Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners?

Mar 4, 10 9:28

Post #1 of 16 (5977 views)

Our master's swim class was moved to another pool while our regular pool underwent repairs. I ended up in a lane with 2 guys I don't normally swim with. We set out on a set of 200s, I went last and hoped to draft since my legs were dead from the weekend. I got dropped after the 1st 50 but I didn't care, my legs were so tired from a hilly weekend, I just wanted to swim for recovery (or survival if it came to that). On the next 200, I swam up on guy #2 after the 1st 25 and had to breast stroke at times since guy #1 was going so slow.

I hadn't been watching the pace clock so at the end of the lane I said, "Did you guys slow down that time?" Guy #1 looked embarrassed but then said, "Are we not swimming fast enough to impress you?" I think he was joking (I hope) but then I really screwed up and said "I just didn't know if you guys went out fast or..." oops I think I offended them then.

Sometimes, I have have noticed that some men go out really fast in a swim workout and then I end up on their feet 3/4 of the way through the workout. I have never said anything before, but this time was just so short! Would have have said something about their premature swim pacing? ;)

Have you ever offended a man with your female trash talk?

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 10 10:35

Post #2 of 16 (5945 views)

I have found that swimmers, especially morning swimmers can be a little up tight until you get to know them.

When I started swimming with my masters team the syncro team was working out in the next pool over. I thought it was pretty surreal to see a bunch of disembodied legs flying back and forth just above the lip of the next pool. I asked the swimmer next to me "do you ever get used to seeing that?"
The response I got was "They usually don't practice in that pool." From that point, I kept my mouth shut for several weeks.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 10 12:41

Post #3 of 16 (5892 views)

Fragile thing that male ego.

There was a guy in our old master's group that would always try to keep up with my wife. She is a much better swimmer than him or I, but this guy would go balls to the walls for the first couple of lengths as if it was a race and then would fall back. He did it every single time.

Don't worry about it. If their egos can't handle it then its not your fault.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 10 12:45

Post #4 of 16 (5889 views)

If these guys were anything like me, they get tired of chicks trying to stalk them in the pool by "making smalltalk". I go there to get my workout on not trying to flirt with the opposite sex.

As far as offending the opposite sex while training... One time I was on a group ride and when we started a nice climb 9%+ there was a girl who started falling out of the lead pack. When she went by, I mentioned that she would be a much better rider if she lost some weight. Although I was correct in my assessment, she seemed a little bent out of shape.

Go figure.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [Amstel] [ In reply to ]

Mar 4, 10 14:30

Post #5 of 16 (5843 views)

In Reply To:

If these guys were anything like me, they get tired of chicks trying to stalk them in the pool by "making smalltalk". I go there to get my workout on not trying to flirt with the opposite sex.

Go figure.

This is quite possibly the biggest misinterpretation I have ever read on a post. You thought Erika was making "small talk"? Seriously? To stalk? To flirt? Wha-where-how did you possibly come to that conclusion?

I dearly hope those guys are nothing like you. There is already one too many.

To the OP- it's interesting. Sometimes comments like that and men will eat it up- laughing and joking. Other times it's a big ego blaster. Once you get to know them you'll be able to tell what approach not to take. I definitely don't think you were rude in asking whether or not the pace had slowed.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [Amstel] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 7:00

Post #6 of 16 (5664 views)

As far as offending the opposite sex while training... One time I was on a group ride and when we started a nice climb 9%+ there was a girl who started falling out of the lead pack. When she went by, I mentioned that she would be a much better rider if she lost some weight. Although I was correct in my assessment, she seemed a little bent out of shape.

Funny-I think the offended party posted about this on this forum! Small world...

http://forum.slowtwitch.com/...post=2598543#2598543

Last edited by: pookie87: Mar 5, 10 7:03

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [mellorite] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 7:02

Post #7 of 16 (5664 views)

pretty sure he was being tongue in cheek - in both parts of his post. second part was pretty funny!

---------------------------------------------------
"Pops trippin'. He want me to ask for my bike back. You know i wouldn't trip."

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [cerveloguy] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 8:37

Post #8 of 16 (5631 views)

He was smiling when he commented about trying to impress me so I think they were handling it well but time will tell. I'm heading back to swimming today, we'll see if they chat with me or avoid me like the plague.

