Hamdan Sports Complex (Training pool). Have Goggles, Will Travel Pool #116

Bonus pool at stunning sports complex.

This is the training / warm-up pool for my previous post in the competition pool!

When I first arrived at the competition pool, this second pool was closed for a club session, so I didn’t hold much hope of getting a second bonus pool on the list tonight! However, my 2km swim in the competition pool took so long (lengthy rest gaps watching live football on the huge jumbo tron TV) that by the time I got out, the lifeguard told me the training pool was now open! Make my way past the diving pit and through the doors to another huge room with another 50m pool!

Currently set up as two 25m, 8 lane pools with a floating boom, the nearest pool is entirely empty. I spot a hot tub at the bottom of the stairs to the diving boards, so take a quick dip to warm up. I sit there for a few minutes wondering, ‘Why do divers need a hot tub?’.

Pick a lane and am about to jump in when a lifeguard spots me, runs over and tells me the pool is closed! After a quick negotiation, I somehow convinced him to give me 15 minutes to complete a 1km swim - He suggested 10 minutes, I got him up to 15!

Complete the required 1000 meters in one go - I’m definitely feeling it after driving down to Heathrow for an overnight flight, landing in Dubai at 6:30 this morning, attending a tradeshow and doing a 2km swim in the adjacent 50m competition pool - but I don’t want to stop in case I’m asked to leave!

Anyway, swim done. What a brilliant place this is!

Final thought, the changing rooms have a simple yet genius four-digit-barrel lock on the lockers, no need for padlocks or coins; why doesn’t every pool have these?