Each week I wonder what on earth I might write on here and after over 70 blogs you’d think things might just flow. But this week I’m repeating myself…

I’ve talked about this before but it’s worth repeating – swimming with a friend is the best! Karen hasn’t been able to swim with me this week and this has meant solo swimming. I started daily sea swimming a few years ago and for the first year I swam alone. I’d often see the same people each day walking their dogs, or meet regular swimmers (often with a LOT more kit than me!) who would chat for a moment and then plough off up the coast against the tide. It was good to swim, and it was good to feel committed to swimming but… having to find the individual drive each day was tough to be honest.

And then Karen and I started our ‘dare’ to swim together every day. Originally to the Christmas and then on to a full year… and here we are two years later still swimming, dipping, laughing, nattering… So to have time without my mad swim buddy for a few days has felt very strange. I’ve coerced my husband into standing in the wind and rain this week to keep me company, and he’s even managed to take some photos… but it’s not the same as the routine of swimming with the same person day in, day out.

Maybe it’s the pre swim chatting that is missing, whereby we seem to end up chatting for longer than we eventually swim for! I have no idea how we find enough to talk about each day but we do. There are the unsaid mannerisms that mean we are ready to get in the water, nothing necessarily said just a lift of the head and we’re off down the beach. And then there’s the shared exclaiming as we enter the water – a bond that perhaps all friendships should try?

On getting out of the water, especially when it’s cold, there are squeals, ‘brrrrr’s’ and exclamations of disbelief that we are STILL doing this. Finally there is the walk back to our cars, chatting and laughing, the last minute ‘next day plan’ and then we’re off back into the real world. Women swimmer thoughts, orange hats, wet towels, all packed away for another day.

For so many reasons, I do prefer swimming with my friend!