Swim

First open swim of the season at Shepperton Swim Lake and at first was massively disappointed.

Nothing, you understand, to do with the Lake, oh no, but entirely to do with my own abilities. You see, having got comfortable with the crawl in the pool over the last few months I was hoping to bring my new-found skills to the open water. Today was more a lesson in humility: having swum about 25meters of the 750m circuit I was struggling badly and had to break for air and recoup, then spluttered and splashed my way to the end of a first circuit like a drowning rat, no, a novice drowning rat, breathing every other stroke and trying to get my brain to focus on the greenness of the water. Not for a long time have I felt like such a beginner and felt crushed by the obvious hill to climb to achieve my goal of doing the Thames Swim (at 3.6k) with a crawl.

But second circuit was a little more settled - once I'd accepted the extra buoyancy of the wetsuit and settled into my own thoughts I nearly managed my usual, balanced , three stroke breathing pattern, I felt more like a swimmer again.

I must admit 'spotting' to keep on course wasn't as bad as I'd imagined and despite myself I completed 1.5k and that mountain looks a little smaller for it.

Photographically not much better - skies still leaden and little drama in the clouds to work with. Maybe we'll get a break soon and can catch some sun to ward off my growing s.a.d. undercurrent.

Pond Life - Al Alvarez not about Shepperton I know but worth a read ;)