Where Do You Stand?

The Difference Between Pool Swimmers And Ocean Swimmers

I saw an article in Trail Runner Magazine once providing a comprehensive list of the differences between trail runners and road runners. I thought it would be interesting to get the low down from other swimmers to try and give a comprehensive guide on where they might actually stand when it comes to being a pool swimmer or an ocean swimmer.

In my part of the world, we have seen a large growth in the popularity of ocean swimming over the past few years. A lot of the ocean swimmers I swim with are or were originally pool swimmers. Hopefully the following list will be a good guide for all to let you finally decide if you sit with the pool swimmers or have crossed over to an ocean swimmer.

Training

• Pool swimmers are constantly looking out for other people in their lane. Ocean swimmers are constantly looking for stingrays, sharks, jellyfish, speed boats and mutant turtles.
• Most Pool swimmers I know are always trying to shed kilos and look as lean as possible. Ocean swimmers are usually trying to get themselves a nice layer of insulation from the winter cold and hopefully get them through their English Channel swim.
• Pool swimmers are making sure the lane ropes are up to reduce wake from other swimmers. Ocean swimmers are usually looking for choppy seas where they can get more of a challenge.
• Pool swimmers are always shaved down and clean, smelling like chlorine, Ocean swimmers are usually encrusted in salt and sand.
• Pool swimmers count laps and meters. Ocean swimmers train by hours and kilometers.
• Pool swimmers like their water warm and are usually complaining if the pool temperature gets below twenty five. Ocean swimmers see the cold water as a extra challenge with winter swims as a badge of honor.
• Pool swimmers look for crystal clear water with clean surrounding facilities. Ocean swimmers will look for sewage outlets, tide charts and weather forecasts.
• Pool swimmers will be looking around for a clock or scoreboard wanting to know their times. Ocean swimmers who will look at the position of the sun in the sky to see how many hours they have before they have to get our of the water and head to work.
• Pool swimmers will use the pool swimming function of their watch counting laps. Ocean swimmers will be using GPS.

Social Media

Pool swimmers Instagram account

Ocean swimmers Instagram account

Racing and Competitions

• Pools swim competitions have their distance counted meticulously. Ocean swims might be a few 100 meters long, give or take…Just look at their Strava account.
• Pool swimmers will be entered into three or four races in a competition. Ocean swimmers will struggle to fit in more than one race during a competition as they are all being run at the same time.

Different…But still the same

• Both pool and ocean swimmers are healthier than the average couch potato, and enjoy the camaraderie of their fellow swimmers.
• Pool swimmers and ocean swimmers both seem to always lie to their coach about which repetition they are on during a training set.
• Both enjoy a good shower after a pool or ocean swim and will probably stay in there a little longer than they should.
• Enjoy a good carb loading session after a good swim practice and will generally be planning what they are going to eat while they are swimming.
• Will fail to recognize their fellow swimmer in a non swimming setting because they look so different with regular clothes on.
• Hate being tapped on the feet by people behind them.
• And finally, both pool swimmers and ocean swimmers like wearing their race T-shirts and gaining bragging rights.