We had our first dip in the cold water a week before we were due to try it out in the sea. We joined some ducks in Hampstead Lido and managed about 20 minutes at about 14 degrees. We didn't do a lot of swimming, but quite a lot of talking about how tough we were being in such cold water.
Looking back, it wasn't much of a trial before the sea. First weekend in May we headed down to Dover with all this year's Channel swimmers for our first go in the sea. The water was a chillier 10 degrees, and wavy and salty with no ropes or sides. We had two swims of about 25 mins each and had just about enough of a break between the two for me to stop shivering (this tends to take about two hours after a dip in cold water and provides my team mates with no end of amusement).
I found the first swim pretty tough, even tougher than I thought it would be. But for some reason found the second one a lot easier and could have gone on for longer. I got into a good rhythm and before I knew it I'd reached the turn around point.
We recovered after the swim by heading to a pub, sitting in the sunshine and making a dent in their Magners stock. And we definitely deserved it too!
Check out the photos:
Check out how many clothes the man on the left is wearing!
For some reason, there weren't many other people swimming in Hampstead Lido on a cold and rainy April day.
Jen and Kerry team-up to warm-up after the swim. See the sea wall in the background? That's where we'd just swum to.
Tom unpacks a hypothermia blanket.
Well earned and warming cup of tea from my newly bought thermos.
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