I’ve been promising myself since March that I will start swimming again very soon.
The Great North Swim was approaching at a fair ole rate and given that it threatened to kill me last year with previously unknown asthma issues I didn’t think I should take my training commitment too lightly.
Good intentions were fine back in March, but its July now so I suppose I couldn’t have taken a lighter approach to training if I’d actually tried.
I have now swum though, so it’s all back on track.
Public swimming is a funny old do. Can’t say I actually like it that much. I like the swimming bit but other wet people can be so annoying.
It’s an absolute war of wills. Two swimmers fighting over a single strip of pool, locked on a course for a head on collision, determined not to give an inch til one smacks the other in the chin. A slow motion, watery, game of chicken.
Why do they always insist on swimming in my lane? I make a careful assessment when I get into the pool to determine a clear line that I might be able to squeeze up and down in but when I look up after 3 laps all the newcomers seem to have chosen my lane to try and muscle in on.
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Oh dear! I used to swim each week before I met my wife… I can’t believe that’s almost 5 years ago(!) Anyway, I’m rather body conscious so I’m waiting for my new fitness routines to take effect before jumping back into the pool.
I used to swim at the pool in Fulham – they’d have speed-graded lanes which seemed to work, and I went on a Saturday morning when most people who were there seemed to want to do laps.
Where do you swim?
I’m pretty body conscious too but its ok when you actually get in the water.
The pool I was whining about was at Tooting Leisure centre and for some reason they allowed it to get chokka with folk swimming laps but never considered introducing lanes.
I’ve since thrown in the towel and joined a swanky-ish health club at the bottom of the road and am now enjoying relatively peaceful swims. Apart from today that is, when I managed to coincide with the aquaaerobics group and the loudest, hyperactive instructor ever.
Get out of the pool and go practise in a LAKE! Loads near you; Princes Club Feltham, Heron Lake, Liquid Leisure ….. you can even practise the whole wet suit thing which will help (honest guv… would I tell you untruths?!)
I’m not entirely sure that the wetsuit will still fit so I’m holding back on the outdoor swimming thing. Tooting Bec lido is on my doorstep though so I really will have to give this cold water thing a go before September. I don’t want to squeal like a girl this year.