morning swims



C

Cam Wilson

Guest
hi there,

i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting in
my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the corner
from the office).

one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how about if the
stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this do anything more
than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my trunks and towel might
become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the goggles can be harmed by
extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).

thanks for any thoughts,

Cam
 
Dear Cam:

In a word, the remedy I opted for is to buy relatively affordable swimming gears more
frequently than otherwise. It's my anecdotal information that wet swim suit gets loose and
inelastic more quickly.

Jay

"Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi there,
>
> i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> corner from the office).
>
> one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
> be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
> can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how about if
> the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this do
> anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my trunks and
> towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the goggles can
> be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
>
> thanks for any thoughts,
>
> Cam
 
On Mon, 24 Feb 2003 23:23:59 -0500, Cam Wilson <[email protected]> wrote:

>one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
>be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
>can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet?

That's what I do. I just roll the suit into a towel. When I get home, I hang both up to dry.

>and how about if the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will
>this do anything more than just create ice on the wet items?

I used to leave it there, now I just lug it upstairs.

Donal Fagan AIA Donal@DonalO'Fagan.com (Anglicise the name to reply by e-mail)
 
Cam Wilson wrote:
>
> hi there,
>
> i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> corner from the office).
>
> one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
> be really wet.

First, a speedo-esque suit can be dried in a short time and you can hang it anywhere. Hang it on the
back of your chair, or drape it over the headrest of the passenger seat in your car. Second, most
people use a full beach towel to dry off, but you really don't need one. Use a small face towel
instead. Your goggles are wet? Shake them off.

Beyond that, when I go to the gym, after my workout there, I role my gym clothes (soaking with
sweat) in my towel (the small type) and put the wrapped bundle in a plastic bag. I put the plastic
bag in my backpack. Never put sweaty or wet things in your backpack or gymbag. If you do, you will
eventually get anerobic bacteria problems, and you will lose all your friends.

martin

--
Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway
 
In <[email protected]> Cam Wilson wrote:
>
> i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long. can it be
> damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet?

I think the biggest risk is mildew. That wouldn't be a problem in your car this month, but as summer
comes along it will be.

Could you put a free-standing coat tree in a corner of your office? Or maybe a hook on the back
of a door?

Ross
 
My morning swims are vital to my sanity so I will do it even if it might reduce the life of the
suits by storing them in my car afterwards.

A few suggestions: Ask the club if they would consider getting one of those fast suit dryers. They
pull the moisture from the suit. Another suggestion is to dry off in the sauna, if there is one, and
take your suit in there as you dry to give it a drying boost. This will allow for a smaller towel.

I always dry off my cap and goggles before storing them and I carry the suit wrapped in a towel on
top of my closed gym bag and store them in the trunk of my car. When the weather is warmer (I've
forgotten what "warm" means these days of constant 10 deg F or lower temps), I will spread my suit
out on the towel in the trunk. And, when one suit wears out, I double it with another worn out suit.

Marianne

"Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi there,
>
> i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> corner from the office).
>
> one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
> be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
> can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how about if
> the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this do
> anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my trunks and
> towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the goggles can
> be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
>
> thanks for any thoughts,
>
> Cam
 
Never had a problem leaving my suits and towels in the car all day after morning swim practice- most
of the time I would just lay them out in the car to somewhat dry- Just be careful...you may get
gassed out when you open the door from chlorine fumes. And you will definately have to buy suits
more often-unless youjust were 2 old crummy ones....

Ross Bogue <[email protected]> wrote in message news:<[email protected]>...
> In <[email protected]> Cam Wilson wrote:
> >
> > i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long. can it be
> > damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet?
>
>
> I think the biggest risk is mildew. That wouldn't be a problem in your car this month, but as
> summer comes along it will be.
>
> Could you put a free-standing coat tree in a corner of your office? Or maybe a hook on the back
> of a door?
>
>
> Ross
 
So in other words, "quit griping and just do it!", right? :)

Yeah, this isn't exactly life-threatening or anything. Just curious about how this might affect the
swim gear. Thanks for the input.

