Tuesday, October 24, 2006
Swim
I went for swim today in our local council pool. It's the first time in a while that I've swum there, preferring to travel to Bunbury to use their pool. But today was a nice day, I'm still on holidays and the pool was uncrowded and best of all, it's now heated!
I paid my entry fee at the new heated price and entered. There was hardly anyone about, school was still in and there was only a few young people sitting talking on the grass. One person was in the pool, swimming laps. I guess he was an underwater hockey player because he had giant flippers and was wearing a snorkle.
So I dropped off most of my clothes, and luckily had my bathers on underneath, and thought of pleasant things as I dropped into the water. I have to think of things other than the water or else I'll procrastinate forever for fear of cold water. Once I'm in it's ok. After swimming half a lap to stretch I start my stopwatch and swim.
The temperature was a fraction too cool, maybe one or two degrees warmer would be nice. At the deep end it felt cool but at the shallow end it was ok. I suppose the water from the heaters must enter the pool at the shallower end. I did steady neat strokes, not trying too hard on my first swim. The water was crystal clear, and I could easily see the full length of the 50 metre pool underwater. The concrete bottom of the pool needed painting, and the tiles looked a bit uneven, but this pool is about 50 years old and at it's opening would have been equal to almost any pool in Australia. At the Shallow end it's 3 feet 6 inches deep and at the other end, which takes up about 10 metres, is an area which is 11 feet deep. There are tiles with the depth painted on them set into the concrete at the sides. There is a low diving board, and also a higher one but the actual board and ladder have been removed. There also used to be a slide but that's been taken away too. I guess these days such things would be deemed too dangerous and an insurance liability. You'd think kids died in droves in the old days compared to the way young people are mollycoddled now.
So I forced myself to complete 1000 metres and stopped my watch, just over 22 minutes, a bit slow but not bad for a first swim in ages and I'm just getting over a flu. Some other people were getting in the pool so I decided to swim a few more laps and added another 500 metres to my swim.
I got out, dried and dressed myself and wandered over to the shop. I bought three pythons, which are like snakes but bigger. (The lolly type of course.)
I left feeling clean, cool and refreshed.
I paid my entry fee at the new heated price and entered. There was hardly anyone about, school was still in and there was only a few young people sitting talking on the grass. One person was in the pool, swimming laps. I guess he was an underwater hockey player because he had giant flippers and was wearing a snorkle.
So I dropped off most of my clothes, and luckily had my bathers on underneath, and thought of pleasant things as I dropped into the water. I have to think of things other than the water or else I'll procrastinate forever for fear of cold water. Once I'm in it's ok. After swimming half a lap to stretch I start my stopwatch and swim.
The temperature was a fraction too cool, maybe one or two degrees warmer would be nice. At the deep end it felt cool but at the shallow end it was ok. I suppose the water from the heaters must enter the pool at the shallower end. I did steady neat strokes, not trying too hard on my first swim. The water was crystal clear, and I could easily see the full length of the 50 metre pool underwater. The concrete bottom of the pool needed painting, and the tiles looked a bit uneven, but this pool is about 50 years old and at it's opening would have been equal to almost any pool in Australia. At the Shallow end it's 3 feet 6 inches deep and at the other end, which takes up about 10 metres, is an area which is 11 feet deep. There are tiles with the depth painted on them set into the concrete at the sides. There is a low diving board, and also a higher one but the actual board and ladder have been removed. There also used to be a slide but that's been taken away too. I guess these days such things would be deemed too dangerous and an insurance liability. You'd think kids died in droves in the old days compared to the way young people are mollycoddled now.
So I forced myself to complete 1000 metres and stopped my watch, just over 22 minutes, a bit slow but not bad for a first swim in ages and I'm just getting over a flu. Some other people were getting in the pool so I decided to swim a few more laps and added another 500 metres to my swim.
I got out, dried and dressed myself and wandered over to the shop. I bought three pythons, which are like snakes but bigger. (The lolly type of course.)
I left feeling clean, cool and refreshed.
