Agony And Pleasure

This morning was one of these mornings where one could be forgiven for questioning whether swimming in 0.2C water temperatures would evoke "agony" or "pleasure"?!

No matter how one chooses to look at it (which clearly also depends on ones pain threshold ...) one thing is for sure, winning over oneself (the apprehension, followed by the euphoria) is primarily what this is all about. This victory, I believe, is what brings the most profound pleasure! A definite sense of achievement, if you will.

Diving in the deep end and swimming one lengths did it for me!

Others had to do more (or less) for (maybe) a similar sense of victory over themselves !?!

Chris leading the way not wavering from his usual approach to getting in.

The idea was that Sue R. and he would swim up one length, see how they felt and depending on that, either get out the deep end .. or swim back .. eyes firmly focused on ...: the sauna!

Lifeguard Dylan had a far more sensible idea ...

a cup of tea for himself and one for Antony!

Sue pushing off the shallow end -

she soon caught up with sparing partner Chris who, by now,

had started swimming breaststroke towards the deep end.

Nuola was ahead of Sue R. doing breaststroke -

halfway down the length she turned round and swam back - she felt having reached her limit .. for today!:)

Nick looking on with bewilderment -

he is still nurturing his leg (see yesterday's blog entry) but swam one width

Sue and Chris made it to the deep end ...

and as expected decided to swim back!

Who want's to get out all the way up there and walk back on cold concrete, I ask you?!

Swimming the length seems a far better option ..! or not ?!

Batch walked up to the deep end, lowered himself in to 0.2C

and swam one length down to the shallow end

Chris and Sue giving it their all, swimming as fast as they possibly could ..

no feeling in their hands...

outchhhhhaaaa: Sue just pipped Chris on the line

and getting her hands out of the water as fast as possible!

"My hands are throbbing!"

out ... a bit pronto!

Sue treading carefully, the top step had a layer of ice

Chris reunited with his flip flops -

no hanging about,

both were off to the sauna

I'd seen enough ... one length will do it for me!