Upstairs

Today saw the arrival of a, some what different, SLSC member. It was a little 4 legged very lively creature called Molly :)

Molly parading past the cubicles ...

... Toying with the idea of possibly taking a plunge?

but opting against it!

Well, with the water temperature still only at 2.7 Celsius ... who would hold it against the newcomer :)

But, who knows, with daily training she could eventually get there...

Speaking of which, I'm proud :) to announce that I have managed to swim two lengths today! and you know what, it wasn't as hard as I had imagined ... don't get me wrong, the last third of lap two was getting a touch painful :). What I have proven to myself yet again though, is, that setting oneself challenges is firstly well worth it and secondly how so much depends on ones mental approach to the challenge.

Today, I really came to the pool with my mind set on swimming two lengths. Admittedly, when Vince announced that he was "only" going to swim one length and maybe a width, depending on how he felt, I had a nano second of thinking "well, maybe it's still too cold to do two". Luckily, this thought didn't last long at all. I remembered immediately that I had come with the intention of swimming two lengths and I was going to stick to it!

So yes, I did and - I may have mentioned that earlier ) - I did feel very good about accomplishing my challenge! Winning over what happens "upstairs" (in ones mind) is definitely the best win! I'm aware that this was only a small achievement but, hey , small steps are sure to lead to bigger things!

Of course the likes of Sue and Chris swam not only two lengths but did a whole circuit of the pool (2 widths and 2 lengths)!

Suspended by Suspense

Every time I go to the Tooting Bec Lido something else catches my eye! Now, what exactly is going on in that image?!

That's for you to guess!

Ok here a wider shot to give you a clue with regards to the location :)

My heart is bleeding

I have had my last swim at the Lido this past Saturday .. seems an eternity ago! What can I do..? A nasty cold got the better of me ... and I am by now most certainly suffering signs of splash withdrawal :)

Swimming, I fear would sadly not be the best cure for it ... my head is pounding, my nose running and my chest has accumulated stuff too :) taking all of this into account I reluctantly decided to skip my daily plunge ... am not even cycling...

What bugs me (excuse the pun) most about it is that since Monday London (at least SW London) is basking in wonderful Autumn sun. Crisp mornings, wonderful light and I'm sure the atmosphere at the Lido must be amazing!

The good news is that I am nurturing my cold and the additional side effects of "a bleeding heart" with all I've got!

Head plunged in an inhalator as opposed to being submerged in the Lido ... lovely and warm! Also, adding herbs to the boiling water works miracles. It helps shift whatever it is that decided to disturb my breathing.

As for my bleeding heart, I had a hot lemon Whisky toddy two nights in a row now before going to bed - Knocked me out! I may very well have another one this eve :) Please don't get the wrong impression here ... it's purely for medicinal reasons!

I reckon, give it another day or two and I'll be as good as new. I so hope that the weather will remain kind to us until the end of October. You wouldn't wish for the water temperature to drop below 10 Celsius for us ... yet!

Summer season is over

It's official, September 30th and The Tooting Bec Lido has closed it's doors to the public until May next year - that's 2010 - Sounds far away doesn't it?! It won't be as long as you may think... Besides, the good news is that you can always join the South London Swimming Club (SLSC) and swim all year round! Yes that's right - all year round!

See what you are made of and start swimming during the winter months! To keep going when the water temperature is dropping almost daily is a great challenge - See how long you can last!

Look at it this way, once you have made it to Xmas and the New Year, it's only another four and a bit months!

The 2009 Summer season is over and Life guards Dominic and his friend Charlotte are heading home :

"See you next year" they shouted cycling across the common and disappeared in the distance.

"Yes. See you."

Keep checking your local paper

It's Albert! The name of the lovely gentleman who greets me every morning with a smile followed by an update on how the water feels is Albert!
I'm glad I have it written down ... cause I'm not the best remembering names. Nor is Albert for that matter :)
"What's your name ?"
"Elizabeth."
"I'll have to try and remember that!"
"That's easy, I said, we are both regal :)"
"It's easier for me to remember names if I think of some else I know with the same name..."

I can't wait for tomorrow morning to arrive! We'll see who is better at it..

Funnily enough, there was an even greater sense of joy and camaraderie at the pool this morning. I put it down to having all the children's paintings displayed. It was lovely to see that each person, in their own time went to take a closer look at the exhibits.

With regards to the press release for the Free Art Event at the Lido, it will hopefully be in the South London Press as opposed to being in the Wandsworth Guardian. The Guardian found my photos "too arty" :) I'll take that as compliment then :) Specially as the South London Press liked them! Bottom line is that it would be good to have something about it in the press.

So keep checking in your local paper! And keep coming to the pool for your daily fix ... of coffee :) but only after your revitalising splish!

I did it again ... sneaked a pic from out of my cubical ... sorry, it was just too tempting not to :)

I have a plan

It is official. I NEED October to come along. Fast!

The quality of morning light at the Lido is just simply out of this world! I don't know what it is about this place? Simply enchanting. And, I'm itching like no body's business to take photos, photos, photos and some video footage of course.

Unless you swim here, you cannot image what it feels like to be gliding along and at each breath one takes to be catching a glimpse of the light reflecting on the surface of the water .... combined with the view of the famous multicoloured doors in the background. Stunning!

Last year I took underwater stills as well as video footage with my IXUS 70 - I had invested in an underwater housing specially designed for that model and got some really lovely stuff.

But what I was missing is being able to use it while swimming along.

