Masters Swim question/help

you will not embarrass yourself at all. I am taking a swim class geared for triathletes and I couldn't swim 100yds without gasping for air. The class is an endurance class.. I'm one of the worst, but I have improved so much since I started. I am an extremely competitive person so I get embarrassed really easily (something I need to work on ) and I haven't been embarrassed. I guarantee there will be somebody worse than you. I thought about taking one of the Y classes, but changed my mind after I found the one I'm currently in. Also, if you feel uncomfortable.. there are a lot of different master's classes. I'm sure they wouldn't mind shifting you over to a more beginner-friendly class if you feel like the current one is too tough.

Good luck!

Why don't you contact the coach and/or go observe one of the workouts?

Every Masters group has a different flavor. Some actually also have time limits, in that you need to be able to swim under 3:00/100 or 2:00/100, etc.

My gym has that same listed requirement. I had to laugh, though, when I did a workout at the same time as them a couple lanes over. I looked at their board and the slowest set was at a 1:35/100 pace. Seeing as that's what i swim when I'm fresh in the water for my first couple hundred only, I decided it wasn't for me.

I agree with everyone else, though, go, scope out a workout to make sure you like how its run and maybe see if you can chat with the coach during some longer sets.

If it's being held at the Y, I doubt they are very exclusionary via swim pace. 

I love my Masters Swim group and we have people at all swim levels.  The far left lane swims about a 2:30/100  pace, and each lane get progressively faster.  I've been able to progress two lane categories in a relatively short period of time.  Thus far, it's been the least expensive and fastest improvements I've made thus far in my race times.

Good luck.