# Watching the Swimming World Championships this evening (available through the miracle of cable telly), Daniel was wowed by the enormous size of the medals being handed out.
"I want one of those" he declared, before calculating how much faster he would have to swim to match Ryan Lochte's new 200m individual medley world record.
"You'll have to train really hard, and get into City of Birmingham," I told him, "then carry on training really hard, get on the national programme, train really hard, win the nationals, train really hard, win the europeans, then you'll be in with a shout. And you'll have to train really hard."
He didn't think I was joking. He said "OK."
The last time a 200m IM record was set in Rome it stood for nearly 9 years before finally falling to Micheal Phelps. Not sure Lochte's record will stand for anywhere near that. Next year, when the new swimsuit regulations come in and outlaw the polyuethane fastskins, I fully expect Phelps to take the record back. I'd say sooner, as it's not as if he's off his stroke or anything, setting a new 200m butterfly record yesterday. However, Phelps has said he will not swim again until then.
If you haven't been keeping up with the FINA swimsuit hoo-har (and if not, then I can't really blame you), the reason the fastskins make you quicker is not just because they have very low drag, but because they're water impermeable. Consequently, you have more buoyancy and you can go even faster. Once the skins are out, the records will settle briefly but I don't expect it to take long before they start to fall again. There's still more to be had from improved technique. And I fully expect we'll be spending a fair chunk of the next few years getting up at daft o'clock to take Daniel to the pool as he tries to master his.
smellygit said I've just been to the pool for half an hour. I think I need to do that amount of training just to move up from the medium lane...
[added 31st Jul 2009] Half an hour. That's just a warm up. What did you do next? ... [added 31st Jul 2009]
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#Yes, he really said it
After being passed within touching distance by a people carrier which then immediately has to stop at a pedestrian crossing, the cyclist draws level with the open passenger side window ...
Cyclist: How much of the road do you want?
Driver: Sorry mate, I didn't see you.
Cyclist: I was right there in front of you!
Driver: Sorry, I didn't see you at all.
Cyclist: If you didn't see me, then ... gah! (Gesticulates at road - parked cars, pedestrians, traffic lights)
Driver: I must have been daydreaming or something. Sorry.
Cyclist: Daydreaming really isn't something you should be doing at the moment ...
Driver: Sorry.
Cyclist: OK.
Driver: Sorry.
Lights have changed. Cyclist dismounts and gets on pavement. Driver continues, managing to safely stop in the queue at the next lights.
I read about that case a few weeks ago - sounds like a pretty poorly investigated incident.
The reason I wrote about my little brush was because it was the first time anyone had ever said those immortal (immoral? amoral?) words to me. Every other time I've had a "lively discussion" with a driver it's somehow been my fault that they had to squeeze past - wobbling around, too far over, you should cycle in the gutter, too slow, what did I expect, too fast, being silly, and so on.
I've not yet had anyone tell me I should wear a helmet or use the cycle path when there isn't one, but I'm sure that'll happen in due course.
[added 12th Jul 2009]
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# Just tried to invade Russia by myself. The Russian counter-attacked strongly and more or less destroyed me.
For my next trick, I shall perhaps attempt the easier feat of reprogramming the Kobayashi Maru.
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