I'm not really a big fan of winter - as much as I love swimming in freezing cold lakes and breaking ice to get in them, I just don't like the dark nights.
I can't swim as much, I can swim after work, head torches are a constant for running and as for cycling - well, I just have to hope the weekend weather is nice to get out on the bike.
This is the price you pay for long summer days - I know, I get it, but I don't like it.
So I was looking through one of my swimming diaries that I'd been keeping over summer - just to reminisce. I keep diaries/journals/whatever you want to call them, more so I can look back and see when I had a good swim, whereabouts it was, how far I went - nothing to serious - more just to remember and look back on. One particular swim made me chuckle, so I thought I'd share it on here, and see if anyone else has the same kind of thoughts when they're out swimming (whether in a quarry/lake/sea/pool).
I distinctly remember the swim - I had challenged myself to do a minimum of 6 loops and do 7 if I felt good. The weather wasn't particularly great, it was drizzly and windy which made the water a bit choppy. In the quarry there are always "sections" so if you start off and it's mega choppy, you know that by the time you get around to the other side it will be much calmer, and vice versa. On this particular swim it was a choppy first 300/350m and the rest was actually ok.
Lap 1: Oh bugger - I've really got to do 5 more laps in this - why do I do this to myself.... Ok, not too bad around the middle buoy - it might not be too bad!
Lap 2: Actually this feels really good - I feel like I'm swimming quite well - I'll try and catch up to that bloke in the green hat - hmmmmmm no chance, even with a flailing arm like that!!! Why can't I swim that fast!!
Lap 3: Ooh this is half way - brill - still feel quite good. Wonder what we're gonna have for tea - I can't remember what we've got in the freezer.... Ooooh look fish!!
Lap 4: OK, only 2 more laps after this one, not bad, feel like I've been pretty quick, I'll have a look at my watch at the next buoy.... maybe not - don't stop just keep going. I wonder why all the fish are in this corner of the quarry - it's feckin freezin
Lap 5: Shoulder hurts a bit now oh bugger!! Oh well, only one more lap after this - I think Geoff said we have burgers in, I wonder if he'll think to defrost them - if only I was telapathic!!
Lap 6: Yay last lap - I made it - I actually feel like I could do another one, but looking at the kayakers I don't think they'll be too pleased - they look p*** wet through, although it's quite nice swimming in the rain. They might try and drown me if I start off again to do another lap. Yay finished and actually enjoyed that!!
So what goes through your mind whilst your doing a swim, bike or run?
Comments