Day 162 – 5th January 2011

Back to the pool after too long a break. It was actually really daunting this morning getting up and heading to the pool rather than the beach; it’s been so long since I did a long pool swim that I was seriously doubting if I could do it. Silly I know, but that was how I was feeling.

I got up at 6am, having had a restless night. Jesse popped in to see me at about 1am and I took him back to his room about 2 hours later, leaving me wide awake until 6am when I got up. After I was dressed (10 minutes is all it takes me these days as I shower later) I then hit the kitchen to make up my swimming feeds (water with maxim and a banana), jumped into the car and headed to the pool; I ate a banana on the way, which I was rather proud of myself for doing (it’s the little things that count!!). I got to Falmer dead on 6.30am just as they were turning on the lights and was in the pool and doing my first length at 6.40am. The first hour was really tough indeed, I just couldn’t get my rhythm right, however, I plodded on. The second hour was a little better, but still I swam like a crab rather than a fish, very annoying! The third hour however, saw the magic return and I swam really easily and smoothly. I had the lane to myself for virtually the whole 3 hours, with just the occasional person joining me for the odd 10 minutes; in fact the other lanes never had more than a couple of people in them at any time as well. It seems that peoples New Years resolution was not to include an early morning swim; suits me just fine! After my swim I headed straight up to London for a meeting (in fact I’m on the train right now typing this) and I have to say that I can really feel the tiredness now setting in; it’s been a good few weeks since I felt the “exercise tiredness”. It’s quite a nice feeling in all truth being tired from a lot of exercise. However, as soon as I’ve done a few more pool swims that will settle back to normal I would think. It’s probably a combination of yesterday and today, which was a morning sea swim, 10k run, a 45 minute gym and then a 3 hour pool swim today. The other annoyance is that my breathing is a little painful again today , which I always get after a long pool swim, but the sea will sort that out in the morning I’m sure.

Apart from that, all is good in the world!!