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Swimmer vs Triathlete.
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How do you tell if the person about to share your lane is a swimmer or a triathlete without ever watching them swim a stroke? Well, here is a quick and easy guide (feel free to add as appropriate).

1) The triathlete shows up with a metric shitload of electronics, a bottle of sports drink, a snorkel, a swim mask, paddles, pullbouy. The swimmer has a pair of goggles and maybe a set of paddles. They will grab whatever they need from the box / rack of kickboards and buoys whenever it is time for it.
2) the triathlete jumps straight into the lane and starts swimming. The swimmer looks at the clock, swings arms, dips toe in water (is thinking "how cold is the water. Yep, it's cold") swings arms more. dips goggles and adjusts. removes goggles. dips and adjusts again. about 10 minutes after getting on deck, the swimmer finally dives in to do the last 200 of the planned 800 warmup.
3) starting a set, the triathlete pushes off the wall looking at the far end. the swimmer pushes on their side so they can look at the pace clock.
4) the triathlete starts their wristwatch and goes at some random time. The swimmer just says "red top" or "blue top" and waits...for the next one after the one coming up.
5) the triathlete is usually far better looking (we'll give you that).
6) the swimmer can have a meaningful conversation in 15 second increments over the course of the set.

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Hahaha, love it! I am definitely the swimmer here, #2 and #3 especially. I always got yelled at by the coach for being the last one in the water and he was incredulous when I was the first one finished with warm ups at a meet (about 10 minutes total). The water is always so cold and wet!

As for pushing off the walls, my club coach in high school used to yell at us that "only the old water aerobics ladies push off on their stomachs or backs, swimmers push off on their sides." There is actually a good reason for that one, if you notice top swimmers always push off from their flip-turns on their sides (trust me it is faster) and good streamlining habits are formed by doing it right every single time.

And yeah, I've never worn a watch in a swimming pool. If their's no clock you hang a watch from the starting blocks.

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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Fun list, I'll add that the cap or bottle of the triathlete shows their most recent race, and they want you to ask about it. I swam in college and now only race triathlon, but glad to see I fit the swimmer description more than the triathlete (especially when it comes to getting in the pool).

Tim Russell, Pro Triathlete

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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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I can usually peg the triathlete by the fact that he doesn't swim a single lap all morning and instead spends the whole time practicing whichever drill got the most hits on ST the day before. Or by his seashell necklace.
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [Timbikerun] [ In reply to ]
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I swam in college and now only race triathlon

Once a swimmer, always a swimmer.

the cap or bottle of the triathlete shows their most recent race

That, and if they just did the race sometime in the last 2 weeks they'll still have their magic marker race number on their calf and shoulder.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Ha! That's great.

I'm fairly new to swimming and triathlon, but I'm shocked at how fast some people are in the pool who physically look like they're not in the best shape...some layers of fat, etc. Kind of like a seal or a walrus or someting...not so pretty on the land but like magic in the water. It's depressing to see them just kick my a$$ (not that hard to do, but still...). Makes me want to get them out on the track and see how it goes there. :)

On the other hand, watching these guya/gals helps to keeps me focused on trying being smooth, clean and relaxed in the wather instead of fighting it. I do love watching a great swimmer who has zillions of yards under their belt. So clean...
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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JasoninHalifax wrote:


4) the triathlete starts their wristwatch and goes at some random time. The swimmer just says "red top" or "blue top" and waits...for the next one after the one coming up.

What does this mean?
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [Jason80134] [ In reply to ]
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exactly ;-)

Seriously, the pace clock usually has 4 hands (some have 2), each a different colour. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. Red top is when the red hand in on the 60, blue is when the blue is on the 60, etc. No one ever uses Yellow top though. Bad karma or something.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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And yet at Dalplex, I am the exact opposite (slowly sliding into water, watching clock, never rushing things). last time I went swimming the "swimmers" all had hand paddles, kick boards and pull buoys and did awesome things like swim butterfly in a lane with 5 people. Yay!

Ian
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [Jason80134] [ In reply to ]
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Kind of like a seal or a walrus or someting

Seriously, seal or walrus? you coulda been a bit more kind and picked penguin.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Otter?

