The thrill of the cold

I've been open water swimming casually for about 10 years. At first just a couple of dips a year but slowly building up.

Around August I found a couple of friends with a similar interest and desire to continue swimming semi-regularly in to the colder days. Finding a river spot close to home has made biding by lockdown restrictions easier but sometimes I get to a reservoir.

Today was one of those days. I've invested in more kit this year, a tow-float for piece of mind if cramp hits (though I rarely go out of my depth), some neoprene gloves and socks as the chill is felt there worst and a wonderfully snuggly oversized jacket to change under!

The water was calm, a few other swimmers further up the shore, the autumn sun lying low in the sky, skeins of geese and a heron overhead. That exhilarating rush as the cold hits, as your body adjusts and acclimatises and then release. A release of all the tension stored up in muscles, a release of the thoughts and chatter of a busy mind, a relief of pain that lasts as long after as a good pain killer.

I may only be managing 10 minutes now as the temperature drops but that ten minutes is well worth it!