Swimming day 523 - Minday 23rd July 2012

16 days to go …..

Summer is here; wey hey wey hey wey hey (am I excited or what!)

The weekend was beautiful; 22 degrees and sunny.  Apparently it’s here to stay for the month; through the Olympics and throughout our swimming week.  Could we really be that lucky; could we get a clear day after all this crazy rain!

This morning was beautiful; bright sun by 6am.  I was at the arch by 6.45am and in the sea within minutes.  I was on my own as Big Bob not around today, but others were there and doing their own thing.  I did a decent swim this morning; a pier triple which I’ve never done.  Girly beach around pier to our beach, then back all the way around to start and then back all way around to end on our beach – beach to beach to beach to beach.  It was so calm out there that it was really easy just to keep going.  Also the temperature was 15.6 degrees; over 1 degree up from Friday.  I am now keeping everything crossed that the temperature keeps rising and the waves keep falling!

Rest of the day is a usual day at work (although not too many meetings), then an hour with Ross in the gym at the end of the day and then the new Batman film tonight – what a nice day.

There is however some sadness. A 45 year old chap swimming the channel at the weekend got within a mile of France and died.  I am sure we will learn more as the story unfolds.  It is such a sad time to hear someone, especially so young, being lost in pursuit of a dream.  The sea is a dangerous place to be even in calm days such as today; so much can happen that could end your life that you had no control over.  Should we not follow our dreams because of it?  Should we somehow water down our hopes and expectations of our possible achievements?  Maybe we should, who knows.  But I for one believe that we should always do our best whenever we can and we should always follow our dreams wherever they may take us. The sea is a dangerous place to be respected, but it is equally as dangerous on the roads and equally as dangerous on the playing fields as it is in the deserts.  When your time comes it comes and up to then we need to grab life and follow whatever dreams we can.  Dare to dream and dare to follow your dream; the rest as they say is in the lap of the gods. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-18945333

Bless him and love to all his family and friends.