How can I make swimming less dreadful

[Curlewwoohoo]

I need to start swimming on a Sunday morning, to help recovery from a back injury. I can swim OK, middle lane front crawl I can get to 50 lengths if I keep at it long enough. But I hate it. Firstly I hate that it costs money. Secondly it's just boring, up and down. And tiring. Although that's pretty much the point of it. Thirdly I particularly hate the faff afterwards. The showers suck. They don't stay on if you don't hold the button. There is barely any water pressure. I can't get the shampoo out of my long hair. The changing rooms are mixed sex. Often full of kids. And the floors are dirty. I hate hair. Any tips to make me hate it less?!

Also good variety of goggles here https://www.prescription-swimming-goggles.co.uk/ if you need more complex prescriptions

Swimming can be a wonderful moving meditation. Find a way to quieten your mind, focus on your breath etc. That way it becomes a meditation & exercise

At our local pool the swim club kids just wear onesies to and from the pool

Flip flops but most importantly ear buds which are waterproof and listen to music, works for me x

bone conduction headphones simply didn't work for me. I could sort of hear out of the pool but not at all while in the water.

Hey @Curlewwoohoo I love swimming so maybe I am not the best person, but anyway:

Swim hat - game changer esp if you have long hair - no tangling and hair in your face. Doesn't keep hair dry, no, but I have long thick hair and I wouldn't swim without one now
Camping gizmo that keeps the shower on - I don't have one but I saw someone using one and was impressed
Very easy clothes so no faff - softest bra, joggers and sweat top, crocs or flipflops
For the boredom (!) I am not bored swimming but how about having a really knotty issue to work out - I always find it floats away as I swim - amazing
OF COURSE go wearing your cossie

This is the shower thing - not cheap but surely a work of genius?

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Synio-Shower-Attachment-Red/dp/B07RYGXQDL/ref=pd_lpo_sccl_1/259-1566006-1443355?pd_rd_w=4DGP8&content-id=amzn1.sym.448aab69-6fff-42b9-9d7a-f6325052a6f6&pf_rd_p=448aab69-6fff-42b9-9d7a-f6325052a6f6&pf_rd_r=1C7FMRHT51X4DQSE2228&pd_rd_wg=TRlQi&pd_rd_r=a51d093e-fe61-4fa8-89d8-f06645d12ca7&pd_rd_i=B07RYGXQDL&th=1

Definitely flip-flops. Take a small towel to stand on in the changing room (game changer!)
Find a nicer pool. When the warmer weather comes, try to find an outdoor pool - swimming outdoors is so, so much nicer than swimming in an indoor pool.
Try to empty your mind. Stop thinking about anything but swimming. Be in the moment. Concentrate on how your body feels. Fully experience the sensation of moving through the water. As the pp said, swimming can be a wonderful moving meditation. Stop resenting it and start giving it a chance.

Have a hot chocolate and a bag of crisps to look forward to afterwards

You need a trip to decathlon!
They do a big toweling robe thing, flip flops, swim caps. Also prescription goggles, mix and match lenses so you can get it close enough to your prescription.

Definitely underwater headphones!

I also hate the pre/post swim change so I go with my costume underneath an old dress, then shove the dress back on over my swimsuit and sit on a towel in the car (also a 5 min drive). I wash my hair at the pool but I shower properly when I get home. Sometimes I treat myself and leave the conditioner in until I get home 😅

I agree with the prescription goggles - I have astigmatism as well as short sightedness so I don't have perfect vision on mine as they only correct the s/s - but it means I can see the clock/other people etc! I also now wear sliders up to pool side and wear my glasses until I get in and put my glasses in one of my sliders for safekeeping.
I also find swimming quite meditative and find I can work on a knotty problem in a certain part of my brain quite effectively while counting lengths. Though actually my Apple Watch keeps track of my lengths for me, and so recently I have taken to singing (in my head) while I swim. I appreciate this might not be for everyone, but I currently sing hymns to myself while I plough up and down. I alternate between front crawl snd breaststroke and it affects the speed of what in swimming when I switch - something in 3/4 time goes a bit slow on the breaststroke lengths - but it keeps me occupied!

