Corwin M. Nixon Aquatic Center - Miami University

On the road between Indianapolis and Cincinnati, we pass through some proper Americana. The more rural route takes us through Ohio towns and miles of cornfields. It's July, so the corn is already five feet high. You can see John Deere still rules out here! I can't count how many train tracks we cross, and the sight of a crop spraying helicopter landing on the back of a truck to refill is quite something!

I've found Miami University en route, and from the pictures it looks impressive.

To clear up any confusion, Miami University in Ohio has nothing to do with Miami, Florida. The university was founded in 1809, making it one of the oldest public universities in the US. Miami University takes its name from the Miami Valley in southwest Ohio, which in turn was named after the Myaamia people, a Native American nation whose ancestral homeland covered much of present-day Ohio, Indiana and the surrounding area.

The nearby Great Miami River and Little Miami River share the same origin. Ironically, Miami University had the name first. That's why alumni joke, 'Miami was a university before Florida was a state.'

Apple Maps says we're five minutes away, yet we're still in small town America surrounded by cornfields. I'm starting to wonder whether I've got something wrong! Then a quick turn here and there takes us through the very impressive gates of a stunning university. This place is huge!

By luck, we find the pool car park straight away and follow a group of TYR-wearing guys up the steps and into the building.

Arrive in reception, which doubles as the university merchandise shop. From here, you can look down over the very impressive 50m pool and separate 25m diving pit below. They've used a darker shade of blue tile on the pool floor than you normally see, and it makes both pools look fantastic!

Unfortunately, there's a swim meet starting in 90 minutes, so the 50m pool is closed while they set up. The 25m diving pit is open and set up with lanes as the warm up pool for the meet.

Pay the $6 entry fee and head downstairs, past the very impressive climbing wall, to the huge locker room.

Out onto the pool deck, it's a huge pool hall with a full specification eight-lane 50m pool and the diving pit to one side, which is 20 feet deep. They've got the full suite of diving boards, right up to the Olympic standard 10m platform, which isn't even halfway to the pool hall ceiling!

Head over to the eight lanes in the diving pit. There's just one other swimmer. Jump into the perfectly cold, crystal clear water and make a start. In the water, the dark blue pool walls and floor, with the turquoise lane tiles, really make everything pop. It just looks awesome.

Check the watch at the first 100m. I always do this to sense check the time, and it isn't right. Immediately realise I've set it for 25 yards! Stop, reset and start again.

It's been a while since I last did just the minimum 1,000m, but the pool hall is filling up fast with swim teams. Best to get done and out quickly before the warm up pool turns into chaos!

Swim done, marvel at the scale of the place one last time and head out. Back in the car and on the way to Cincinnati.

That's an Ohio pool on the list!