So the other day, during the lunchtime Master's swim session in Solana Beach, a woman cracked her head on the wall - so hard she had to be escorted to the ER. Yes, heads do bleed easily. How in the world did this happen to an advanced, highly fit swimmer?

I'm extremely happy to report that she seems to be fine, and is already back in the water.

 ..Just a freak incident: Normally, there are flags that hang above the pool several feet from either end. This is how you tell how close to the wall you are when you're swimming backstroke (and seeing only sky). The flags are especially important during an endurance set, where momentum really takes off, and the swimmer fairly careens toward the wall, twisting, flipping and pushing off just in time. The flags happened to fall down at one end, and the unfortunate swimmer happened to be in a full backstroke cruise...who knows? Maybe she was tired, or just in the zone, too.

Solana Beach offers what you might call "luxury aquatics." It may not be a private competition pool, but it's pretty darned nice! Two new lap pools, one full-size, one competition-size. The "leisure pool" is heated to a balmy 81+ degrees, for the comfort of lap swimmers. (Perfect for early swims on cooler days, or those seeking relaxation over fast pace.) The competition pool is bigger and colder (better for high-intensity swimming), can be oriented in yards or meters, and features starting blocks, flags, and lane markers in all the right places. Add a friendly and enthusiastic staff, hot showers, swim lessons for kids and all ages, accommodating lap swim hours, adjunt fitness room, and snack bar. Having swum in pools near and far, and having been where there's no place to swim, I never take these amenities for granted! Now I'm inspired to write a letter to head coach Joe and rec director Dion, and letting them know what a great job they do... 

(I actually heard a woman one day in the locker room complaining about the floor being wet and dirty. This may be a separate rant...but first, it's a pool locker room. The floor will be wet. Second, you put together a facility this nice on the same budget, and see how you keep the floor clean every hour of the day, as swimmers and teams come and go! This woman, methinks, needs to get a smidgen of perspective.)

Even in such an idyllic setting, accidents happen.

Seems much more likely, though, in the public pools in France. I was so excited when I found an outdoor pool there, and learned it was competition-size, and even had a diving board! So I'm suiting up and checking out the scene from the bleachers, when I realized that something looked weird. People were swimming laps, yes. But people were swimming - I kid you not - in both directions. I mean, some lengthwise, and others cross-wise - at the same time. A few brave souls were even floating on their backs. When they happened to brush arms or even clunk heads with other swimmers, they hardly even seemed phased. "Bof - pardon!"

Reminds me of ISO-9000 certification: We verify that you have a process, and that you follow it. We don't really care if it's wildly inefficient, or doesn't really work, as long as it's documented and practiced.

I leave this entry with a fantasy about getting an Endless Pool. While I greatly enjoy the social aspect of swimming where they know your name, I would loooove to have one of these things. Cut the drive time (and gas), chop out the turns, and just swim. Literally, a treadmill for swimmers. The true zone-out recipe. It's just not exactly "affordable."

Did I mention that I love to swim? I may not be olympic-level, but what a great way to relax and get your blood flowing!