Finally, after 2 cafe stops for coffee and scones (it's not even a two hour drive, but frightened of not eating enough carbs), Shark and I arrive at Windermere. The car suspension has survived the journey, and I'm talking about our over zealous packing, not because I've spent the last 8 days overeating, but passing it off, rather successfully I thought, as carb loading!
We head straight down to the lakes edge to see where we would be finishing and to dip a toe in. As we approached the waters edge we were confronted by some very territorial ducks that were diligently parading up and down where we were. Their beaks looked sharp, and I suspect they weren't afraid to use them in a bid to protect their lake. As I couldn't be sure whether it was food they were after or my feet and not wanting to get a toe injury this late in the proceedings decided to retreated instead to the pub (only for soft drinks- my body being a temple and all that!). We met up with Leon and Al from Swimyourswim to discuss the details for the following day. This was the point I broached the subject of available room on the boat, to which I was pretty much told that it wasn't the QE2 and that silver or waiter service would not be provided during the swim.
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| Checking out the venue |
After our standard pre-swim meal of fish and chips, we head back to the hotel for an early night, but unfortunately despite the comfiest of beds it just didn't happen, so I began to read, only to be distracted by worrying questions going round my head. Not sensible ones like did I pack a spare towel? Or have I added the right labels to each feed? No, it was stuff like will my sandwich taste any good if I drop it in the water? (No, it was shocking, but ate it anyway) Would it be worth putting sun lotion on my hands? (even though I didn't because it was overcast, I should have- I really should. I now have awful tan lines on my wrists!) It must have been bad as usually it's impossible to distract me from a Roy Grace novel once I get reading, but as it stood I couldn't sleep and nor could I read.
The following day, the day of the swim, and I couldn't have been more excited. Breakfasted, we were collected and driven to the other side of the lake where we met up with Al and Leon at the boat. Although Al had given us the limits on size of bags, what he hadn't mentioned was weight, and so taking full advantage of this had tightly packed everything I needed (and more, and was prepared to tell them that the I 💜New York keyring and the peg (long story) I took were actually my lucky mascots and essential to my mental well being for the swim). As we handed over our bags, we also handed over some envelopes. We had provided them with some activities to do whilst they were on the boat. Things like colouring, Mastermind quizzes, Mr&Mrs, reading sonnets (in the style of a sergeant major) and Beatrix Potter stories (with a mouthful of marshmallows) and yoga - that kind of thing. We told them it was to keep their minds and bodies active over the course of the day, however the reality was actually an attempt to stop them being mischievous. You see, they provide a live link (available to watch on the Swimyourswim Facebook page) which mostly charts our progress, and reminds viewers of the Virgin Giving pages for any donations to the charities, but as well as this they use it to keep themselves, and viewers amused (please watch them, they are hilarious- especially the one with Keri-anne Payne (who actually watched it and commented, and then congratulated me on my swim), and Al reading Peter Rabbit with a mouthful of marshmallows). Swimyourswim
From the slipway I did my warm up and then we set off. In my eagerness to get started I forgot to ask the temperature, and I also forgot to put my goggles on! My second attempt at starting was thankfully more successful, and despite being given clear direction from the boat about which direction to take, began swimming towards the wrong buoy. With an eye roll from the boat the more simple instruction was "see those huge hills over there? Head for them!" You couldn't wish for a better, or bigger thing to use for sighting!
The water was a millpond, and the temperature okay, I soon found my rhythm and a steady pace; I was worried about setting off too fast, after all I'd not swam this distance before, and after what felt like no time at all it was time for the first feed. We had planned on every hour and although the conditions were near perfect, it's usual for me to have really cold hands and feet for the first hour or so, and today was no exception, added to this there were some really cold spots in the lake. To help with this I had packed some hot (too hot) orange squash. I asked Al for some of my (Harrogate) water, packed specially to cool it down a bit to which I was told we didn't have time and to stop faffing about and dip my cup in the lake!
