Pool training, London style!

[naiad]

Everyone's entitled to a good moan occasionally, so here goes...

On Monday I went to the pool for my usual training session. When I entered the changing room, the first thing I noticed was the cold. Not just the normal 'a bit cold', this was different. Outside, there was ice on the roads, and in the pool building, there was no central heating. None at all. I could see my breath.

"Well," I thought to myself, "at least there's a nice hot shower". No such luck. The shower was lukewarm. I got my suit on as quickly as possible and got into the pool, which, although cold, seemed warm by comparison. I managed a shivering 3:00 static and some dynamics, then everyone else left early, so I got out too.

By now, the shower wasn't even lukewarm, it was just plain cold. I took a deep breath and stood in it just long enough to rinse the chlorine off my hair, then got changed and walked to the bus stop, now with cold wet hair.

If that hasn't put me off, then nothing will!

Lucia

 

[efattah]

Sounds like you rarely if ever go diving outside in -2C air and 6C water with snow on the ground... because the conditions you describe sure beat cold water diving outside!!

 

[naiad]

You guessed right, I never go diving outside in such conditions - I'd probably last about 1 minute, and that's before even holding my breath!

I do get acclimatised to the cold if I am exposed to it every day, but that can only happen if I have an outdoor job. Sudden changes of temperature are what cause the problem. My body just doesn't generate enough heat on time. The only good thing is that when I get out of the pool I soon feel nice and warm, even if there is snow outside. That's when a cold pool is better than a warm one.

And there are fun challenges, like getting my stuff out of the locker. Putting a key in a lock might seem like a simple task, but when my body temperature is about 3 degrees below normal, it becomes a daunting challenge, and good entertainment for everyone else.

 

[bdurrett]

And there are fun challenges, like getting my stuff out of the locker. Putting a key in a lock might seem like a simple task, but when my body temperature is about 3 degrees below normal, it becomes a daunting challenge, and good entertainment for everyone else.

Everyone around is thinking you are doin' a modified samba when you are really just shivering from cold... How nice!

 

[naiad]

Sometimes that does happen... I used to do statics without a suit in a cold pool, and there's nobody else who shivers quite like me. The huge spasms of uncontrollable shaking and the spectacular blue colour and frantic expression do nothing to convince my buddy that I'm OK.

 

[Amphibious]

-2C Eric?

you lower mainland folks have it to good

 

[jimdoe2you]

Lucia, I have just the thing, "MOVE TO FLORIDA!"

If you want, I can lend you my 2mm wetsuit to stay warm. rofl

In all seriousness though, I will sometimes bring a few liters of hot water with me to prime my wetsuit before getting into any cool water. You can even pour some down the neck of the wetsuit while you're at the edge of the pool when you get cold. I was told by someone that it wouldn't help because it opens up your pores, thus allowing you to get cold faster, but that has not been my personal experience. It has always been a benefit to me.

 

[Amphibious]

I think Yoiu should Come to Canada and find a big hairy lumberjack to keep you warm Pre/post dives

Lots of them around

 

[samdive]

god that reminds me of how much I hated traipsing across London on buses/tubes to go to dirty pools...

now I train in quite a smart pool in Bristol that has hot showers... and afterwards I get into my OWN car with hot air blowing all the way back

oh yeah and I have a 5ml elios suit and wear that in the pool...

cold is (almost) a thing of the past...

then again I still dive in Chepstow all year round so not quite!

 

[Erik]

.....legitimate moaning and whingeing......
Lucia

It sounds like that pool hasn't been upgraded since it was a 'bath' and your city was called 'Londinium' !
My sympathies,
Erik Y.

 

[jimdoe2you]

Well, at least Sam's kind post makes Lucia feel better. :ko

 

[samdive]

yep - sorry Lucia (but I DO DO Chepstow and I did a good 2 year stint in London!)

 

[Alexx]

Everyone around is thinking you are doin' a modified samba when you are really just shivering from cold... How nice!

That happened to me at Submania Cup, Croatia last saturday :duh :duh :duh

Did 3:30 rofl rofl

 

[naiad]

god that reminds me of how much I hated traipsing across London on buses/tubes to go to dirty pools...

now I train in quite a smart pool in Bristol that has hot showers... and afterwards I get into my OWN car with hot air blowing all the way back

oh yeah and I have a 5ml elios suit and wear that in the pool...

The bus/tube thing is twice a week for me! :waterwork

I do wear a 5mm elios in the pool though...

It sounds like that pool hasn't been upgraded since it was a 'bath' and your city was called 'Londinium' !

That's the problem! At least the Romans knew about central heating. It must have broken down over the years, and it proved impossible to find the spare parts. Maybe a historian could reconstruct them...

 

[jimdoe2you]

I stand by my first post.

 

[naiad]

It couldn't have done me too much harm - the next day I did a dry static PB!

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

 

[DeepThought]

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger...

Or handicapped? After reading this chilly thread I think I'll never move to a cold climate country...

 

[iceselkie]

This reminds me of my pool.

Someone's gotta invent waterproof tiger balm.