For this year, I have a plan. I'm researching options right now and hope to be fully kitted out by the time October opens its doors to the world of Elizabeth's underwater photography :)

While I'm on to my to my next project, let me sign off with a taster of things to come.

What a welcome

Wow, when I got up around 6.30am the sky behind the roofs outside my window presented itself with the most amazing hues of red and orange.

Red sky in the morning - Shepherd's warning .. what a lot of nonsense ... :) at least this morning! Once I arrived at the Lido, the sun was already gently pushing its way through a thin veil of clouds that the night had generated.

Two solitary swimmers gliding along the calm surface. One man making his way back from the shower and to his cubical, a towel round his waist and beaming from ear to ear : "You'll like it today! it's a bit warmer than yesterday" - I really must ask this lovely man what his name is ... a smile alone as a reply followed by, "great, I look forward to getting in", won't do :)

Slowly, another and then another swimmer, is making his/her way through the gate. It's like The March of Singing Souls approaching poolside :)

"Hello Blogger!"

ahhh one of my (blog) followers :) has arrived!

I tell Vince about the cute shots I took of him and his children on Saturday during the art event.

By the way, A press release about the event has gone out to the Local Guardian. So, with a bit of luck, you will be able to read about it in the paper soon.

No more chit chat though. Time to get in and feel the clear, refreshing water envelop my body.

Gliding is the name of the game. Each stroke accompanied by a gentle stretch - Today it feels like pure poetry in motion! And yes a touch warmer - the weekend sun and the warmer nights must have helped. Good God, we are up by one degree - the thermometer shoes 16 Celsius.

It is amazing how the regular swimmers immediately feel the slightest change in temperature!

Still, I kept my session at 10 laps (only) :) I would have loved to stay longer... if only I didn't have to be back in time to let Ifi in. Who is Ifi? She's the most cheerful cleaner you will have ever come across!

She greeted me with an untroubled "they said it was going to rain, rain,rain today" to which I replied as joyfully : "well, they were wrong, wrong, wrong!"

This is a bold title isn't it?

"An Unusual Love Affair in London".

But, hey, over the next few months you will get to understand and hopefully also feel that what I am about to share with you is absolutely that : a love affair and an unusual one at that! Well, it is perhaps not as unusual as I may think it is because I am not the only person who is "madly in love" with this unusual "thing" ... let me keep the suspense going for a while :)

I know for sure that I am not the only person who has the good fortune to feel this tremendous emotional, yes, even physical pull towards "this". Maybe there are people out there who are feeling such a seductive jerk right now?! and fulfilling the need to satisfy it! In fact know there are at least a hand full of them! There must be! Well I know there are. And yet, I will confess. We are a minority.

What is she on about?

Well, at this stage I can tell you as much as that it is a physical, emotional and spiritual activity. Yes, that much I can give away...

so what is it?

Ok, it's probably a sporting as much as a deeply energising and exhilarating, pleasurable and, for some, calming activity. It could paradoxically also be a meditative activity.

Could it be rock climbing?mountaineering? skiing?... mountain biking? People who love those activities certainly feel a tremendous pull even a distinct calling to engage in the duality of thriving on the physical as well as satisfying an emotional and spiritual need. The peak of a mountain is said "to be calling for his conquerer to triumph over it".

But, hang on. The love affair takes place in london. Remember!

Oh, I know. Bungie jumping! No, it's not bungie jumping! In fact I couldn't think of anything worse than bungie jumping :)

Free running. Yes, I got it. No sorry. Close. interesting new sport that gives amazing athletes a hell of a buzz. But, no.

Tightrope walking. Yes, you have discovered the thrills of walking on a tight rope. Inspired by the film "Man on Wire" - A must see film by the way - go rent it in case you haven't seen it- You have gone totally bonkers and are planning to tie a wire between St. Paul's Cathedral and the Tate Modern!

Great idea. Daring. But, no.

Ok, enough guessing. I'll fill you in with my Love Affair. The best way of doing that is to show you a little video.

You see! You get the idea?! The Championship drew quite a bit of attention. Even Reuters covered the event and as I am fluent in German I was asked whether I'd be willing to be interviewed. Of course I was willing! I love talking about cold water swimming and I love the Tooting Bec Lido! By the way, the swimmer with the funny looking contraption on the head is me! I entered 3 races. One of them was "the head up breaststroke with the fancy hat" race. Seeing that I am a freelance photographer and film maker - Bridget, a friend from the pool designed the hat for me!

As if by magic I live no more than a 7 min. bike ride away from the pool!

You saw on the clip the Lido is an open air, unheated pool. What you couldn't see, is that it is 100yards long. However, at temperatures below 10 degrees celsius we usually "regress" to swimming widths (which are still 33meters long!). The Lido is open to the public from the end of May to the end of September and, hurray, open to members all year round.

I swim daily. Come snow, hail, rain, wind and even sunshine! One could say I get my daily fix of love, exhilarating energy, emotional and spiritual enjoyment there, at that very place.

Believe it or not the Lido is 103 years old! I invite you to read up on Lido's history.

So I invite you to stay tuned because during the next few months I will attempt to convey to you what that experience feels like.

Although we have had a fairly good summer and the water temperature had risen to a high of 20 degrees centigrade during July and early August, the temperature has gradually fallen. For the past few days it has fluctuated between 16 and 14 . This morning, around 8am - which is when I usually swim it was a positively refreshing 14. I swam 10 lengths - just short of one Kilometer- and felt amazing.

Now that the secret is out, stay tuned and check in for regular updates on activities at the Tooting Bec Lido. Photographs, interviews with other crazy cold water fanatics and much more to come.