Man what a week! It’s been hot. Real hot, which was all the encouragement I needed to make me want to get into the lake and swim, but mainly to just cool down. Monday night it was hot and sticky and I was looking forward to driving to the lake and having a lovely cool swim. Unfortunately it seemed that half the population had the same idea.
I was determined to get there early and swim at least five laps(5k), also parking can be an issue on Monday evenings as it gets very busy, and with this weather the way it is, it was sure to be packed.
So off I set and just one and a half miles into my 30 odd mile journey to the lake the traffic came to a haunt. After ten minutes I was still sitting in the car having not moved an inch. I was in the middle of a duel carriageway, so couldn’t turn around or move anywhere. So I stayed there……. for a hour and twenty minutes! So my idea of getting to the lake early was out the window.
Arriving at the lake it was fairly obvious I was not going to find anywhere to park. It was rammed, with cars park all along grass verges and every inch being occupied. Thankfully I drive a 4×4 and so was able to just drive off the side of the road into six foot high grass, that other cars wouldn’t even dare try. It was then that I realised that I had forgotten to bring my glasses. I had my prescription sunglasses that I was wearing, but when it began to get dark for the drive home, I was going to need my normal glasses. Bugger, that means I would have to leave early to make it home before dark! Thankfully sunset was not until about 21:30 so I had till about 21:45 before I would need my glasses. What was really annoying was that this meant my plan of swimming 5k was out the window.
I got changed among with the hundreds of people as quickly as I could and jumped straight in the lake.
In all the time I have been swimming in the lake I have never felt as though it was crowded. After all, it’s a massive lake and unlike in a swimming pool, everyone can spread out and easily find space to swim unimpinged. However, today it was crowded. It felt like every f**ker in the world was there just to get in my way. As well as the millions of people plodding along in wetsuits (why they were wearing wetsuits in this weather is beyond me), there were several large groups of kids just floating together at various points and just getting in the way of everyone else. Normally, I can just get my head down and swim, only needing to look up and see where I’m going about every 50 to 100 metres, but this was certainly not the case on this occasion. I was having to constantly lift my head to see what was in front of me. And partly this, and the fact that I was on edge because of the journey to the lake and everything else, I just couldn’t get into a good rhythm.
After the first 2k, I was getting really frustrated and about ready to get out. All the time in the back of my mind I was working out what time I would have to leave to get home before dark. How long would it take me to get dry and dressed, etc. and if I ran into traffic on the way home I would end up having to using my Jedi mind powers to drive blind.
All in all, this meant I was not in a good frame of mind to swim. Everything just felt forced and hard work. At the end of the 3rd lap(3k), I called it quits and got out.
I dried myself and got dressed as quickly as I could and checked the traffic on the route home. All clear! At least that’s something. So I ordered a burger at the clubhouse as I had a 15 minute window before I needed to leave. I then promptly dripped tomato ketchup right down the front of my new white top! Today was not a good day.
I cleaned my shirt as well as I could, scoffed down the burger and jumped in the car. I made it home literally a couple of minutes before it got too dark for sunglasses.
Some days, your best laid plans just don’t work. The universe conspires to frustrate and annoy the absolute shit out of you. And annoying as this can be,you just have to shrug it off and trust that the next adventure will be better.
Thankfully my following lake swim on Thursday went as planned and my glasses are now firmly added to my mental check list of swimming kit.