The Venue Leisure Centre

Heading out of central London and up towards Bedford, it's lunchtime and I'm ready for a swim. I'm on the north edge of London, still within the M25, and Borehamwood is only a couple of minutes' detour off the A1.

Borehamwood is famous for one thing, well probably more, but for me it's Elstree Studios, the primary filming location for the original Star Wars trilogy, which earns it the nickname 'the home of Star Wars'. They've been making movies here since 1927 and the town really does feel built around the many huge studio buildings. The studio footprint feels like half the town.

The timetable has a decent run of lane swimming right through the day. They switch from three lanes to six at 1pm, so I spend 30 minutes in the car park running through some emails, then head in. I pay the £7.75 / $10.40 entrance fee and go through to the changing rooms.

The pool hall feels huge. The pool deck is overlooked by the glass walled gym above on the upper floor, with a row of running machines looking down on the water. There's a small learner pool on one side, rows of spectator seating on the other, and a full wall to wall, floor to ceiling window at the far end that gives the whole place a bright, fresh feel.

The pool is set up with six lanes, all with proper full spec anti wave lane dividers. I know these come in maxi, midi and mini sizes, and the fact I've noticed them makes me think these might actually be the proper competition standard 150mm chunky ropes, not something you typically find in a 25m pool. Either way, they're doing a great job.

Anyway, the pool is very quiet, with only a couple of swimmers over on the far side and both fast lanes completely empty. I do love lunchtime swimming. My pace might be a bit slower, but the whole affair is much calmer.

I jump in and make a start, planning my usual 3.2km. The first 1600m goes by, then I move into some shorter sets, but I'm feeling a bit lightheaded, so much so that I have to stop for five minutes. Lunchtime plus no lunch is probably the cause. I get going again and decide I'll have to go over and above with a couple of extra 100s at the end to compensate for the extra rest. I finish up on 3.4km.

Swim done, I head back to the car for another hour up the M1 to Bedford. It's raining buckets outside, a complete change from the sunshine when I go in.