Cam

In article <40T6a.235548$2H6.4332@sccrnsc04>,
"Marianne Eagan" <[email protected]> wrote:

> My morning swims are vital to my sanity so I will do it even if it might reduce the life of the
> suits by storing them in my car afterwards.
>
> A few suggestions: Ask the club if they would consider getting one of those fast suit dryers.
> They pull the moisture from the suit. Another suggestion is to dry off in the sauna, if there is
> one, and take your suit in there as you dry to give it a drying boost. This will allow for a
> smaller towel.
>
> I always dry off my cap and goggles before storing them and I carry the suit wrapped in a towel
> on top of my closed gym bag and store them in the trunk of my car. When the weather is warmer
> (I've forgotten what "warm" means these days of constant 10 deg F or lower temps), I will spread
> my suit out on the towel in the trunk. And, when one suit wears out, I double it with another
> worn out suit.
>
> Marianne
>
> "Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > hi there,
> >
> > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> > in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> > corner from the office).
> >
> > one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles
> > will be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day
> > long. can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how
> > about if the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this
> > do anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my
> > trunks and towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the
> > goggles can be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
> >
> > thanks for any thoughts,
> >
> > Cam
 
In article <[email protected]>, Ross Bogue <[email protected]> wrote:

> In <[email protected]> Cam Wilson wrote:
> >
> > i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long. can it be
> > damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet?
>
>
> I think the biggest risk is mildew. That wouldn't be a problem in your car this month, but as
> summer comes along it will be.
>
> Could you put a free-standing coat tree in a corner of your office? Or maybe a hook on the back
> of a door?
>
>
> Ross
>

Actually, this gives me an idea... something similar. Rather than air out my garments at work, I
could fashion something out of a coat hanger or two, so I could hang towel and trunks from the backs
of the (vinyl) front seats of my car... so that any drippage would be on the rear floor of the car.

thx

Cam
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Martin W. Smith" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Cam Wilson wrote:
> >
> > hi there,
> >
> > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> > in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> > corner from the office).
> >
> > one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles
> > will be really wet.
>
> First, a speedo-esque suit can be dried in a short time and you can hang it anywhere. Hang it on
> the back of your chair, or drape it over the headrest of the passenger seat in your car. Second,
> most people use a full beach towel to dry off, but you really don't need one. Use a small face
> towel instead. Your goggles are wet? Shake them off.
>
> Beyond that, when I go to the gym, after my workout there, I role my gym clothes (soaking with
> sweat) in my towel (the small type) and put the wrapped bundle in a plastic bag. I put the plastic
> bag in my backpack. Never put sweaty or wet things in your backpack or gymbag. If you do, you will
> eventually get anerobic bacteria problems, and you will lose all your friends.
>
> martin

hmmm, no speedos here. but i think that drying the stuff in the car is a good idea. and you are
right about the size of the towel. i could do that.
 
and that's where the drawstring comes in handy.

thanks

In article <[email protected]>,
"Jay J.W Nam" <[email protected]> wrote:

> Dear Cam:
>
> In a word, the remedy I opted for is to buy relatively affordable swimming gears more frequently
> than otherwise. It's my anecdotal information that wet swim suit gets loose and inelastic more
> quickly.
>
> Jay
>
> "Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > hi there,
> >
> > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> > in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> > corner from the office).
> >
> > one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles
> > will be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day
> > long. can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how
> > about if the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this
> > do anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my
> > trunks and towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the
> > goggles can be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
> >
> > thanks for any thoughts,
> >
> > Cam
 
