Swimming outside at Jesus Green Lido was so lovely.
My very-old-now prescription goggles are doing great service, and swimming underwater still feels magical, seeing the sparkling dapples of sunlight rippling across the top and bottom of the water, and any leaves hanging stationary suspended in infinity.
I swam 16 lengths (nearly 1mi), and pushed myself to actually go faster enough that my heart was racing and I felt tired out, even if it wasn't very fast in actual speed. That was mostly breaststroke but I also practiced crawl, and managed about half a length before running out of puff.
And just sitting in the sun is glorious.
The water temperature was 17c, and it was noticeably colder for longer after I got in than 18c, but I had got better at getting in without cursing, and by half way through the first length it felt lovely. And feeling the sun on my skin felt lovely.
My very-old-now prescription goggles are doing great service, and swimming underwater still feels magical, seeing the sparkling dapples of sunlight rippling across the top and bottom of the water, and any leaves hanging stationary suspended in infinity.
I swam 16 lengths (nearly 1mi), and pushed myself to actually go faster enough that my heart was racing and I felt tired out, even if it wasn't very fast in actual speed. That was mostly breaststroke but I also practiced crawl, and managed about half a length before running out of puff.
And just sitting in the sun is glorious.
The water temperature was 17c, and it was noticeably colder for longer after I got in than 18c, but I had got better at getting in without cursing, and by half way through the first length it felt lovely. And feeling the sun on my skin felt lovely.