I wear a Timex Ironman 100 lap watch and hit the lap button every 50 yards (while upside down in my flip turn... Yes, I'm strange). Then, I always know how far I've swum and can look back at the interval times if I want.

Andm I also count in my head, but I count yards (25, 50, 75...). I don't know why that is easier an 1, 2, 3, for me, but it is. On long swims, I count up to the halfway point, then back down. It makes the swim seem shorter to me (crazy, I know).

Scoobydo, 50 meter pools aren't that common in places I've lived. I grew up in a city of 1,000,000 and there was one (outdoors, summers only). I lived recently in a city of 250,000 and there was one (indoors and it's been there as long as I can remember so over 40 years). My current city is about 90,000 population and we have one, our public outdoor pool, only open in summer and only four swimming lanes, but at least it's long course!

Luxor, there's nothing wrong with a swimmer's mile. I used that for decades. When I started doing triathlons I switched to a standard mile since that's what they use in measuring open water in a triathlon.

This weekend was interesting. I did a walk/run workout and then swam a mile afterwards on Friday evening, then went out for cheap Mexican food (yum) and stayed up late watching a movie with the hubby. At 10:30pm I get a call from a friend who was doing an indoor triathlon as a relay the next day. "Our swimmer is sick, can you come swim at 8am?".

"Well, yes, I can, but after two evening workouts, a load of Mexican food, and less sleep than normal, it won't be pretty..."

"Come on, we need you."

So I did. It wasn't pretty. I swam as hard as I could for 500 yards and was still 25 seconds slower than my best resting 500 from a few weeks ago - but it could have been worse. However, I was the fastest in our heat, which was pretty funny since there were some younger, fitter, more athletic folks, mostly men, who were not amused that an old short fat woman out swam them! Ha!

I didn't get to stay to watch my pals bike and run because I had to go to a funeral, but they texted me later that we got third (not last!) among the relays. Cool. We are going to do it again next year and try to be faster (I.e. rested!).

emswanson, my coaches (when I was a child) always said lap for length as well. Starters at swim meets, however, always said length (technically correct, I suppose).

I was a flyer in childhood, but it's a lot harder in middle age than it was back then. HA!

this is gem_cat btw.
i deleted that account coz i got lots of not so helpful friends. i just added all of them when i started so i didnt know how to get rid of them.

anyway, with the counting thing.
i'd like to have those tools! i usually just count my laps coz its easier than lengths. also i do 3 laps of vigorous swim after 10 moderate laps. i know i'm doing vigorous when i can feel my body heating up in the cold water and i have to breathe more deeply to get more air in my lungs! i'm not able to keep it up after three though coz i would feel too tired. its like interval training on water.

also i don't technically touch the pool wall. i "swerve". lol. i can somehow see the lifeguard looking at me saying what the heck is that girl doing? hahahaha. my first months of swimming i had to rest every length coz i felt tired but now that i have more endurance, i try to swim like i'm at sea with no walls to tap. it keeps my breathing even and decreases my likelihood to stop early (laziness).