X-Training: Second Beach Pool

On Monday, August 31st I took my last swim of the summer at the outdoor Second Beach Pool. Swimming at Second Beach was one of the hightlights of my summer this year.  After living in Vancouver for over 10 years I had never swum there until I was required to add cross-training to my marathon training plan - thanks to my TEAM POINT TWO marathon advisor John Ellis. It was so great to ride my bike on the seawall along the shores of Vancouver to Stanley Park, where the Second Beach Pool sits on the edge of the park, right along the Pacific Ocean.

As you can see, the pool temperature is kept at a compfortable 20C / 80F.

Here's a shot looking at the swimming lanes from the pool deck.

This was an unusually hot summer in Vancouver, with 2 days in a row setting all time temperature records.  That put the wildfire risk to EXTREME.

Here's another shot of the swimming lanes.  The pool is HUGE and there are fast, medium, and slow swimming lanes roped off.  The lanes are 50m in length.

Sunset on the pool and the seawall and ocean beyond.  There are a couple of slides for kids, one of which you can see on the far end of the pool.  Note the runners in the foreground.

 

Here's a shot on the waterfront side of the pool.  This is the Stanley Park seawall, which I frequently use as a running route.  The fence on the right surounds the pool.  There are a few freighters in the background, which are common in the English Bay area.

I'm sad to see this part of the summer go, but I do prefer to run in cooler temperatures and luckily there are plenty of indoor pools I can use.