Weird Vibes from Lane Mates
I recently started swimming SCAQ’s evening USC workouts when I took a job in Downtown Los Angeles. The Uytengsu Aquatic Center is on the way home and it’s super easy and quick to get to from my office in the Central Business District. I also used to swim in this very pool when I was a student at USC, so it has a slightly nostalgic feel that makes me happy. Win-win-win-win, right?
Not so fast.
These workouts are very different from the Culver City Plunge workouts that I did for last three years. USC workouts have a much smaller group, the pool is very warm, the clocks are always off, the sets are shorter and don’t add up to as much distance as I’m used to, and there is a guy who swims in my lane that is just. so. weird.
Initially, he was nice enough. He has a slightly jolly personality and would always greet me and another girl who swims in the same lane when she is there. I started noticing the weird vibes when he wanted to lead the lane, but would screw up the sets, interval, or number of times we did something. I would comment on it, and he was like “then YOU lead the lane”, so I would, but his attitude would switch and he’d become cranky and often complain to the coach. Over the last few weeks, he began swimming into me at the wall, even if I was all the way in a corner. I would have to throw myself out of the way, into the vast area of empty wall space where there was no one. He would also get super competitive when I was leading the lane, often catching up to me, or trying to pass me. When he tried to pass, I would always let him, and offer him the lead, but he wouldn’t take it.
This was the last straw. I decided the next time he was in the pool, I would swim in different lane. I did just that last week. It was a small turn-out so we each had our own lane. He spent the whole time trying to out-swim me, and it took all my patience to not get pissed off about. I had to remind myself I was there to workout, to have me time, and to take care of my body, not to get into arguments or feel angry towards others.
Today, I was the first person in my lane. I had gotten through about 200 yards and was approaching the wall when someone jumped in and immediately started swimming a slow breast stroke in front of me. IT WAS HIM. I had been warming up at a decent pace, so I quickly caught up to him in the lane. I figured he’d stop at the wall and I could get in front of him. He did stop, see me, and made to take off again.
I decided I would not put up with that, so I gestured to him that I was going to go first. I did, and then when we finished warming up, I said that it would best if we split the lane since it was just the two of us. He gave me a smirk, and said “FINE”.
The rest of the workout was actually quite good, but his energy was nearly toxic. There were two moments when I was about to call it and jump out. I stopped myself both times by repeating that I was there to get a good swim in, and not let anyone sabotage that.
I am not quite sure how to proceed with him at this point. Thinking that he might be there really turns me off to the workout, but I just can’t bring myself to drive halfway across Los Angeles to just avoid one person.
In any case, here is the workout:
400 warm-up
6 x 50 kick, scull, swim
4 rounds, 4 x 100 freestyle
100 cool-down