Poolside Percy

Water temperature: 16 degrees As soon as my face hit the water I knew this was a bad idea. I sort of wade and stumble up and down The Lido, I can hardly swim and my goggles feel like they've been strapped round someone else's rubber clad head. I don't feel good. I had thought about doing a big end of summer mile but that aint happening today. I give up after 10 cruel lengths and lie down on a bench, at least the sun is shining. I bet the tai-chiers haven't got half my problems. I pedal off home thinking of breakfast and rehydration. I reckon I'll be fit enough for another party tonight.

Slightly overcast Saturday morning post-Parkrun swim. I feel great this morning. No boozing for a couple of weeks, I've done some good runs and my leg feels just about normal. Time for the last Saturday morning Mixed Pond swim of the summer. The cool water makes me gasp. I swim powerfully up the pond in an attempt to keep warm. From the bank GB shouts a compliment about my dive, you can shout that as loudly as you like mate. I chat to a genteel lady from Mill Hill about her husband's health, the benefits of your children learning languages and the old London telephone exchange names, ours was Gulliver, I still have the Bakelite phone. If you're too young to understand... I swam about four lengths and clambered out feeling rejuvenated, alive.  I watched and laughed as two wetsuited swimmers abandoned their rubber coating and swam as nature intended. A fantastic start to the day.

Water temp: 15 degrees Night time swim at the Lido. The sun had just about set when I arrived. Scores on the doors said 15 degrees in and 15 out of the water, equilibrium. It got dark very quickly after I arrived and the Lido lights came on. Well, most of them were lit, the deep end was still pretty much in darkness. I've never experienced a floodlit swim at the Lido before. The water felt icy, it took ages for me to catch my breath. Swimmers zigzagged their way down the semi-illuminated pool narrowly avoiding each other. I literally bumped in to a bloke named Frank who I'd met at Ironmonger Row last year. He's swum the channel. We chatted at the shallow end but the water was too cold for chit-chat, my teeth were chattering. I swam a length with him, I don't suppose a length of the Lido is much to a channel swimmer, always leaves me breathless. The Lido looked really beautiful this evening. Two days till the end of the summer season. This is a film about ...

Colin the lock keeper At 7am on an overcast and drizzly Saturday morning I left the warmth, security and relative sanity of my bed to go swimming in The Thames, Shiplake to Henley-Upon-Thames to be precise. I met up with fellow swimmers Liz, Clare and Jonathon on the train at Paddington. We started at Shiplake Lock in Oxfordshire and gently swam our merry way down the river towards Henley, stopping for the occasional breather and chance to gaze in awe at the riverside houses. We ended up completing an epic 3.5K swim. Not much running today. I got to take my Chill Swim (inflatable) dry bag on her maiden voyage. The bag worked a treat, only wish I had bought a slightly larger one or taken slightly less stuff. Great breakfast in Henley-Upon-Thames. We had some time to kill before catching the train home so we visited Dusty Springfield's grave. Here's Dusty singing "The Water is Wide', seems appropriate enough.

Water temp: 16 degrees Overcast and drizzly, perfect morning for an outdoor swim in an unheated pool. As I arrived the sun made the merest hint that it may still be be with us, a sort of polite cough behind a half-closed door. At least the water temperature has remained steady for the last few days, feels bloody cold tho'. I swim a very quick and thoroughly enjoyable 12 twelve lengths. The weather slightly improves, there are even a few patches of blue sky over Kite Hill. I get talking to a man in the shower, he asks me if I want to watch a video... Video of his band, this is. Filmed at The Lido no-less:

Tuesday morning overcast swim. I overhear a cheeky wag telling a fellow regular that white wine gives him an erection. He then turns to me and tells me that he was thrown out of the Lido in 1954, apparently the lifeguard caught him pissing in the pool: Him: "But everyone pisses in the pool." Lifeguard: "Not off the diving board." It's not a glorious morning. The water temperature has drooped three degrees since Sunday. Undeterred, I stiffen my resolve and hurl myself in to the water with a semi-decent dive. I swim 16 lovely Lido lengths followed by one very, very hot shower. It's all gone a bit autumnal, I've not given up on summer yet tho', I shall return, soon.

Water temp: 19 degrees Sunday morning swim. The weather can't really make up it's mind this morning. No clues given. I bump in to an old friend, she's making her annual trip to The Lido, she's leaving it a bit late, she couldn't make up her mind whether to go for 40 degree vikram yoga or take her chances with the steely cold of The Lido."I must be mad" she exclaims before heading off on her aquatic odyssey. I power up and down occasionally enjoying the heat from the sun on my back as it darts in and out between the clouds. I swim 20 lengths and decide that's enough. The Lido summer season ends in a couple of weeks, my season ticket expires in mid November. As I'm getting changed the heavens open. I seek refuge from the deluge in the cafe. I bump in to my old friend again at the exit, despite a scalding shower her lips are tinged with blue and she's still shivering. I offer her my coat and walk her to the bus stop.