By Alan Karickhoff, Swimming World College Intern
“Ugh, lane eight again. I was in lane eight yesterday for the 200 free,” a boy with bleach-blonde hair says, glancing at the meet program.
Upon walking onto the pool deck for the next big meet, swimmers scan the walls of the auditorium for the 8.5” x 11” pieces of paper holding their heat and lane assignments.
“There they are!” exclaims one swimmer who is disappointed to realize he approached the schedule of events instead of the heat sheets.
Once discovering the heat sheets, no line is left unread. Standing over the 10 year olds with crooked necks and sharpies in hand, I begin my examination. I need to know my lane, my heat, who’s in my heat, who’s right next to me, how I’m placed in the heat, how I’m placed in the event, what I need to go to make finals, where my teammates are, what the top seed times are, and the pool record. After investigating my events, I peruse the others for teammates, keeping a few details in mind when asking about their events later.
“Lane eight isn’t so bad. It’s better than lane four,” a boy holding a glazed donut retorts.
“Lane four is the best one! You’re the fastest guy in the pool with a view in both directions.”
“Sure, but all the pressure is on you. Everyone is looking at the middle of the pool and expecting you to finish first. Out in lane eight you’re the underdog. You’re the outside smoke. If you win, then the crowd goes crazy, and if you lose, then it’s not a big deal because no one expected you to win anyway.”
“In lane eight, you don’t have any vision, though. I only breathe to my left so I don’t have a clue where anyone is until breaking out of my first turn. Plus, I’ll probably be behind everyone by the first turn since I’m the last seed. Talk about demoralizing.”
“I think it’s more demoralizing to be in the same situation while in lane four.”
“At least you’re not in the last heat. I’m in lane eight with the top seed. I don’t think I’m getting the rubber duck for winning this heat. Whose idea was it to circle seed this event?”
“Fair point. Two tenths slower and you would’ve been in lane four in another heat. Wait, is that how circle seeding works?”
“I think I would’ve been in the second-to-last heat in lane eight.”
“Really? Circle seeding is confusing.”
Like the boy holding his ritualistic pre-meet breakfast, I never understood circle seeding, but I had similar premonitions about the luck of my lane. Superstitions, though rarely influential, splashed across the pool deck and through my toes.
As I press my goggles against my face before my 100 free, I notice the guy in my lane just won his heat. It must be a fast lane. “Hey, nice swim! Thanks for warming the lane up for me!”
Off the pool deck, superstitions never swam through my thoughts, but I couldn’t help but fall into a pool of theories that were whispered on deck. A positive placebo can only help. It’s when you believe the current is against you that the superstitions hurt. While I never truly believed Cleveland State University had a current in its long course pool, I always felt faster in my morning practices when swimming towards the pool offices. A couple other lane members felt the same way.
I wondered if lane bias had ever been discussed academically, and did some research. While there aren’t any details about the Busbey Natatorium in Cleveland, I discovered research on a current at the 2013 FINA World Championships in Barcelona. Results seemed to be skewed by what the Counsilmen Center in Indiana describes as a current.
With the news of a current at a competition like the World Championships, I could attribute all my losses to a possible current in all the pools in which I have swum since I was 7. Alright, realistically, a current wasn’t the reason I got lapped in the 1000 free the few times I swam it. The news of a current, however, means the superstitions whispered on deck might not all be myths. If the swimmer before you wins his or her heat, then you know you have a fast lane.