About
My name is Hannah, and I’m a Manhattan-based pool tourist who was born in 1972. This blog started in 2012 as part of my project to swim in 40 pools in celebration of my 40th birthday. That turned out to be so much fun that I made it to well beyond 40 pools that first year.
I finally ended the project 10 years and 107 pools later, in January 2022. I hope to continue pool tourism with friends, and I’ll leave this blog up assuming Word Press cooperates, but I won’t feel compelled to post if I am fortunate enough to log pool #108 and beyond.
The blog is organized into several categories.
- Pools: Check out posts in the pool category for reports on pools visited during this project, or coveted pools I wish I could visit.
- Other swim spots: Open water swimming holes of note and pools that are inadequate for real workouts are covered by the not a pool category.
- Pool tourism: Want to check out some of these pools on your own? (That’s a rhetorical question–of course you do!) Read up on pool tourism tips for secrets of the trade.
- Out of the water: Book reviews, films, and other esoterica of possible interest to pool tourists are reviewed in swim culture posts.
Even though the project has ended, I still welcome pool invitations. Be warned that these are binding. If you invite me to a pool, be prepared to go for a swim with me there.
Here are some media hits:
- 7/13/14: Traffic Jam in Central Park, Metropolitan Diary entry about a surprise sighting on the way to a pool (New York Times)
- 6/27/14: Pick Your Pool (New York Times)
- January 2013: Swim Your Age (USMS Swimmer Magazine)
- 3/18/12: Mission Possible: 40 Pools (Swimmers Circle)
- 8/8/11: In Brooklyn, a Happy Birthday to a Simple Pleasure (New York Times)
Contact the 40 Pools Project
Copyright
As noted at the bottom of every page, this blog is copyrighted © Hannah and 40 Pools, 2012-present. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author/owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to 40pools.wordpress.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.
40 Pools 
Hannah,
I’m very excited to follow your blog. It’s a great project. You need to add a subscribe button!
Caitlin
Thanks Caitlin. I added a “follow” button.
Hannah,
How delightful to find your blog!
David Cohen.
Great to hear from you! Hope you have some fun summer plans with your family, including little (not so little?) Hannah.
Hi Hannah:
What a fabulous blog! Eileen Kapp just sent me a link. I will “follow” you from now on. Re recommendations; my friend Janice Fuld and I often swim on weeknight evenings at the Chelsea Rec Center on 25th Street. A decent 25 yard pool with 6 or 7 (I’m not sure) lanes. I’m not a fast swimmer such as you, but consider this an invite if you’d like to add it to your project.
Debbie Friedman
Thanks for following along, Debbie! I think I bumped into you on my first-ever visit to Chelsea Rec Center a couple falls ago. I just added it to my list–it would be perfect for a “first Monday” visit when it is free.
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