In my element

When a friendly (and similarly enthusiastic) swimmer I met on the poolside at Frome Leisure Centre told me about the 50m swimming pool at Bath University, I could hardly contain my excitement.  I must confess I thought of leaving the pool we were about to get into, and make my way immediately to the campus at Quarry Road.  But I held off, to make the journey another day (the very next day, in fact).  I can quite see why the University of Bath was hailed as the University of the Year 2011/12.  It is, quite simply, incredible. 

I was blown away on arrival at the Team Bath Sports Village.  My own alma mater in the North East of England did not even have a pool.  I kid you not.  I was an undergraduate at a university without its own swimming pool.  Bath University has a truly magnificent pool.  Eight lanes each of fifty metres.  Blue heaven.

As I arrived on the poolside, it was love at first sight.  I took my time, and laid my bits and bobs (floats, fins, paddles and the mandatory underwater mp3) down, to put on my swimming cap and goggles.  I had arrived.  I did my first 3k in under an hour, pulling all the way, using only my arms.  I didn’t stop, and continued with a 1k cool down, arms and legs loving every lap.  Other swimmers came and went, but we were there for the same reason and united with a common purpose.  There was plenty enough room for us all.  I could have swum all afternoon.  But my pay and display parking ticket had an expiry.

   

This rather enjoyable afternoon swim means I have visited 4 new pools and swum 15k in the last 6 days which pleases me a great deal.  Each swim I have thought a great deal on the value of my health that I have perhaps too often taken for granted.  Today I realise how precious my health is.  Impressions of Charlotte’s graceful and brave battle against the alien rarely leaves me and every time I enter a changing room, before a swim, a spin class or BodyCombat session, I am reminded of my commitment back in January, to enjoy my health, my fitness and my body to the max. 

This week she has fought and survived round 6 of her 8 cycle chemo regimen.  Whilst my swimming is perhaps personally noteworthy, her progress fills me with profound humility and is, to my mind, deserving of boundless respect.  I like to think that the seemingly endless lengths are improving my hugs.