Cam Wilson wrote:
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Martin W. Smith" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Cam Wilson wrote:
> > >
> > > hi there,
> > >
> > > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering
> > > getting in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just
> > > around the corner from the office).
> > >
> > > one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles
> > > will be really wet.
> >
> > First, a speedo-esque suit can be dried in a short time and you can hang it anywhere. Hang it on
> > the back of your chair, or drape it over the headrest of the passenger seat in your car. Second,
> > most people use a full beach towel to dry off, but you really don't need one. Use a small face
> > towel instead. Your goggles are wet? Shake them off.
> >
> > Beyond that, when I go to the gym, after my workout there, I role my gym clothes (soaking with
> > sweat) in my towel (the small type) and put the wrapped bundle in a plastic bag. I put the
> > plastic bag in my backpack. Never put sweaty or wet things in your backpack or gymbag. If you
> > do, you will eventually get anerobic bacteria problems, and you will lose all your friends.
> >
> > martin
>
> hmmm, no speedos here. but i think that drying the stuff in the car is a good idea. and you are
> right about the size of the towel. i could do that.

When you leave wet stuff in the car, crack a window on each side for circulation.

No speedos? There are other brands.

martin

--
Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway
 
Cam left this mess on Mon, 24 Feb 2003 23:23:59 -0500 for The Way to clean up:
>
>hi there,
>
>i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting in
>my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the corner
>from the office).
>
>one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
>be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
>can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how about if the
>stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this do anything
>more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my trunks and towel
>might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the goggles can be
>harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
>

Lay them out in the trunk between layers of newspaper. They won't completely dry, but the paper will
absorb a lot of excess moisture and will breathe a little, minimizing the mildew aspect of things.
At lunch, run down to the car, and change the paper.

If you have space in the office, you might try doing this in there, perhaps even in a drawer.

Tao te Carl
 
In article <[email protected]>,
"Martin W. Smith" <[email protected]> wrote:

> When you leave wet stuff in the car, crack a window on each side for circulation.

Nosiree, the windows stay up! It's cold enough these days without letting cold air into the car.

> No speedos? There are other brands.

Not interested in that style. I'm wearing the standard trunks in training, and will be wearing sport
tights for triathlon.

Cam
 
Cam Wilson wrote:
>
> In article <[email protected]>,
> "Martin W. Smith" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > When you leave wet stuff in the car, crack a window on each side for circulation.
>
> Nosiree, the windows stay up! It's cold enough these days without letting cold air into the car.

Then your things might not dry out, expecially on high humidity days, and the drying out will take
much longer. The longer the drying takes, the more likely mildew will start. Mildew in the car is to
be avoided.

Besides, if the outside air is very cold, and the car is made of steel (steel being a good conductor
of heat), the air in the car will drop to ambient temperature after a few hours anyway. And a good
heater will warm it back up in a few minutes.

> > No speedos? There are other brands.
>
> Not interested in that style. I'm wearing the standard trunks in training, and will be wearing
> sport tights for triathlon.

What are standard trunks made of? If nylon or lycra, they will dry out as fast as
speedo-esque suits.

martin

--
Martin Smith email: [email protected] Vollsveien 9 tel. : +47 6783 1188
P.O. Box 482 mob. : +47 932 48 303 1327 Lysaker, Norway
 
Cam,

What does it matter if your suit were to get destroyed? Consider it a $20 experiment if your suit
gets ruined and a $10 experiment if your goggles get ruined. (However, if you own prescription
goggles then I would treat them well since the probably cost a pretty penny.) What is the worst that
could happen? - You lose a suit and towel. The only thing I can see happening is that the residual
water would freeze and consequencly expand. This could tear fibers if water was present in
sufficient quantity, which it is probably not if you wring out your suit.

Bring it in to your office. People love seeing speedos hanging on door handles :)

Now for a nonserious comment:

Freezing of the suit probably wouldn't hurt it. The continual freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw would hurt the
suit more. To reduce the amount of freeze/thaw cycles that your suit would undergo I suggest storing
the suit in a freezer at a constant temperature. This would minimize the wear and tear of the suit;
maximizing the lifespan of the garmet. In addition, it would provide plent of motivation in the
morning when moving from locker room to pool.

