Poolside Percy

Oh I do like to be beside the seaside, in fact my favourite bit of the Norfolk coast, in front of Hunstanton Golf Course. Last gasp Saturday evening swim. Not as cold as I expected but should have bought my swimming hat. Larked about with J as MXO and GF looked on. Even managed a bit of body surfing. Cracking sunset rounded it all off. Back to cottage for fire and pasta all topped off with Chelsea beating Arsenal at their yard, perfect.

Water temp: 13 degrees It's a sunny Saturday morning. Arrived hot and sweaty on new bike via Gower Street and Queen's Crescent Market. Lots of bodies here today, more swimmers than wetsuits in the water, when I finally pluck up the courage this is gonna be good. There's no hiding when you're standing next to a pool in your trunks all hatted and goggled up, you gotta go for it. Beautiful, beautiful swim. Swam 16 lovely lengths.

Water temp: 14 degrees Yep, back for more Lidoness. It's not that I'm unhappy working from home on a Friday morning in my lovely warm cottage, radio on, freezer full of crumpets, more Marmite than you could spread thinly from here to Mars. No, I have compulsions that mean I have to leave the homeliness and cycle over the biggest hill in London then throw myself in to a freezing cold pool of chlorinated water. Great innit. Hardly a soul at The Lido, more swimmers than wetsuiters. Set myself a target of ten, really did 12 cos' I wanted to race a geezer in his rubber gear and flash goggles, you didn't stand a chance, I don't normally do that kind of thing, well sometimes. Ordered some new Aqua Sphere Tinted Vista Goggles as mine keep leaking and steaming up.

Water temp: 14 degrees That's right folks, 14 degrees. It's the most beautiful morning ever witnessed, I get up pretty early for a Saturday and I'm at The Lido at 11:15. The pool temperature sign which foretells me of my fate fills me with a sense of fear and excitement. So, I set myself a target of 10 lengths, if you're lucky, I should really get in first before making such bold predictions. The staff and the regulars have congregated outside the café for end of season corporation croissants and coffee, I'll join them after a few lengths. I dive in, yes it is very cold but I can deal with that, I will warm up. I turn on the style. At length nine or ten I realise that it's not that cold, or the cold has numbed my senses, whichever, the voice inside me determines I'm going for the end of season mile. Cold and elated I lie on the side at the shallow end, panting, swirling, exhilarated. A rubber clad female swimmer tells me I am hardy, I feel out of ...

Water temp: 15 degrees Early morning cycle/dip/cycle. Happy to say the temperature hasn't dropped during the night, but as man say, that's probably top-end to bottom-end 15. "I must be mad" I hear a sane voice inside me cry, a trapped voice. After a fair number of delaying tactics I find myself, hatted and goggled poolside. Oh my word, who knew that a big hole full of cold, chlorinated water could feel so good. Set myself a target of six, swam 10. Delicious. Last year I swam in the Lido until October 28, water temp 12 degrees, could go one better.

Water temp: 15 degrees After work dippy dip, water temperatures continue to plummet. A rather lovely 16 lengths. Job done, sped home.

Water temp: 16 degrees Wednesday after work workout. Beautiful late summer's evening. Temperature has plummeted by one degree. I felt this was the last opportunity to swim a mile in the The Lido this summer, at 16 lengths it was make or break, got cold feet and bottled it, that is my feet were getting rather cold and I got cold feet. Cycled home for dhal and Chelsea v Juventus. Dhal was better than the football, about 8.5 on the dhalometer.