Swimming day 469 - Wednesday 25th April 2012

 Blimey now that is rain!  The wind this morning was literally howling and the rain was coming down in sheets; sheets of very cold lumps of water.  Sometimes the rain can be almost soft and slightly warm; not today!!

I was up at about 6am having had an almost peaceful night (only a couple of short visits from the kids for a change and they did go back to their rooms), I even was allowed to sleep in my own bed all night; miracle of miracles.  Having looked out the window and being barely able to see past the rain I contemplated not going to the beach today.  I thought about the pool instead, which would have been more sensible, but just didn’t fancy a chlorine breakfast today; some days you just don’t.  So instead I headed to the beach wondering if I would be the only fool there; but of course this is Brighton Swimming Club and I am never a fool on my own.  This morning I was one of five; LB, Mike, Martina and Flick.  We headed down the beach at a jog and by the time we hit the water we were soaked through and shivering. The sea, being around 8 degrees today, was a warm welcome from the driving cold rain; now that clearly is madness.  Whilst my four foolhardy friends stayed in the shallows of the shore I headed out a bit further.  The waves were constant and strong, but the low tide kept it safe; no way we  would have gone in otherwise.  After swimming about 10 minutes straight out I looked up and realised I had been dragged all the way to the west out of our beach and almost to the middle of the next beach along!  The tide and drag were probably the strongest I’ve known in the 2 years I’ve been doing this.  I tried to swim back to my beach but no chance of that so I headed in to waist deep and tried to walk back.  The drag was so strong that even walking back was completely impossible.  So I headed straight to shore then walked along the beach and climbed over the groin back to my side.  Certainly one could say crazy, or foolish or just ask why; I’ll tell you – not only was it fantastic physical exercise both in terms of swimming through a powerful sea and walking against the strongest treadmill you could ever find; but also it really does set you up for the day.  Whilst everyone else is complaining about the “bad weather” and getting soaked on the way to work; I can take cold comfort in the fact that by 8am I have already done a days exercise and am ready for the onslaught of life with a little more of a spring in my step.