I went swimming yesterday, for the first time in a long, long time. It seems as if I go swimming once every two to three years ago, which obviously says a lot about my fitness level, swimming-wise or any other wise, come to think of it.

Anyway, there I was swimming in the centre lane of an Olympic-sized pool, doing the freestyle, which is the best of all the strokes I know, and halfway through the first length, I realise that my arms are really tired, I'm not getting enough oxygen, and damn it, I don't think I can get across to the end.

Yes, the very first length I swam.

I stopped three times, each time treading water, and just thinking, I can't tread water forever, it's just going to make me even more tired. I felt myself starting to panic and frantically thought through options, trying my best to keep from resorting to the embarrassing option of sinking to the bottom of the pool and having a lifeguard rescue me. I was just about past the 75% mark to utter and complete panic before I remembered, "hey, I can do the backstroke too!" and did just that to the other side.

After that, I mosey'd off to the side lanes and continued swimming, once I'd got my breath back, and recovered from the fear I felt at being stuck in the middle of the pool with almost no energy left. I even managed to feel a little pride at how I managed not to panic. I swam a further seven lengths after that, but man, did I feel out of shape. I can't ever imagine trying for an Ironman.