Aug 09
24
Last week, I shared a lane with one of my favorite lane mates, as well as with someone new, someone in fact, I hadn’t seen previously at the pool. (Apparently she normally swims much earlier in the day.) We were to do 3 x 200 free descending/3 x 100 free/3 x 50 non-free and repeat the entire set 3 times.
At the end of each set, the coach wanted to know our times for the 200s. First set – each of us swam the second 200 faster than the first, but then stayed the same or slowed on the 3rd 200. Of course, the coach let us know in her firm way that we needed to up the speed and DESCEND (decrease our times on each 200). By the third set, two of us did just so. (Fear of disappointing the swim coach is a good motivator!)
The new lane mate lied to the coach about her times on that third set – she wasn’t descending at all, but wanted the coach believe that she was. She didn’t want to get ‘chewed out’ so she just made up numbers. So… what’s up with that? Do other people lie about their times to their coaches? Isn’t that cheating yourself? Should I care that she lied, or is it really none of my business? Who benefits from lying to the coach?
Wow, this is something that is not uncommon in younger swimmers, where there’s some actual fear of retribution (such as the coach making you repeat the set, and still has the authority to do so or kick you off the team), but it does seem odd to lie like this at such an old age. Is this something your coach might do? Maybe conversely to what you say “who does it benefit” she figures “who does it hurt? I don’t want to do the set again, and I know I didn’t negative split it, so who cares?”
She could also be a 1 upper. There the people who always have to be right, always have a better story. “You climbed Mt. Kilaminjaro? Sooo, my Uncle climbed K2.” Those are the kind of people that would lie about this stuff to stroke their own egos, especially if she’s training with a new group and wants to make a good first impression.
At the end of the day, as a supportive teammate, it’s more your job to encourage her to make the set the next time than lecture her to not fib to the coach. The Master’s Team structure lends itself more to trying to support and encouraging each other than to try to berate each other as “letting the team down.”
Wow, that’s actually a wonderful take on this! Thanks Braden. You are right, Master’s Swimming is about being supportive and encouraging, and I need to focus on the positive.
I say let her lie and give her wink!.
Masters is suppose to be fun and if she is not getting in the way then there is no harm and no foul in her simply being there to enjoy herself with group of people with like mind!
I say let her lie. Who cares? It's Master's and nothing irks me more than people who get so hard-core about swimming whatever time on whatever day when really, USMS is supposed to foster fun, fitness, and an enjoyable atmosphere. I have had plenty of days where I didn't want to do the set as it was prescribed, and maybe I slacked. As long as those who choose to do something different stay out of the way and let those who are faster go ahead, I say no one is the wiser. I pay dues. I am an adult. I choose to be there for the comraderie and for a workout that I would not do if swimming by my lonesome during lap swim hours. I am talented and a fast swimmer, but I still embrace the philosophy that this is supposed to be fun. I am no longer forced to do sets in a collegiate atmosphere, and I sure as heck am not going to make the Olympics, so who cares what I am or am not doing time-wise???
The only caveot to this is if said swimmer moans and complains about never getting faster when he or she never does the set as prescribed. Then perhaps it might be prudent to encourage more participation in the sets…but only if said swimmer looks upt o you and can take such comments from you….otherwise, leave it to the coach.
My two cents.