Poolside Percy

I'm meeting my big sister at the lido this afternoon. There are hundreds of people here, I can't find her or get a signal on my phone. It's really hot and noisy. I sit in the shade and watch people enjoying themselves. I feel quite content sitting here on my own. I spot my friend Michaela's daughters playing in the shallow end with their kids. My sister eventually arrives closely followed by James. James used to own the cafe around the corner. I like James, I've known him for years. Stone the crows, GF arrives for an unscheduled visit, her second of the year. Whoever next?

Water temp: 23 degrees Very lazy after work swim. 

My son has joined me for another challenging trip to Hitchin. The 30 odd mile cycle ride is worth it for the first dive in to the clear blue lido waters. It's 20 odd degrees, there's hardly anybody here, madness. I'm challenged to a frontcrawl and a breaststroke race. I won't say who won. We practice our dives, I'm outclassed in every department. Later we visit the lido cafe and  dine on the worst food that Hertfordshite has to offer. I just hope that the profits from our 'meal' go to supporting this place and not some greedy business person. At 6pm we mount our gorgeous bikes and our tired legs pedal for home. We get as far as Welwyn Garden City and jump on a London bound train just as the heavens open.

Saturday morning swim I've opted for a lido swim rather than go to the ponds. It's going to be a hot day and the lido will no doubt be rammed again. There are already about a 100 people here. I waste time time slumped in a chair as more people trickle in, their faces gaze expectantly at the blue water. Eventually I get in. The water is warm but still refreshing, I don't think it's ever been so warm. The water is also cloudy, I don't think the filtration system can cope with the suncreamed hordes.

Water temp: 22 degrees Post-work swim. A hot, sunny, cloudless day has just turned in to a plain old hot day as I arrive at the Men's Pond, no sun to be seen anywhere, just one big, massive bank of clouds. Hey ho, mustn't grumble. I sit for ages in the changing compound watching the comings and goings. It strikes me that the pond swimmers are a mixed old bunch, you could never identify one in a crowd. You can spot a rugby player by his neck or a golfer by his clubs. Who knew that the short, pot bellied Chinese gentleman is a wicked diver. I feel lethargic after a lunch time run. Eventually I get it together to swim. On the far side of the pond a group of Japanese tourists lean over the fence and take photos. As I finish my final lap two gentlemen enter the water. The first dives in and the second lowers himself backwards down the steps. "You're clearly a big fan of rear entry" the first gentleman exclaims. It's that kind of place.The sun comes out...

Monday night aquabatics at the men's pond with my son and his Spanish cousin. Buenissimo

Water temp: 20/21 degrees It's early Sunday afternoon and I'm with GF and my son. I'm itching and scratching to get out of the house. GF has decided to make her annual pilgrimage to The Lido so off we go, go, go. We're all feeling a bit tetchy after sitting round the neighbours 'til God knows what time this morning, hopefully the cool waters will lift our spirits. My son meets some mates and hangs round the pool exuding teenage cool. A now revitalised GF and I make hard work out of swimming. "That's a big old length" she gasps before heading off to sunbathe on a warm bench. I feel adventurous. Let's swim further at The Lido than you've ever swum before, 40 lengths should do it. I swim powerfully up and down the pool feeling full of energy and the joys of summer. I should have set my target higher. I make a hero's return to our bench where I sit and listen to an audiobook of Suggs reading his autobiography. It's rather good. I...

Post-parkrun swim with GB and his congregation of ladies.

Me on the diving board  

After work swim on the way home from work. Dan the lifeguard is on duty. I seek shelter from the rain and chat to some triathletes who are training for something or other. Most of them have never swum outdoors in a lake or river before.I wish them all the best rubbber clad luck. I head home to watch Brazil against Germany.

Water temp: 21 degrees I'm shattered. I can't be bothered. I'm half way home and there's a massive black cloud above my head. Oh great, it's starting to rain, I need shelter. I turn my bike towards The Heath. I'll hang out there until the rain stops. I seek refuge from the deluge in The Men's Pond. I stretch out on a bench using my bike bag as a pillow and close my eyes. I can barely move, I don't want to move. I did the Seaford 'triathlon' on Saturday, it was actually a duathlon as they cancelled the swim due to a force six gale. The organisers threw in an extra 5K run at the beginning. It was awful, nearly three hours of wind, wind, wind. Oh well, you wind some and you lose some. I listen to the rain drumming on the metal roof. It's not a steady rhythm, just an annoying jazz style beat. I really don't get jazz, I never have. At this point I'm not actually intending on swimming, I'm way too tired. How beautiful if nothing...

Water temp: 22 degrees My son is 15 today. We've both got the day off. It's well hot. An afternoon at The Lido has been agreed. The water feels cool. Yesterday I bashed out 20 heroic lengths, today I can hardly swim a width. We play catch with a tennis ball until the lifeguard blows his whistle and tells us to move to the shallow end. My son mischievously enjoys this brush with authority, remains exactly where he is and chucks the ball to me where I obediently stand in the shallows. Eventually he is moved on by the lifestasi and quickly becomes bored of our game. He's a good lad, I couldn't have asked for a better son.

Water temp: 21 degrees Late, late swim. The water is thick with what I assume is the blue/green algae we're warned about on the way in. I'm intending to practice sighting in open water for this Saturday's triathlon. My blue goggles make the pond look very eerie and steamy in the setting sun, I feel like I'm on the set of a Hammer House of Horror film. I decide to swim the longest stretch of the pond, right across the middle. I keep my mouth resolutely shut. I can't find the breathing rhythm 2-4-4-4-2 so I try 2-3-3-3-2 but it's all too complicated. I'm giving up and going home to eat leftover bbq food and watch the World Cup.

Water temp: 22 degrees Evening swim at The Lido. I don't often come for the evening session. Strange atmosphere, two lane ropes, office workers getting the last of the evening's rays, few wetsuiters getting some last minute triathlon practice, everybody seems very young. Me? I'm doing a few lengths before Saturday's triathlon in Seaford. I swim 20 lengths, it's a good work-out, I leave feeling confident.