Are you kidding me?!?! I thought to myself the first time I heard the term "lane bias." My next thought was to recall the words of the old United Negro College Fund commercial that stated: "A mind is a terrible thing to waste."
It was an article, a swimming one, I saw somewhere, probably a link posted on Facebook. I didn't read it. I thought, "Somebody has too much time on his hands." From what I gathered, the writer was recounting how all lanes in a pool are not equal but some swim faster than others. Then I had this experience.
My trip to the Twin Rivers Tiny Pool, as I have taken to calling it, put me into the two lane pool with another person. Not to worry because I only need one. Usually I swim in the first lane, the one closest the front door, but since that one was occupied, I swam the outside (north lane). I didn't notice any difference only that I was closer to the wall. The other lane is beside a long entrance ramp. I did, however, notice that my time was slow. Not too worry, I wasn't swimming for time, just an easy steady effort as I am still rehabbing a wounded shoulder.
It was only last night when I was transferring my data to a training diary that I happened to peak at the Garmin I wore for the swim. For no particular reason, I scrolled through the length record and noticed a pattern. It goes like this. Below, the numbers on the left are the lengths (odd going west and even going east). The next number is the pace per 100 yards for that 25 yard length. Take a look:
1 1:47 (odd numbers are swimming west; even numbers are swimming east)
2 1:55
3 1:47
4 2:00
5 1:47
6 1:59
7 1:50
8 2:01
9 1:52
10 2:02
11 1:54
12 2:07
13 1:48
14 2:08
15 1:52
16 2:06
17 1:53
18 1:59
19 1:53
20 2:07
21 1:54
22 2:04
23 1:49
24 2:02
25 1:44
26 2:08
27 1:54
28 2:04
29 1:53
30 1:59
31 1:51
32 1:59
33 1:50
34 1:56
35 1:51
36 2:05
37 1:52
38 2:04
39 1:48
40 2:08
41 1:54
42 2:03
43 1:57
44 2:06
45 1:52
46 2:08
47 1:51
48 1:57
49 1:59
50 1:59
51 1:55
52 2:08
53 1:53
54 2:09
55 1:48
56 2:05
57 1:55
58 2:05
Changed lanes
59 1:56
60 2:00
61 1:54
62 1:55
63 1:59
64 1:50 (Finishing strong? I don't remember)
Do you see it? I am not so sure about lane bias in my favorite lane because I only swam 150 in it. But I am absolutely certain there is a lane direction bias (credit me with coining that term) in the north lane of Twin Rivers indoor pool. To me the evidence is stunning, credible, undeniable. When you swim in that lane, going west you go fast, while going east, the pace slows. Bear in mind, I was not modulating pace. I do that sometimes, but not June the 26th. I was just trying to get in a decent-for-my-fitness swim at an easy, steady pace.
I find all of this interesting, and it will give me something else to occupy my mind while I swim there. In the ponds, I used to try to figure out why they warmed and cooled the way they did. They would change temperatures in spots while I swam. I became an expert on catfish pond temperature changes. If you ever need any information on that subject, I am your man. If you want to know about lane bias at the Twin Rivers indoor pool, give me a call.
As far as the other lane goes, more research is needed to determine if a similar lane direction bias exists in it also. I hypothesize that a similar but reduced lane bias does indeed exist for my favorite lane. Furthermore, since there is what appears to be a drain at the bottom of the west end of the pool, (I start on the east end) I predict a faster western length when compared to the eastern lengths. My plan is to research this matter this afternoon. Look for the results here tomorrow morning.
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