Temperature Change

My pool (it's not really my pool but I think of it that way) is notoriously warm.

"Oh, you swim at Westpark? It's SO hot there. The old ladies like it but I hate it."

It is pretty warm but I'll put up with the warmth for the convenience and the quiet mornings.

Then the boiler blew up (poor thing was probably exhausted from keeping the pool at near boiling temps) and, when we were allowed back in two weeks later, the water was a few degrees cooler. It had gone from ugh hot to comfortable.

The comfortable temperatures went on for weeks. Every morning I would slip into the water with a sigh of contentment. It was lovely.

On Wednesday morning, the lifeguards weren't quite ready for us when we came out of the change room. We aren't allowed into the pool until they are in their chairs so the routine is to sit on the side of the pool and dangle our legs into the water. Since they weren't ready, I plopped down on the deck and dropped my legs in.

"Holy bananas! It's FREEZING!!'

The lady next to me looked pretty horrified. The guy on the other side of me looked downright scared.

When the lifeguards told us we could go in we all hesitated for a few moments before doing so. I tell ya, lowering my entire body into a freezing cold pool was harder than it should have been. It was even more uncomfortable when I found myself standing in front of a jet that was sending out even colder water.

'Is the boiler broken?' asked the guy beside me through chattering teeth.

'No, it's fine' replied the lifeguard a little too perkily. 'The new pool will be open at some point soon and it's going to be a lot cooler than this one so we've lowered the temperature so you can get used to it.'

Ummmm ok? Bizarre logic if you ask me. We'll get used to it when we get there - might as well let us have a few more weeks of comfort. The 6am cynic in me figured it was just cheaper to turn off the boiler and the whole 'getting you used to the new pool temps' was a convenient excuse to save money.

We stood shivering for a few seconds and then the lady beside me announced 'it's actually not that bad. Kinda like swimming in the lake when you're camping. It takes a minute to adjust and then it just feels wonderful'.

And that, folks, was all it took. I love camping. I love swimming in lakes. I had gotten so used to the comfortable pool temps that I had forgotten what it felt like to be invigorated by the cold water. I pulled on my goggles, pushed off and had a fabulous 2k swim.

I'm still pretty sure the old ladies at aquafit are going to hate it but it did feel pretty damn nice...

...once I got used to it.