Poolside Percy

Score:   ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ ۞ I'm in France visiting relatives. I'm not very good at speaking French, I'd blame my French teacher Mr. Goodwin but it's not really his fault, well it is un petit peu. We didn't do exotic holidays abroad when we were kids, we went to every Butlin's in the UK. Now, this is one of my favourite swimming pools in the world (not including Butlin's), so I was fairly excited. I managed to negotiate the de rigour of French changing rooms until I was stopped in my tracks by the attendant who pointed at my Fred Perry swimming shorts and said a lot of unfamiliar sounding words. Realising the blanc expression on my visage, she pointed at a poster on the wall which said that bermudas are 'interdit' (I know that word), I must wear le trunks. There was no point in arguing, it would have been pointless as our common tongue was the picture of the offending bermudas. Besides, I've never been to Bermuda, Butlins Ayr was the furthest we...

Sunday afternoon swim. Grey and overcast. After yesterday's madness/heroics it's back to normality in central London. The water is cold but the pool is virtually empty. It starts to rain as I push off in lane three, my very own lane, the slow lane all to myself, luxury. The water is even colder at the deep-end, I quicken my stroke on the way back. Some potential swimmers brave the chilly west end air, I growl at them, keep out of my lane. Most of them dip their piggies in the cold water and scurry off to the tropical oasis of the indoor pool. At length 31, the mid-way length, the middle lane is free. I'm free, a whole lane to myself. I swim on and on and on, in no particular hurry. The water gets pumped in to the pool in the shallow end of the middle lane. I peddle to the rainy north for home-made curry.

Graham and Carl Three degrees, givin up, gettin' in 'No way, it's too cold for me, you go in first'. Cold, rainy, blustery day in London. I got kidnapped by a couple of chaps on the way home from Saturday morning Parkrun. They were on their way to the ponds, it seemed an opportunity too good to miss. I swam round the jetty in the near freezing water cheered on by these two. Thanks boys, it was fun. Lots of people in the Highgate Lifebuoys' hut drinking tea and coffee making loads of noise. Still buzzing hours later.

Great of Ideas of March: go for a swim on Sunday morning Met up with GF and French visitors in Covent Garden afterwards.  All bien.

Sunday morning swim, well nearly, by the time I got in the pool it was the afternoon, just. Big smile from the lady on reception. Very, very cold in London today. However the water is lovely and the pool is very quiet. I've not been swimming for a while, first time this month, can you blame me. I'm wearing GF's goggles, they're well worn, they get all steamed up, they keep out the water, job done. First half a length and it's like I've never been away, this feels good, divine even, I start to slow down, I'm out of practise. As usual I tell myself I'll only do 40 lengths, 30 even, 60 seems like 160 lengths away, I argue back, I will do 60. At 40 I propose getting out but by the time I've done 50, 60 is within reach, I steam on. Nice hot shower, the changing rooms are so much better. Home to watch Man City push Chelsea easily aside. Big fat roast for family and friends.

Saturday afternoon swim. Lovely day in London, sun is out, the snow and ice has all but melted. Still pretty cold tho', it's a quick dash from the door to the pool. Water is a stingy 26 degrees, so no messing about, jump straight in. It's very, very quiet in the pool, in the speedo lane it's just me and a man with swimming paddles, he's steaming away, he overtakes me a lot, I try to keep out of his way. I feel tired as I ran with Parkrun Percy at Highbury Fields this morning, I feel virtuous, I'm considering doing only 30 lengths today. Paddleman retires leaving just me on my own in lane one, only two other people in the pool. So much space. I finish my obligatory 60 lengths, I feel shattered, a swim too far? Just the seven mile cycle ride back to East Finchley. I've done a Triathlon Sprint today, well more of a Triathlon Meander. There's no fool like a pool fool.

It's cold, it's very cold, that'll be the snow and the winter. There's no point whining over winter, it's Saturday morning. I love Saturdays and this Saturday is no exception. Bus to Oasis cos there's no Northern Line. By the time I get to the poolside it's 12:01, afternoon swim. Hardly anyone in the steaming pool. Now the steam would imply the water's warm, nope, it's well chilly, whatever. Ploughed up and down, up and down, getting faster and stronger each length. I can't really keep up the rhythm, I've been really slack on my poolside duties recently. A thoroughly decent swim is marred slightly by the man in aisle one who insists on doing butterfly. What is it about butterfly? Looks wrong, looks bloody difficult, no impossible. I can't do butterfly, maybe that's what it is. I'm not jealous, it looks silly and annoys people like me, well it slightly annoys me. I love Oasis, especially on a Saturday. Photo: Philip Wolm...