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| Parliament Hill Fields Lido |
Despite my gammy leg, I'm doing the Hampstead Heath Pondathon again today.
I'm feeling a little bit nervous and a bit intimidated by all the fit young people around me. No, sod it, I'm doing this for me, doing this for fun. Before I know it I'm in the water and 3-2-1 we're off...
The Lido is lean and mean and should be the easiest swim, after all I'm playing at home. However, I'm struggling, I feel like chucking in the towel at length two. I'm spurred on by the rousing cheers of the home fans GF and DW. At least I'm not last out of the pool, and by no means least.
The run to the Men's Pond is like an Alan Sillitoe novel, long and lonely. I've not been overtaken yet. The Men's Pond greets me like an old friend. I manage to overtake two other swimmers in what seems like a never ending lap, good job I've been doing lots of swimming this week.
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| Me in the Ladies Pond |
The next run is the longest, hilliest and most challenging. A runner overtakes me but I manage to overtake a bloke in a tri-suit, I'm getting in to this. I'm not sure what my feelings are towards the Mixed Pond, varied I suppose. Before you can say 'get me a doctor' I'm out of the Mixed Pond, trainers back on and high-tailing it for the running track.
One small strength-sapping uphill and it's down the other side of Kite Hill, past the spot where I went over my handlebars and on to my face when I was a kid, and I'm on the home straight. I manage to catch up with a woman running in just a swimming costume. One last turn and it's on to the running track and the last 100m, just like sports day at school. I forget my dodgy leg and finish with a big sprint. Elation.
My time is 4 minutes and 40 seconds better than last year. That's entertainment folks.
Well done to everybody who took part and a massive thank you to the organisers.