Eastern Leisure Centre

Quick trip over the Severn Estuary via the Prince of Wales bridge this evening from Clevedon to Cardiff for a quick swim. I was hoping to add a pool in Southampton yesterday after dropping the youngest off for his second year at uni, but a Sunday afternoon pub roast won out after hours sat outside shops with the mutt (dog, not kid!).

Heading to Cardiff this evening and plan A was Cardiff Met University, but the timetable didn't line up with work, so that one will have to wait. Found a quick backup pool on the way into the city centre. This is definitely a numbers pool swim!

The timetable showed lane swimming up to 9pm. I arrived just after 8pm, parked up, dodged kids whacking a football against the wall by reception and survived the shock of a £9 drop-in swim. The girl on reception said it's Better (management company) pricing; I said it could definitly be Better! £9 makes central London look a bargain.

Poolside: five lanes, five swimmers. I jumped in the fast lane with a guy doing 100s, gave him a bit of a lead and pushed off. Water clarity was fine, but it was a surprise to see him coming straight back at me on my side of the lane. He later apologised — he thought I was someone else?

First outing for the new Yeti dry bag. Time to retire the old American Airlines wash bag. And yes, I'm a Yeti cooler, mug, everything fanboy.

Shoulder update: it's been painful all day, so I was surprised that once I got moving it felt better. I ran through a steady 1km, then some 100s to finish at 2.2km. Last one in the pool, so time to get out.

Heading into the city centre to the Hilton Cardiff (pretty sure it's got a 20m spa pool). I last stayed there more than ten years ago. Didn't swim, but I do remember arriving very late and being given the presidential suite — great, except I had an early start and saw it awake for about ten minutes.