Water temp: 6 degrees
These Saturday mornings keep on getting better, and better, it's just a little bit colder than the last one.
I've just done another 5K at Parkrun, I think I smashed my personal best. I've been focussed on running recently, I've been neglecting my swimming duties, time to sort that out.
'Dive in' shouts a regular looking geezer, 'it's much easier' he continues as he does breathless pull-ups under the springboard, his upper torso red with cold, glistening in the morning sunshine. I do what any normal sane person would do and lower myself in to the water via the steps. The water feels cold and sharp on my skin, no kidding. I head out towards the perimeter rope and quickly head back towards the jetty, the brutal cold biting in to my arms. OK, it's only a quick paddle but I feel alive.
I have a pleasant chat with a bloke called John from Cricklewood about our teenage sons and the merits of not eating meat, gentrification and our other favourite things.