Poolside Percy

Sunday morning jaunt with my son, sister and a couple of nephews. My lido loving sister moved to Lewes a year ago. The Triangle is now her pool of choice in Sussex. Rammed with fun-loving families. Lots of slides and flumes. Oh my word, an open air rapids, I get to 'swim' outdoors, lovely. My sister and I play with the kids for a little while before sneaking off to the almost deserted big pool to swim a few lengths. We have our obligatory race, I narrowly beat her. A great morning is slightly disturbed by my sister's insistence on listening to the Elaine Page show on Radio 2 in the car on the way back to Lewes.

Water temp: 2 degrees Lunchtime lap of the pond. Brutal, intense, enjoyable.

Saturday morning fun at The Men's Pond

Water temp : 'You tell me, you've been in' It's gonna be cold, it's gonna hurt, it's gonna be worth it. This is what I'm telling myself. It's gonna be cold... Lovely. Lunch in The San with J & D. 

 

Water temp: 4 degrees Friday afternoon fun at the Men's Pond. A spectacular sunny morning has given in to grey skies. I walk the length of the jetty with loud encouragement from Dan The Lifeguard. I walk quickly back in the direction in which I came. I puff up my chest, sprint down the jetty landing feet first in the water. As I surface from my icy plunge my loud gasp scatters the gathering of gulls. I feel acclimatised again, at one. It's The Swimmer again tomorrow, what fun.

Water temp: 4 degrees After a proper pissy start to the day the sun has come out. I'm at work in Mornington Crescent and just about dry after this morning's deluge. A certain upper class paper has announced that open water swimming is 'trending'. What on earth does this mean? I'm gonna take some time to think about this one. I can't find a conclusive definition of the word 'trending', but I assume this means that open water/wild swimming will be popular in 2015. I find a reference to 'a warming trend'. In January? Are you mad? If you're new to the game I'd think about starting in June or July when the water has warmed up a bit. Even then the water can be pretty nippy. Your choice. To The Men's Pond. I'm excited. My first swim of 2015. I cycle north towards Highgate. All this talk of 'trending' has me worried now. Maybe there'll be a queue of skinny bearded hipsters, where will I park my bike with all those shi...