Yesterday I was meeting a guy to ride with and I said, "It's a drag race to see who gets there first." I was joking, we're both out of shape right now, but obviously I'm talking too much smack. I'm sure the universe will correct me soon and I'll bonk trying to keep up with someone. I should grow up before I hurt myself but darnnit, it's fun giving you guys hell. ;)

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 8:39

Post #9 of 16 (5631 views)

I'm a stronger swimmer than any other sport...most of the people at my masters group are guys...I'm usually #2-4 (depending on who shows up) as far as speed goes, yet every time I get into the pool I have to start at the back of the lane (if we're circling). I have to lay on their feet for them to let me start ahead of them. Someone nailed it earlier, "fragile thing, that male ego." It annoys the hell out of me.

The second part....for some reason there are 3-4 in our group that do the same thing - they're gung-ho at the start of practice, making good intervals and holding good paces...but as time goes on they slow way down and fatigue. They wind up struggling on any distance sets almost from the get-go. They aren't distance guys and yes, it's all related to pacing. We usually get a laugh about it.

I have a BF that lives with me and another male roommate, I offend them all the time in some way or another.

AW

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 8:56

Post #10 of 16 (5625 views)

I don't need to say anything to the guy with the fragile ego in my lane. The best story I've got is from a few months back when we were doing 50m sprints at the end of the session. We were set to race against each other, wall start. Instead, he jumped out of the pool at the last second to get a dive start in order to beat me. It was pretty funny. He's mellowed since then. Now we generally take turns leading the lane and he tends to start the workouts more slowly so that he'll have something in the tank by the end.

What gets me is the comments I used to get from guys when I was out riding. I'd often get asked if I was a pro. I'm *not* *that* fast. The response I wanted to give was "just because I'm faster than you doesn't mean I'm a pro" but generally, my response was "hah, you haven't seen me swim or run!".

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [AWARE] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 9:07

Post #11 of 16 (5620 views)

OK so I'm not imagining that pacing is an issue with some folks. I love to see a woman hanging with a group of men in the fast lanes. I swim at a university and we get former collegiate female swimmers in our class and the guys are pretty open about trying not to get beat by those girls. I love it when they start busting out with some fly on recovery, you know, just to get some more fly in. It's fun to watch from my vantage point in the not-as-fast lane.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [AWARE] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 11:03

Post #12 of 16 (5576 views)

The fragile ego thing isn't restricted to guys, although guys are more afflicted than womens with this issue when it comes to sports. I've been on more than a few group rides where a womens had issues with being passed. I recall one...everytime I passed her she would mumble something under her breath and then kick in an acceleration to get by me. I know it was wrong but enjoyed annoying her throughout the ride

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 5, 10 20:18

Post #13 of 16 (5464 views)

I find that guys get really bent out of shape over any comment that could be interpreted as a girl being faster than them, regarless of who/how etc.

"What am I on? I'm on my bike busting my ass for six hours a day. What are YOU on?" - Lance Armstrong

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [trailbait] [ In reply to ]

Mar 13, 10 19:22

Post #14 of 16 (4973 views)

This is so funny for me. Several of the fastest swimmers in our masters group are women. Two years ago one of our lane group was 8 months pregnant and had gone from swimming 1 or 2 to last in the lane. Late in the practice on a 200 she came flying by me as I faded at the end. She laughed at me and said that I ALWAYS went out too fast and faded. I don't think I had ever been really aware of it before that. It took being beaten by a very pregnant swimmer to smarten me up in pacing.
As an aside, she swam until two days before she had a little boy and when she came back she swam at the back for a very short while before, one day, she just decided to be fast again and went right back to the front. These days I couldn't get within 20 seconds of her in a 200.
j

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [flyer521] [ In reply to ]

IKnowEverything

Mar 25, 10 22:09

Post #15 of 16 (4538 views)

I think it's interesting that there are SO many guys with fragile egos like that. Myself, I sought out a girl who was faster than me and married her (okay actually that is just a minor reason that I love my wife, but you get my point). A girl that can whoop my butt in any of the three sports (or better yet, all three)? That's like, major attraction stuff there... I guess just like how I like women that are smarter than me too. It would be WAY too boring to be the smartest/fastest/best one all the time; I would think that would be irritating.

___________________________________
MS: Exercise Science
Your speed matters a lot, sometimes you need to be very fast, where sometimes you need to breakdown your speed.

Re: Ever say the wrong thing to male training partners? [IKnowEverything] [ In reply to ]

Mar 26, 10 7:39

Post #16 of 16 (4505 views)

It would be WAY too boring to be the smartest/fastest/best one all the time;

Yes...at times it is. :)

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