Now there's something you don't do every day!

Bit of an unusual day today, as for some unfathomable reason I was called upon at the invitation of a red Judge (that's a High Court Judge for the non lawyers amongst you) to give a speech of welcome at a swearing in ceremony for a new District Judge on behalf of the Local Law Society. (God when and how did I become so establishment!)

Swearing in ceremony? "easy peasy", my work colleagues will undoubtedly testify that I'm an accomplished master in expressing the most basic and base anglo saxon.

About 9 o clock last night I suddenly panicked about the enormity of this and spent about 4 hours crafting a few coherent and hopefully appropriate sentences, which including looking the Judge up in Debretts and working out how I should address him. My Lord!

Just as well I did because it was a frightfully formal but strangely uplifting experience as Newcastle's newest recruit to the bench swore to uphold the law without fear or favour or ill will to man. Wonderful sentiments; but I have to say it was one of the most intimidating experiences of my life as I stood up to address a room full of judges.

Well I survived this ordeal more or less intact and was rewarded by Bob volunteering to babysit teenage triathlete so I could go swimming. Now it's been about 3 months since I inflicted myself on my team mates at Gateshead and I rocked up this evening to discover the squad had been ravaged by holidays. Quiet Claire and myself sneaked into the guys lane as none of them had turned up.

There was a brief opportunity to catch up on the new babies in the squad, Awesome Emma's daughter and Marie Helene's son and then it was down to business. As you can see in the absence of Fairy Snow Baby, Matt the Cash and Proudy it fell to me to set the session and it has all the hallmarks of a Binge Special.

Synchro dad turned up during the first kick set and then proceeded to hurl abuse at me for the rest of the session, god I've missed these guys!

Warm Up 800 change stroke each 25
8 x 25 kick @ 50 secs
400 pull with paddles @ 7 mins
2 x 200 pull with paddles @ 3:30
4 x 100 pull with paddles @ 1:50
8 x 25 kick @ 55 secs
4 x 100 IM @ 2:15
2 x 200 IM @ 4:30
400 IM
8 x 25 sprint 7 metres strong for remainder of length
200 swim down
4000 metres total