The Season is open

For me I can tell that triathlon season is near just by the smell of the sea air! For the last 4 weeks now a few bold souls have be braving the initial chill of the sea off Durley Chine in Bournemouth. Every year for at least the last 5 or 6 we have swum twice a week from the end of April into mid October.

We have developed an almost clockwork pattern of arriving at around 6:50am on Wednesdays and Fridays, and like most humans we maintain our habitual patterns of behaviour. When we arrive we start to get into our wetsuit and the banter starts. ' Its going to be really cold in there today!', 'Do you think its going to be as cold as last week' and so it goes on, the musing of what the water temperature will be like, as if by some miracle its going to reach a balmy 24c, (it's 11c).

With wetsuits and silly neoprene gimp hats doned we make our way slowly down to the sea, adjusting goggles and hats as we go. On first entering the water the only thing I notice is that I can no longer feel my feet, no change there same every time and then it all starts up again 'Agghh! This water is so cold', 'Its just going down my back now...aagghh!', 'Its even colder than it was last week!'

We are in, I am anticipating the first few strokes as they are always the most challenging of the swim. Trying to swim with a burning sensation as the water bites my face and takes my breath away. I 'm away and a few strokes later the 'ice cream' headache starts, by the first groyne its abated and we are all back together gathering ourselves after the initial body shock.

After the second groyne the stroke is finding a rhythm. Its starting to feel like swimming..hoorah and whilst its not exactly a bath, the appreciation of what I am doing begins to dawn.

Another groyne gone and I am back in the groove, cold.. what cold this is fantastic!

Walking out of the sea and onto the beach and the conversation weaves its well trodden path ' It wasn't that cold', 'Its great after you get in..isn't it?' 'Its definitely warming up now!'

We are funny creatures of habit. I treasure the moments I have on everyone of those swims, I look left to Hengistbury head and the Isle of Wight, I look right to Old Harry and the Purbecks and am surrounded by a merry band of idiots just like me talking the inevitable gibberish. It just does not get better than this :-)
Enjoy it Comrades, every second counts!
Rob