June’s meeting was our usual relaxed affair, wimmin ploshing about joyfully, dodging and weaving occasionally to avoid the diagonal swimmers, the backstrokers, those swimmers that if they were boulders would be called erratics. I think I may be one of those erratics…
Meanwhile at Ripon Racecourse, where there is a lake as well as a route for horses to bound around, Ruth and I swam at the Ripon Triathlon Festival, neglecting to bike and run, we confined ourselves to the swim. A highly intelligent response to overwhelming and sweaty heat, don’t you think? Astonishingly, the water temperature was 25C, in July, in England! This is the average temperature of the Eastern Med in September.
We had a great swim – possibly only surpassed by the previous day’s swim in Ullswater. Now, Ruth is a fully paid-up member of the Open Water Swimming Fan Club. Once you are hooked, it’s got you.
If you want to join the Club, or if you are already a member, you may be interested in a trip to a (heated) Lido in September. Let me know. Our next regular swim at Teesdale Leisure Centre is on Saturday, August 26th at 4pm. If you want to join us please contact Sue Overton sueoverton@hotmail.com
Report by Annie Clouston