An enormous, solitary and curious swan that was in no hurry to move guarded the next stretch. We had a whole lake between us, but were both determined to want to be in the exact spot. We were on the brink of a stand off with a swan, when I realised that I was actually in no position to win. We were eye level with it and very much at a disadvantage. I swear it was sizing me up, and had pretty much come up with an exit strategy when thankfully it flew off further down the lake. Thank goodness. I'm not entirely sure whether me leaping on a small boat, with two people on it and a load of heavy (and quite large) bags would have actually survived the impact and I can say with certainty wouldn't have ended well! Continuing the swim I had been using the "huge hills" to sight, however decided at this point to stop using the landscape in front of me, it just never got any nearer, and instead began using the boat to my left and any buoys to the right, to which I found quite successful although of the whole lake stretching roughly 18km x 1.5km you would thing that I could use a buoy to sight, and not actually touch it, but no, I managed to hit the thing with my arm. You could look at it as a positive though. I am 100% accurate!?!
I began to tire but knew that our next feed was imminent as I'd seen Al rifling through our bags. It had felt like a long hour, and my stomach felt a little strange. I continued swimming until Al indicated he was ready, and this was the point where I think I saw the only fish of the whole swim. I say think because there is a possibility that because I was tired I was actually hallucinating, still, worked a treat and for the next five minutes my pace increased, despite the lack of energy. When we stopped I was ready for something more substantial than a bar or a gel, so ate half of a jam and butter sandwich (the bit I didn't drop in the lake tasted 100% better than the bit I did!) and as I began eating it I realised that the unfamiliar sensation I'd been feeling in my stomach was actually hunger. Something I'd not felt once for the last eight days, since I began carb loading...8 days is far too longer stretch for carb loading.
In all of my training it's around the six mile mark that I struggle a bit, and knowing this in advance really helped me to chose carefully for my next feed. It wasn't a case of choosing what my body needed, it was more about having some home comforts, and bearing this in mind I had packed myself a Fat Rascal from Betty's (the cafe in my local town), and I have to say it really perked me up. It tasted amazing... except the bottom half. That was less amazing having being dunked (definitely not deliberately) in lake water. Next time I'll break it up into smaller, bitesize, chunks before hand. Lesson learnt.
The weather couldn't have been better, and the water was really flat, so it was very much a surprise when suddenly Leon indicated some chop (you can see it on the live video). A boat, that we hadn't seen, had come towards us quite fast and of course caused a wake. I say wake, it actually caused a real wave that stopped us in our tracks. I have never heard Shark swear like that which made me laugh and swallow a large part of the wave as it hit me in the face. This brief interruption was actually really welcome by way of a bit of a change, however my feelings was short lives when shortly after another boat came near causing another smaller wake, which also put me off my stroke for a bit... I was less keen on other boats being in the lake after that.
With one mile to go the feeling of knowing we had nearly completed it spurred me on. I had a sudden burst of energy, and almost euphoria. We were nearly there! The end was in sight, and so was our large, solitary swan again! (I'd at least like to think it was the same one, because I'm not entirely sure that they are usually that large). I'm not sure why it kept appearing, possibly just to keep me (metaphorically) on my toes...
We were finally at the finish with only a few strokes left to do. At the end I had planned to exit the lake a lot like Ursula Andress in Dr. No. In my mind I had it perfected, but unfortunately where we were to get out the ground was covered in large, slippery pebbles and as I stood up to get out to give Shark a "bloody hell we did it!" hug, I slipped and at the same time she stumbled backwards. We both fell back, very unceremoniously, into the water. I tried again to stand but my unobliging body was not having it, so sitting in the water for a breather to come eye to eye once again with our favourite stalker swan, this time flanked by the army of ducks from yesterday, and a sudden grim dilemma hits - there are two ways to get out of the lake and the other is back where we came from... Maybe next year!!
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| Al, Shark, me, Leon |
I just wanted to add - It's been 8 months since my surgery, and 6 months being back swimming. It's been hard work, but it's been worth it. There's been mostly ups, but also some downs, but with the love and support of family and friends, a fantastic swim buddy Shark, Hollie and the guys at swimyourswim, some really hard graft, determination and not taking no for an answer, I did it. Thank you all so much. I am so proud of myself and a week on am still grinning. I can't wait for the next challenge...😊
Two last things - firstly I've been asked by swimmers about the training plan that I used for this swim. I did my own as I was unable to find one online that suited me. I'm more than happy to share, and will write it all out in neat as originally it was done in a cafe in the back of my diary in very untidy writing, and also there were changes made nearer to the swim that are different the original plan. I'll hopefully get it all sorted next week, and secondly, if you enjoy my blogs I have a "group" on Facebook. Its not really a group, as it's only me, but on it I post more regularly, and I'm also on Twitter and Instagram. You'd be very welcome.
