Pools vs. Swim Spas vs. Hot Tubs

She wants to swim to cross train with her running. A pool would require cutting down a lot of trees to be long enough to do laps. The swim spa can be small but it's got all kinds of jets to create current and it's pretty expensive.

However, she's notorious for starting a new sport and then quitting. I've got a $1,500 racing bike in the garage that's been used once.

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Join a gym with a pool. Then you can cancel your membership when she quits swimming.

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She's had a membership to a gym with a pool for 15 years. She goes once a year but won't cancel because she's going to "start going regularly."

That's what I'm saying.

I would tell her that you'll build a pool once she starts to go to the gym to swim regularly for "x" amount of weeks/months. Tell her if she proves she's serious about it, then you will do it. But if you really don't want to do it, and she calls your bluff and actually does it regularly, then your in a sticky situation.

She's 45 and she's a kick arse runner. Wins several 10Ks every year. But she keeps getting hair brained ideas about other sports and then quits.
I've always read that pools are a money pit and I don't need that.

I got you. My wife was a swimmer and has mentioned numerous times how nice it would be to have a lap pool in the back yard. I just keep quiet and it dies away.

I casually know a few hard core swimmers who are friends with a former co-worker. They do mini and full triathlons and are between 35-50 YO, most of them were talented college swimmers or track competitors. They all train at a facility with excellent coaches, I don't think they could stay motivated in a pool in the yard. 3 of them competed in the Ironman a few weeks ago and did pretty well. If there is a local club or facility that might be worth her checking out to see if it meets her goals. Anyway, 6 months of that would be a heck of a lot more cost effective than a pool. Here is a link to the local club in ATL if interested for ideas:
Dynamo

My parents bought a house that already had a pool. The guy that sold him the house said that the pool cost him $40k to build and when the house got appraised, the pool appaised for $8k.

put an endless pool system in your swim spa.

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