Cold Water Acclimitazation...Mediterranean Style

Every open water season has to begin with a plunge into somewhat cold water.  For me, most of the time that plunge is in Boston Harbor or Walden Pond. This year I fortunate enough that this virgin swim was the Mediterranean Sea in Barcelona!

Shannon and I were in Barcelona for a clients incentive trip for the week. Knowing that there would be some free time I packed my speedo, cap, goggles and orange floatie buoy. 

We checked into Hotel Arts right along the beach and went for some sightseeing and a lunch of tapas and sangria. After brief siesta I decided it was time to take the plunge! 

It was sunny and around 63 degrees outside, the water was a pale blue...and a wee bit chilly. I stripped off my clothes slowly and stuffed them along with my shoes into my floatie that also serves as a dry bag. I blew the floatie up strapped it around my waist and slowly made my way the waters edge. I'm sure during the summer the sea temp is quite refreshing but today it was very, very refreshing 58 degrees. My stroke count suggested that I swam just over 800m and was in the water for about 20 minutes. It was a tad tough getting in but once I got going I felt great.

Over the course of our stay I got in four sessions and was in cool water for a total of 2.5+ hours.  I saw a few other swimmers out there but all of them were wearing wetsuits.  This week was a big mental boost to get my cool water confidence back under my speedo.

One of the highlights of these open water swims were the looks I would get from people as I would walk to the waters edge take off my clothes, stuff them in my floatie and swim away and then swim back put my clothes back on and saunter back down the beach.

The open water season has begun-at least in Barcelona. 

#89 & #90 Piscinas Con Vista...

Pools with a view

Wow-what a productive day for hitting two new pools with great views. I had no idea!

The first stop was Club Natacio Atletic de Barceloneta It was short walk down Barceloneta Platja from Hotel Arts. I researched this municipal fitness and aquatic facility before I left home. Little did I know I would spy it the first day on a cable car high above the city. 

It was 13€ drop in fee for the entire day. I could have stayed all day(really)-I didn't!

The complex has four pools. Two lap pools and a wading pool outdoors along with a indoor pool. There is a fitness center with an outdoor free weight area and at least four paddle tennis courts.  I changed and made my way to the outdoor pools. The upper pool was a bit crowded so I made my way to the lower pool where I had a lane to myself. I swam for 3000m at a moderate  pace. Fortunately, there was no pace clock to hold me accountable to swimming fast. When I got out of the water and walked upstairs towards the locker room is when I fully appreciated the pool, the weather and beautiful setting along the beach. I walked into the locker room and realized my work wasn't done. So I turned around and went back to the pool deck. I needed to swim in all three lap pools! It was a short 100m swim in the  upper pool and then I squeezed into a lane with some people for another 100m in the indoor pool. Mission accomplished!

Club Natacio Atletic de Barceloneta now falls in place with my all time favorite pools; the Coral Casino in Santa Barbara, California and Heybeliada Sports Club in the Princes' Islands off the coast of Turkey. All three complexes  have outdoor pools, spacious sunbathing decks and athletic facilities all with easy access to the beach if you want to go between the salt water and chlorinated pool water. 

I will definitely come back there in the future.

It was a quick change in the locker room as I was to meet Shannon in front of the Palu de Mar. We were off for a visit to the Picasso Museum, shopping in the Born district and then lunch with tapas and cava sangria. 

Sightseeing, shopping and lunch was exhausting so it was siesta time back at Hotel Arts. To refresh myself post siesta it was time for another swim. The resort style pool had been closed all week for repairs but was re-opening at 6:00pm.  I donned my board shorts as I don't wear a speedo with the possibility of seeing clients and made my way to the pool.

The pool sits at the base of world-renowned architect Frank Gehry's huge iconic "Fish" sculpture. The pool water was quite cool maybe colder than the ocean as it was just filled up that day and wasn't heated. Slowly I eased into the water and swam a length. By my stroke count is was at least 25m long so it was a relaxed 1000m swim. It was a bit of a rush to change and get ready for dinner but certainly worth it. 

Great day in Barcelona! Looking forward to finding more pools with views!