Excuses, excuses...

Curse this cold weather! This morning was, again, so icy that our car resembled an iceburg looming out of the mist. I took three steps outside before almost sliding off the pavement and into the road and hopping back inside to rethink my training plans for today. I ended up going for a swim instead of running which means I haven't done a proper run for a whole week. I like to think that swimming is a good substitute, but I know it's hardly the same as putting in the miles on your feet. The pool is certainly a lot more inviting in this weather than the hard ground and frosty parks though, and swimming is better than doing nothing.

I love swimming, and would do it much more if it didn't leave me with huge deep rings around my eyes afterwards. I know this sounds like a ridiculous excuse, but it is quite a serious problem! I have tried many different styles of goggle, and even masks or half-face jobbies, but every design leaves me with purple lines on my face that last for a couple of hours. This means I can't really swim before work or any event where I might meet other people, and definitely not before a night out. The other problem I used to have with swimming is that I get a severe case of lane-rage when there are other swimmers blocking the fast lane. Really the pool is just not a good place for my neurotic tendencies.

I said I 'used' to have this problem, and I think living here in North Devon may have helped combat this condition, as we have a great leisure centre here with a huge pool and a very well-behaved population of swimmers. It is a joy to see people obeying the lane signs! Of course, it probably helps that the pool is big enough to always have several lanes on the go, and it's never been that busy when I've been so there is no real need for people to crowd the lanes. In fact, I would go so far as to say the leisure centre here is one of my favourite things about living here (controversial!). It's not a very attractive building, but compared to my former gyms in London, it's clean, quiet, well-equipped, spacious, and it's star attraction is the pool. Now, if I can just solve the eye-ring problem, I might make use of it more!