8°C, rain.

Rain all day, therefore – swim. I had the lane to myself so settling into a rhythm was easy.

Last year I peaked at 70 lengths in this pool but I’m fitter now. It’s all about building winter endurance.

18°C, grey & calm

A day out in Manchester means an opportunity to swim in the best pool around. 50m at the right temperature. I’ve been ill with a throat infection for a week so didn’t plan to push too hard. However, once warmed up, I was fine so I did 34 lengths (50m each, a mile).

Swam 72 lengths this afternoon. That’s the longest swim of my life. I wasn’t called into work today so was free to have an easy morning. The rain stopped me cycling but the pool is good.

Hardly anyone was there so setting up a rhythm was easy. Going further each week has been the pattern; now it’s usually a mile each day. A mile in this pool is 64.5 lengths and today I stretched it to 72.

In another lane, a young woman was practicing Synchronized Swimming (if that’s the right name). She would suspend herself head down in the water and spin longitudinally. Amazing really, I’ve never seen that before.