Harvey Hadden Sports Centre

I didn't plan this swim today, but I was wide awake at 5am and fancied a new pool. A week has gone by since my last new pool (and swim!), the left shoulder is still grumbling, and I'd had my eye on a 50m pool about 50 minutes up the M1 in Nottingham.

I wanted the full 50m format, which is only in a few sessions each week. Friday mornings start at 6:30am, but the only slot with space was 7:45am — the last one left. Fine by me: time for breakfast, clear the inbox, then head north east to Nottingham.

Somewhere near Tamworth the sunrise looked spectacular across the countryside. I tried to grab a photo but the best of it had already passed, and the camera didn't quite catch how good it was.

Caffeine tally before arriving: a tea, a coffee and half a litre of water with a Phizz — so no surprise I had to stop at the services about 10 minutes from the pool. Still plenty of time before the 7:45am session. Sessions are 45 minutes and I was on the last 50m one before they switch it to dual 25m, so I hoped to sneak in early and go for a 3.2km. Given I'd grabbed the final space of the fourty available I suspect they are strict on timings.

I arrived, parked under the hot country‑style shade canopies, and headed in. I'd already paid the £6.70 entry, then straight to the changing village. Strict start times here: a queue on poolside waiting for the OK. The fee isn't terrible, but it's on the high side for a 45‑minute swim!

Made use of the five minutes with some stretching to coax the shoulder into life — already clicking.

Eight lanes total, with a club training session using half the pool and four public lanes on the near side. The pool looks impressive: a proper 50m competition tank with a moving bulkhead, a flat 2m depth, and (as far as I could tell) no moving floor. It's eight lanes, so not quite Olympic standard, but it looks the part.

Lanes were by pace and the session was full. The fast lane had seven or eight swimmers, all doing a decent clip — and all but one happy to let you through at the turn.

I plodded through a 1600m (1‑mile) opener, then mixed in some 200s, a 400 and a few 100s. I've mentioned it before: some pools just feel fast. Even well off usual pace right now, this one had that quick feel.

After the first 1600m the shoulder wasn't great, so I dialled it back and focused on technique. I usually breathe every other stroke to the right, which I think is part of the problem, so I switched to every four and some bilateral. Tweaked head and neck position, stroke rate, the lot — not sure it helped, but it was a useful reset.

I finished right on the 45‑minute whistle with 2.5km total at 1:36 pace.

Nottingham is the home of Speedo, so it felt fitting to grab a photo in my full Arena kit. There's a walk‑of‑fame display on the way to the changing rooms, including a couple of signed Rebecca Adlington suits. She's from Mansfield, the next town north — and there's a leisure centre named after her — so I'll have to head up there soon and get it on the list.

Swim done, another UK 50m pool in the bag. Escaped the car park traffic, then found a coffee shop for the morning Teams call.