JasoninHalifax wrote:
Kind of like a seal or a walrus or someting

Seriously, seal or walrus? you coulda been a bit more kind and picked penguin.
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Dirtymangos theory of pool swimmers: the swimmer's perceived importance is inversely related to everyone else's perception importance.
Example 1- an Olympic swimmer is "just practising" and is perfectly happy to share a lane with 5 or 6 other people. Sure they might get a little pissy, when slow people block their progress on a timed interval. (On the other hand, it is just common courtesy to get out of the way when you are getting lapped).
Example 2- the 250lb-Thursday Morning-One-Footed-Bubble-Blow Champion needs a lot of space. Preferably the whole pool. But certainly a couple of lanes. The thought of sharing a lane, will cause a fit followed by the necessary 6 months of recovery.
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [tkos] [ In reply to ]
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I don't swim at Dalplex. That's your issue right there ;)

last time I went swimming the "swimmers" all had hand paddles, kick boards and pull buoys.

Yeah, swimmers will use that stuff. but how many wristwatches do you see getting pressed at the end of each lap?

awesome things like swim butterfly in a lane with 5 people.
in my competitive swimming days, we had to do that all the time (in squad practice, poor form to do that in a public swim). One of the other guys on our university team was a 6'3" German exchange student named Rolf. Both of us were butterflyers, I was a bit better than him over 200m, he was a better sprinter. When we collided arms, it hurt me a hell of a lot more than it hurt him.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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I am a mediocre swimmer (around the 2 min/100m mark). getting chased by a fast butterfly does help me swim faster though, ha ha.

I do admit to wearing my wristwatch, but then, I rarely take it off anyway as it is a simple Timex. And I can't see the wall clock that well, so I need to know what time it is. I guess I never see any triathletes in the pool other than me. I do see plenty of kayakers though.

By the way Dalplex is way cheaper for me than my other options.

Ian
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [dirtymangos] [ In reply to ]
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I think it is an experience thing rather than an importance thing. When you've grown up navigating the warmup pool at a typical age-group meet, then sharing a lane with only 5 or 6 other people is no big deal. You might as well have the lane to yourself.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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I confuse swimmers.
- I don't wear a watch
- I don't bring a bottle
- I wear a speedo.
- I flip turn, kick off upside down and streamline.
- my swim cap isn't from a triathlon.

However, I'm much slower than a "swimmer"... although that still gets me in the top 5-10% of a tri swim.
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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I've never been accused of being a swimmer, but by your definition I would be. (except #5)
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [ejbeaty] [ In reply to ]
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ejbeaty wrote:
I can usually peg the triathlete by the fact that he doesn't swim a single lap all morning and instead spends the whole time practicing whichever drill got the most hits on ST the day before. Or by his seashell necklace.

That's RFF.

another way to tell the swimmers apart is that they sit in the hot tub for ten minutes while I warm up . . . why is that? That can't be the only reason they're faster than me.

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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [tkos] [ In reply to ]
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I've swum at Dalplex a few times, and I agree that the clock at Dalplex is hard to see. I haven't been there in about 5 years or so, but IIRC it is in a very odd spot (not at the end of the pool, but sort of halfway down the far lane when the pool is set up for short course. the clock in the deep end was better).

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Funny stuff!!

Despite being a triathlete with average swimming abilities I try an emulate real swimmers as much as possible and use low-tech gear that I have from 20-years ago.

I start my Garmin just to record the workout and use the pace clock as it is easier to see and follow.

I always laugh to myself when I see the tri-geeks at the pool as well or on their bikes or in running races with all their fancy gear.

Certainly victims of good marketing!!!
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [NordicSkier] [ In reply to ]
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my swim cap isn't from a triathlon

You wear a cap in training. That's the giveaway right there ;) (assuming you're male). I don't think many swimmers are wearing the traditional speedo cut anymore, either, they've been largely ditched in favour of jammers or square legs. I could be wrong though.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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JasoninHalifax wrote:
exactly ;-)

Seriously, the pace clock usually has 4 hands (some have 2), each a different colour. Red, Blue, Green, Yellow. Red top is when the red hand in on the 60, blue is when the blue is on the 60, etc. No one ever uses Yellow top though. Bad karma or something.

Yellow is also hard to see from across the pool when doing odd numbers. 25, 75, 125...


Just keep swimming...

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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [vertseven] [ In reply to ]
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that's the real, practical, non-humorous reason. I just like to tell people that the yellow has been cursed by a witch-doctor.

Swimming Workout of the Day:

Favourite Swim Sets:

2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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These are all great. The watch is usually a dead giveaway. I would like to add, triathletes might try to play the part of swimmer by wearing briefs but they wear them all wrong. All wrong.
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Re: Swimmer vs Triathlete. [JasoninHalifax] [ In reply to ]
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Triathlete will be wearing a swim cap from some previous athletic competition.

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