Matt

"Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> hi there,
>
> i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> corner from the office).
>
> one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles will
> be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day long.
> can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how about if
> the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this do
> anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my trunks and
> towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the goggles can
> be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
>
> thanks for any thoughts,
>
> Cam
 
interesting thoughts, Matt, especially the old Speedos in the freezer trick. my goggles cost me
about twenty-five bucks. i won't risk those. at this time, i happen to be collecting unemployment
insurance and do not want to incur any unnecessary costs. i simply don't have 20 or 50 dollars to be
replacing trunks, goggles, etc. simple as that. the couple of dollars i spend each week to swim are
the extent of my "luxuries", or as i see them... *necessities*.

anyway, thanks for the ideas.

Cam

In article <[email protected]>, "M. M." <[email protected]> wrote:

> Cam,
>
> What does it matter if your suit were to get destroyed? Consider it a $20 experiment if your suit
> gets ruined and a $10 experiment if your goggles get ruined. (However, if you own prescription
> goggles then I would treat them well since the probably cost a pretty penny.) What is the worst
> that could happen? - You lose a suit and towel. The only thing I can see happening is that the
> residual water would freeze and consequencly expand. This could tear fibers if water was present
> in sufficient quantity, which it is probably not if you wring out your suit.
>
> Bring it in to your office. People love seeing speedos hanging on door handles :)
>
> Now for a nonserious comment:
>
> Freezing of the suit probably wouldn't hurt it. The continual freeze/thaw/freeze/thaw would hurt
> the suit more. To reduce the amount of freeze/thaw cycles that your suit would undergo I suggest
> storing the suit in a freezer at a constant temperature. This would minimize the wear and tear of
> the suit; maximizing the lifespan of the garmet. In addition, it would provide plent of motivation
> in the morning when moving from locker room to pool.
>
>
> Matt
>
> "Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > hi there,
> >
> > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering getting
> > in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just around the
> > corner from the office).
> >
> > one thing i'm not sure about is this: after the swim, my swim trunks and towel and my goggles
> > will be really wet. i have no place to hang these things to dry while i am at the office all day
> > long. can it be damaging to my gear to let it sit all day in a bag, all sopping wet? and how
> > about if the stuff remains in the trunk of my car all day... in sub-zero temperatures? will this
> > do anything more than just create ice on the wet items? just wondering if the fibers of my
> > trunks and towel might become severely weakened by sitting in wet, chlorinated water, or if the
> > goggles can be harmed by extreme cold (down to -20 or 30 Celcius quite often).
> >
> > thanks for any thoughts,
> >
> > Cam
> >
 
"Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> interesting thoughts, Matt, especially the old Speedos in the freezer trick. my goggles cost me
> about twenty-five bucks. i won't risk those. at this time, i happen to be collecting unemployment
> insurance and do not want to incur any unnecessary costs.

> > > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering
> > > getting in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just
> > > around the corner from the office).

These 2 posts don't make much sense together, Cam. Have you lost your job since the first post? Paul
 
In article <[email protected]>, "Paul Gormley" <[email protected]> wrote:

> "Cam Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > interesting thoughts, Matt, especially the old Speedos in the freezer trick. my goggles cost me
> > about twenty-five bucks. i won't risk those. at this time, i happen to be collecting
> > unemployment insurance and do not want to incur any unnecessary costs.
>
> > > > i have usually been a lunch hour or late afternoon swimmer, but am currently considering
> > > > getting in my swim workout in the early morning before starting work (there is a pool just
> > > > around the corner from the office).
>
> These 2 posts don't make much sense together, Cam. Have you lost your job since the first
> post? Paul
>
>

sorry, yeah, it must sound confusing. i've been jobless for a while now, but am on a government job
creation program which gives me some work experience and allows me to help out a local non-profit
organization. i still get paid unemployment insurance (in other words: diddly squat), but do not
really have a "job" job. so funds are tight.

Cam
 
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