know if I would qualify as
avid, though swimming has been my go to exercise and I not only look forward to, but crave, my next swim.
I swim in an outdoor public pool in my little corner of Wine Country California. Injuries or illness aside, I swim 4-5 times per week for about 60-80 minutes a visit. In that time I swim between 2500 and 3600 yds. Clearly I am not setting any Land Animal Aquatic Speed Records with those times, and my fastest mile to date was pure Breaststroke in just a hair over 37min. My Crawl (what we more commonly refer to as Freestyle) is my slower stroke: when combining the two equally I swim a mile in about 38 minutes.
As I mentioned, it is outdoors, heated to about 81-83ºF, and open year round. When my schedule permits, rain or near-freezing temps aside, I can be seen there when the pool opens at 6AM... nothing but my Jammers protecting me from the cold cruel world around me.
Ok. Maybe I am
AVID.
In Mid June, the County Health Dept allowed the pool to reopen under special restrictions. Gone are the days of swimming 1-4 people a lane. Gone is the freedom to show up when you want, leave when you want. Gone is the locker room, bathroom, and outdoor shower.
Appointments are made online for 1hr slots which guarantees you 45minutes in the water. You line up, masked, at the gate which they will only open at the top of the hour for 5 minutes. If you are late, too bad. You are assigned your own lane. There is a chalk outline about 3'wide by 6'long next to each starting block where you are to stand, change and store your belongings. You are not allowed to sit on any bench, or use any surface as a table, including the starting block.
Oh, and if you get some water in your throat: DO NOT COUGH. At best, the lifeguards and other swimmers look at you like a zombie with leprosy.
They have opened the pool schedule up to include times for water aerobics, water gentle, underwater hockey, water polo, masters swim, etc. There is also a small shallow pool which they now rent times to interested single families up to 6 people to frolic in, under the same basic rules stated above.
Lap swims now cost $10 a pop from $4.50 or $5. There is no more 10-swim card for $40. There is no more annual pass ($630) of which I hold 2 remaining months whenever things go back to "normal."
Just 30 minutes ago, they opened reservations for the next two weeks. The Lady and I waited by our computers to book my reservations for the upcoming sessions. Her job was to get me Thursday Afternoon's last swim time. Mine was to book Saturday and Monday for myself, earliest time slot. Today we succeeded.
But the reservations are sold out now, 40 minutes after they opened.
I am super grateful to be swimming again. My body has changed significantly over the 3 months without. Though I feel the precautions are a little extreme, I can't say I blame them one bit for instituting these policies (to my understanding: county wide). I do think we could still split lanes and wish they would allow for two people to share like that.
Cheers!
R