No fuss, at 7.20am yesterday I made it into the slowest lane (of 6) as a Masters Swimmer with Mid-Susses Marlins Swimming Club. I felt like an outsider, like the teensger who occassionally dropped it to train with City of Newcastle and had to tag along as no.11 in a frenetic and driven club session often so out of place that i’d throw up on the side in my effort to keep up with the ludicrous pace. None of that here, I nearly volunteered myself into a mid-week remedial class. Instead I came away with 2000m completed; the pacing, spacing and emphasis on technique all thwt I could manage alternating between FC and BR:

200m warm up
12x50m FC long legs, reach, high elbow and slow with ample space between swimmers.
16x50m alternating between FC and own stroke trying to do a Michael Phelps with the head lower, the water brewking over the scalp.
200m Full Stroke (though I did it with a pull-buoy)
100m Swim Down

If there was any more to it I didn’t notice. There were odd moments to make small talk (who are you, I recognise you from somewhere. I am still known as ‘The Wellyman’ despite giving up the deck boots two years ago). I enjoyed being the pupil not the ‘teacher’. I was far better able to observe and appreciate the coach’s style as a ‘mystery shopper’. Firm, friendly, informed.