Tag: swimming

swimming

Swimming #4

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ 1 Comment

August’s Project, swimming, continues like Michael Phelps halfway through a world record swim. Today we visited Spalding’s Castle Swimming Pool. Before leaving we had a quick look on the website to find out where it was, it seemed simple enough. However, when we got to the place indicated on the website no swimming pool could be seen. Undetered we had a drive around and eventually found it, in a totally different place from where it should have been…

I was pleasantly surprised with the pool, no wave machine, no flumes, just a standard old-fashioned pool. Only £3.40 entrance, for that you get 3 pools: diving pool, kiddies pool and standard pool. Good for what I wanted to do. Marie had joined me for today’s swimming session which ended up pretty good. My technique is definitely improving, I’m beginning to feel more confident with the breathing element and I can swim further than a couple of weeks ago. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not about to make Team GB, but so far so good.

On a negative note….I’m not entirely sure what crap they put in the pool but my eyes have been really sore all afternoon. Too much chlorine me thinks!!!!

I think practice is definitely the answer to this swimming lark.

In the words of Mo Farah….”Hard work and grafting!”

Swimming #3

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ Leave a comment

Today, the third effort of August's Project, was a visit to Bourne Outdoor Pool for a spot of swimming. Although I've lived in Bourne a number of years, today was my first ever visit to the outdoor pool. I was pleasantly surprised. The admission price was £4 and this allows you to stay there for the day. I saw a number of families who had obviously been there all day: blankets, chairs, picnics, books and no end of other stuff.

It was a lovely day today, very hot, therefore the place was very busy. At one stage the noise of kids screaming and enjoying themselves was incredible (cue the exaggerated simile), like the Olympic Stadium celebrating ANOTHER Team GB gold medal. I was amazed how big the actual pool was, and deep, you can dive in without fear of a lifeguard whistle.

I went with Amy today, and we had a great time. She even treated me to a cup of tea. She even got herself some curly fries because apparently you can't go to the outdoor pool without buying curly fries…

Overall, the swimming seems to be getting slightly better. I still struggle with the breathing, but my actual technique is a lot smoother and less splashy. So although I'm a fair way off challenging Thorpedo to a race, I feel as if I'm getting somewhere. Actually looking forward to the next session….

 

Swimming #1

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ Leave a comment

We move into August, which means another monthly project: swimming.

Now I can actually swim, not particularly well, and not particularly fast, but I could survive being dropped into a lake. Therefore the purpose of this month's project is to learn to swim better, maybe with the distant idea of completing a triathlon. My initial plan was to swim 2 or 3 times a week. But I have now decided to also include a 'tour' of the local pools in an attempt to give me more to say in this blog.

So #1 took me to my local pool at Bourne Leisure Centre, swimming is £4.45 a session. It is what they call a 'leisure pool', this means it has various 'fun' stuff going on: flume, wave machine,water spouting out everywhere and 1000s of kids. This makes swimming in a straight line rather tricky, and I use the term 'swimming' quite loosely. Now I can swim a kind of breaststroke, even my backstroke takes me from one end of the pool to the other. The problem I have is trying to do the front crawl, I have trouble breathing, it really knackers me out AND my hair gets in the way!!

A couple of things that have come out of session #1: I maybe need a couple of lessons to sort out my technique and I need to get my hair cut!

 

March?

~ Phil Lengthorn ~ Leave a comment

February’s plan to learn to play the ukulele didn’t go too well. Although I can definitely play it better than I could 4 weeks ago.

I’m still not entirely sure what March’s project is going to be….

  • One idea was to borrow Amy’s posh camera and try my hand at some fancy photography.
  • Another was to learn to swim better – but after the physical efforts of janathon that may have to wait until the summer.
  • It has been suggested to do some sort of art/painting project.

A decision will be made by the end of the weekend……