Microadventure #2 - Cold Water Swimming

Anyone who has ever seen (or heard) me getting into cold water will know what a challenge this month's microadventure was. It doesn't even need to be very cold - anything below 'warm bath' temperature makes me shiver just thinking about it. 

So after parkrun on Saturday I headed to Brrrrr-ockwell Lido in South London to brave the very NOT 'warm bath' temperatures of outdoor swimming in February. When I got there, two other brave (foolhardy?) Clapham Chasers - Jane and Henry - were already doing laps (in training for a cold water swimming race in Glasgow next month) and another (Hannah) was already in the sauna post-swim. Meanwhile... I stood on the side in my wet-suit and TWO coats, watching and thinking of every possible excuse as to why this was not a good idea. 

According to www.loneswimmer.com, swimming in 5 degrees is classed as:

“F*ck!“ That’s a technical term. Swimmers like to remind people this is the same temperature as the inside of a quite cold domestic fridge. Don’t worry if you can’t remember actually swimming, getting out of the water or trying to talk. Memory loss is a fun game for all the family. This occurs usually around the middle to end of February.

So at 5.4 degrees it wasn't far off jumping inside the water jug I keep in my fridge. 

It may LOOK like a summer's day... but don't let that blue sky fool you!

With Jane and Henry by the temperature sign

Two coats, and wet-suit and trying to keep my feet warm

Cold water does funny things to your mind.... It wasn't until I'd got home, warmed up, eaten and looked at the photos that I realised I had my wet-suit on inside out!!

Spot the cold water newbie!

What AM I doing??

This is HAPPENING

2 lengths of the 50 metre pool

Gasping for breath

Hot water shower (wet-suit still on inside out)

How many people can you fit in a sauna?!

After a hot shower and sauna, I decided that swimming with a wet-suit wasn't enough of a challenge. (Proving the point that cold water does indeed make you lose your marbles...)

So, off came the wet-suit and I managed half a length (25 metres) in just my cozzie...

Psyching myself up

So, with my February microadventure done, we warmed up sharing a hip-flask of whisky and a brunch feast of 8 eggs and 24 chipolatas between the 4 of us. You burn more calories in the cold, right?

I can't say I'll be doing it again next weekend, and while I didn't enjoy the actual 'getting cold' part, I definitely enjoyed the whole experience, and the challenge of doing something so far out of my comfort zone. 

Now off to run a nice warm bath.......