You mention liking running - I am also a runner first, but when dealing with injuries I have to fall back on things like swimming and rowing, which I kind of loathe. What helps is when I can find the headspace I fall into naturally with running - almost like meditation in motion for me - but it is more difficult to find that space with the alternatives and I have to be a bit more intentional about getting there. I listen to music when I run, but those same playlists infuriate me when doing other exercises - I think it might be that the rhythm is off or something. When I row, I find I do better with podcasts. When I swim, I find that I need to set my mind to a task - I will recount a book that I have been reading in as much detail as possible or play it forward and imagine the next chapter in detail, or try to remember as much about an event in the past as ai can, or indulge in a detailed daydream about something I am working towards. The trick is to lose myself in the moment, otherwise I end up ruminating on how much I despise rowing / swimming.

Get some coaching to make sure your technique is good. Use a pull buoy, fins, snorkel, float and paddles (obvs not all at the same time) to switch it up a bit. Have a training plan - strokes/lengths/rest/rate etc. If you have a DL nearby, join that, you get indoor and outdoor pools and Pilates classes every day.

I had to start swimming after a back injury....growing to enjoy it more, but honestly the thing that made the difference was biting the bullet and joining a gym with a pool. I know you've said it's too expensive, I sweat every time I see the membership fee for mine coming off, but honestly feel it's worth it. Have cut back on a couple of other things. The flexibility is amazing, can swim literally any time between 6:30am and 9pm; I tend to go before work but sometimes will take a notion and dash over at 8pm.
Nice showers, they give you a clean towel and it's toasty warm.

I swim before work 3 times a week and have managed to tweak it so it's tolerable!! Our pool has enclosed the pipes so the gadget to hold the shower on doesn't work now 😭

Definitely find something to occupy your mind. I usually start with focusing on a different part of my form/ technique for a lap each, then some where I swim out slowly with good form and back as fast as I can, then I might do the alphabet game so think of as many things (animals, food, names etc) begin with A then B etc on each lap or mentally write my shopping list/ meal plan.

A swim hat to stop long hair swishing about and getting knotty (thick silicone caps are far more comfortable). Use 'nicer than home' toiletries so it feels like a treat. I use packing cubes for toiletries/ clothes/ swim wear etc so everything is as efficient as possible. Flip flops and a floor towel (large microfibre cloth) because of the floor/ feet ick! A hot coffee in a travel mug waiting for me in the car when I'm done.

@FiftyNotNifty there actually isn't one in my town, unfortunately, so the cost plus the drive time, it's not an option.

I would buy big track suit or even swim coat, get out of pool put on coat and clogs, go home and shower. Just whip costume of put track suit on or not even take suit off and put on dry coat and go

to be honest those coats are great and when I used to organise open water swimming, most people turned up in their costum and coat, swam fit out put on coat and drive home

jyst make sure you lock it up and your footwear

https://www.tredz.co.uk/.Dryrobe-Advance-Long-Sleeve-Dryrobe_121147.htm

The dry coat is cheaper than gym membership

I have the finis duo headphones, but if the go , i am getting the shokx waterproof.
You need mp3 on them as bluetooth doesnt work on watet.

Definitely flipflops. Definitely swimhat. Definitely quick change and home for a nice shower.

Do you just swim 50 identical lengths? Can you mix it up with slower/faster/drills etc.? Get yourself a kick board and a pull boy just for variety. You can google swimming training sessions.

Or, join a masters club for some company?

Can anyone recommend a swim hat that keeps your hair dry , or at least almost dry please ?

I hate my prescription goggles. They fog up, which is fine in the water when you can dip them, but walking around the pool, or to the changing rooms, you need them to see. I’d much rather swim in my (old) glasses, or use daily lenses and discard them after the pool.

Definitely shower at home!

Waterproof earbuds
Flipflops
Proper swim hat
Comfy post swim clothes (putting a bra on afterwards with aching arms and damp skin is a nightmare)
Coffee waiting in the car 😁

I go early morning 3 times a week at our local pool and just rinse off afterwards at the pool and shower properly back at home. I loathe changing rooms as they're always cold, a bit grubby/chaotic and remind me of the terror of school swim lessons!