Shedding Skin

Today was the last chance to get in a Lake swim before Sunday's Hampton Court bridge to bridge swim. I was hoping to get somewhere close to the 3.6k before I finished.

The Lake was beautiful when I arrived and took a few aimless shots of ducks and reflections on iPhone while waiting to be allowed in water. Bearing in mind my last attempt at Lake swimming was an eye opener and a lesson in humility rolled into one soggy-man-sized ball then I was a little apprehensive about swimming further than I have managed this year to date.

The water was incredibly warm, to the point where I was feeling uncomfortable in the wetsuit, and I felt easy gliding from bouy to bouy holding a good rhythm and feeling good after 3 circuits. So I stopped and shed the wetsuit and did the last round up to 3k without. So much easier swimming without - tougher work on the muscles without the suits bouyancy but a much nicer style if swim without the restrictive pull holding the arms back, making a real stretch feel good rather than a battle against elastic.

Feeling like I'd achieved, and may I say, a little smug at out-suiting the many regular lakers still fully covered, while I take on the chilled Thames water. "Was that alright?" asked the elderly gentleman manning the key box "great", I said, "what's the temperature in there?". "Oh, about 20degrees..." he said nonchalantly. Warmer than the fully heated Guildford Lido. Maybe I'm not so manly after all - lesson in humility anyone?