Kate gets her outdoor badge

Without a wetsuit and at 11 degrees Kate swam 630 yards today - now officially a hard core outdoor swimmer. Hooray!

immersed in Tooting and over the hills

Managed a mile last Friday - wasn't too motivated and the temp had dropped to 9 degrees. Then off to Shropshire for the weekend. No swimming, but a lovely long four hour walk up Caer Caradoc, Little Caradoc and The Lawley. Felt in it my calves a couple of days later.

Working Wednesday, so back into the pool yesterday for a km. Kate did 16 widths without a wetsuit - good on her - and will attempt to translate this to lengths this weekend. Because the air temp has risen and its been cloudly, the water is back up to 10 degrees.

Two km today. Felt I could do more, but have/had work to do. Good to see Julie and Sarah do a km though; and had to dodge the weaving Vince a couple of times.

disappearing toe

After doing two K yesterday, I thought I'd try three. Chatting to old hand Mick before getting in, he told me the pool had dropped to 10 degrees. On entry it felt fresh and I could feel the cold envelop my chest. After two lengths I was settled into the cold and regular checks on my fingers proved positive - I could still feel them. The sun was shining and creating a maze-y pattern on the bottom of the pool. I felt calm and relaxed and was enjoying the meditative rhythm of it.

I was also looking out for the glint of foil in the leaves at the bottom of the pool each time I returned a length, to check I was swimming in a straight line. At about length 20, I saw Julie and Sarah get in and decided to chase them to vary my speed. All was good at length 28 and I was thinking, "I'm cold, but I'm going to get to 3km". But coming up length 29, I lost the feeling in the middle toe of my left foot. I tried kicking more to get the circulation back, but it dominated my psychic self. I could think of nothing else and it was beginning to hurt - even though I couldn't feel it! I decided it was an early sign of hypothermia so got out after 30 lengths (3000 yards). I then spent the next ten minutes shivering in the sauna, and it took thirty minutes before I started sweating.

I think I'll stick to 2km today.

temperatures falling fast

Just two weeks ago it was 15 degrees C in the lido. After a week in Vienna I was keen for a cold swim, so went with Kate for a dip on Saturday morning. The pool was a cool 12 degrees and it felt like it. Didn't get numb fingers or toes, but could feel the chill enveloping my chest for the first few hundred metres. Got out after a kilometre and sat in the sauna for a while.

Did another kilometre on Monday at lunchtime with the sun on my back; and two kilometres today without the direct sun - as it hadn't risen high enough yet. Again it felt cooler and was told on exiting that it was down to 11 degrees.

I'm going to aim for three kilometres tomorrow, but knowing it's just two more lengths of Tooting for two miles, may well end up doing that. My aim is two miles at sub-10 degrees; as I'll need to be able to do this come next June in the Outer Hebrides.

Kate gets her kit off

Kate took the next step in the progression of the cold swimmer and did 200 yards without a wetsuit. I think we'll be seeing more of her as the temperature drops. She's glad there's a sauna.

pootling about

A few swims here and there. Tooting was lovely yesterday morning. For half of my 2K swim I was the only one in the water. The sauna is now open and it's nice, rather than vital to warm up after a cool dip. The lido is still a refreshing 14 degrees, but its going down and the warmth of the sauna is going to be critical to my ability to swim more than a few widths.

Downham pool is small, but has a large window overlooking the valley looking westwards towards Crystal Palace. Not going to be a regular venue, but it was good to have a dip with Kate before she went off for day three of her jury service.

Off to Devon tomorrow night. Staying for a residential on the River Avon (so good they named it twice), but uncertain whether I'll have a time for a dip, or indeed if the river will be deep enough where we're staying.