Success as I face my challenge to swim the river

I did it! I swam across the River Fal in a bid to raise funds for the RNLI's South West lifeguard appeal. I ache from my neck down but I'm wearing my shiny new medal with pride. What an adventure!

I actually cried as I waded into the sea - I suppose it was an emotion created out of nervous energy and fear - but along with 229 other swimmers, I waited for the signal from former Olypic Swimmer Sharon Davies, who started the event, and then launched into what would become a marathon event.

There was alot more tide that I was expecting and a wind going with it, which ultimately blew me a long way off the course. In fact I headed down toward Black Rock, but kept calm thanks to the knowledge that drifting alongside me was the Falmouth RNLI all weather lifeboat. Quite some rescue boat for a swimmer! I could even heard the Coxswain making his usual funny remarks at one stage - and actually smiled despite the effort to swim through the swell that had also developed.

I actually drifted so far that I had to be picked up by RNLI lifeguards in an inshore rescue boat and taken back across the course to where the other swimmers were. They lifted me out as if I weighed 8 stone (I wish) and put me gently back in just as cramp bit my calf muscles! I swam through that and carried on - but again I lost out to the tide.

Next ride came on a sled at the back of an RNLI lifeguard rescue water craft (jet ski)taking me back across the course to the main channel for the swimmers. I must emphasise that I gained nothing from these lifts - and in fact today the RNLI Lifeguard Inspector has calculated that I probably swam about a mile and a half because of the tide.

The worst bit came at the end when I really struggled against a short swell that literally slapped my face time after time. I drank gallons of sea water - not that good a vintage - and frankly, lost the will to go on. But next to me on a board was a young RNLI lifeguard who just wouldn't let me stop and well done to him because I would have kicked myself if I had.

The beach never seemed to arrive and then just as suddenly I was there and hanging on to the arm of several other swimmers and the young lifeguard as my land legs had left me. And what a reception, including my two lovely daughters, Elen and Bronwen, my partner Bob, the dogs and my wonderful friend, Caroline who works at our RNLI base and came down especially to greet me back.

So a big thank you to everyone who helped me over the training period and on the day and to my family who have given me every support possible. I'm sure it will all sink in over the next couple of days and then I shall be able to write more. So until then, thank you one and all.

The final countdown

After months of preparation and training, the day of my sea swim is approaching. In fact it's just over 24 hours away and I can't believe we're at this point already. Why is it that a challenge seems ages away and then suddenly its crept up on you and its tapping you on the shoulder? The really troubling thing is that I'm far too calm, which either means I'm ready for action or I'm vastly underestimating tomorrow's activities! Tim will tell, as my Mum used to say.

So what do you do on the day before a major sporting event? I guess a bit of shopping might help but I'm also going to go for a steady swim in the pool because strangely I enjoy the swimming now and tend to miss it if I don't go regularly - who'd have thought it! Then I'll check my wetsuit is ready and pack my bag and try not to think about that moment when I step into the sea and head a mile across the River Fal.

The Castle to Castle Swim is being patrolled by a big team of our RNLI lifeguards and given I'm trying to raise money for their training, that should go some way to inspiring me. I just hope I don't look too slow next to the army team that's entered and the massive group from a local school who're taking part. I think I've said before, I'll just keep reciting the story of the tortoise and the hare!

Cracked it! I've done my first sea swim.

Despite the overwhelming desire to run inland and to use the loo on a frequent basis, I conquered my fear today and went for my first sea swim. I can't believe I can write that now. Gone was the panicking flower that needed to hold people's hands just to paddle, here was a determined woman who marched to the waters edge with purpose in her eyes (behind her goggles).

It helped that I was being accompanied by Alan 'Ironman' Reid, the RNLI's Senior Lifeguard at Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth. He's a swimming coach with two clubs, Truro City and Helston, and a founding member of the Gyllyngvase Surf Lifesaving Club. A good bet then when you take on your biggest fear and your biggest challenge!

So he remained calm, chatting away as I spluttered and gasped my way through the surf line and into open water. Now here's the odd thing - when you're in a wetsuit it feels like your feet are going to take off over your head. It's a buoyancy thing but its very strange and slightly unnerving at first. Out of the window went all my new style training and off we went out to sea.

We actually made it to a buoy offshore and then back again. I don't think anyone expected me to do that but once I sensed I could manage this I was off. We chatted and swam and admired the beautiful cornish coastline and agreed we were the luckiest people alive for that time that it was just us, the sea and the sun.

Next weird thing - when we got back to the shallows I had lost my land legs. I tried to stand up but I was all wobbly. So I just had to hold Alan's arm for a moment and gather my balance. Then came the big news - Alan reckons we swam about a mile today, so I've done it, cracked the mile before the big event on Sunday - yippee!

Two footnotes for you: Alan did the Ironman 2008 at Sherbourne in Dorset - just a 2.4mile swim, 112 miles on a bike and then a marathon length run and all in 11 hours and 32 minutes.
Whoever invented the wetsuit didn't think about middle aged women with Mummy tummies! It took about three poeople giving advice to battle my way into my wetsuit and what an undignified struggle. My lovely daughter, Elen told me that all the top surfers use what is known as the surfers dance to put their suits on. Well I fell for that and entertained most of the unsuspecting people around the lifeguard hut.

So here I am, proud as punch with aching arms and my wetsuit on the line outside so everyone can see I've become a sea swimmer (of sorts).

Preparing for my first sea swim!

Life in the RNLI has been a bit manic lately so until yesterday I hadn't had a swim for around six days - not good when the final count down has begun to the river swim. It really played on my mind that I hadn't been able to practise and I started having visions of failure - not a word I like. I even dreamt that I was swimming across the river and it had got dark and people were pleading with me to stop and admit I couldn't make it! Oh lord, now I'm dreaming about a hobby/sport I had avoided until three years ago.

Anyway, after visits to the fantastic RNLI committee in Cheltenham (it's amazing that these groups manage to raise such vital funds for our charity given that they are no where near a lifeboat, a lifeguard or indeed the sea), a trip to London for the RNLI's AGM and Annual Presentation of Awards and then a drive to Sennen Cove, I at last got into the pool yesterday. The first ten lengths were horrid as I gasped, wheezed and spluttered my way back and forth and I began to think I would have to give up. Then suddenly I broke through the pain barrier and for a good hour I just ploughed up and down - it was just so good to clear my head of everything and just concentrate on breathing air and not water.

So I'm fairly calm, but tomorrow is another day and the one on which I shall experience sea swimming for the first time. What if I don't like it - or rather, it doesn't like me? Eeeek. Anyway listen to this ladies - I'm going in with an Iron Man called Alan. I haven't met him yet but I wonder if he realises what he's in for?
So here's to tomorrow and of course, Sunday. I'm off now to cook a roast and do what all slightly less serious athletes do, and drink some red wine - cheers!

Swimming fashion and moral support

Just got back from two and half days in Poole where I managed to swim in their 33 meter pool two days running. It was good for my stamina, but it does seem a very long way from one end to the other - an odd thing to say when in around 18 days time I'll be setting off to swim a mile non stop! Eeeek.

I was driven on by Rachel who steadily munched up length after length without a break and of course if your mate doesn't stop, then you can't either. I could do with her joining me every day as I tend to take little breaks every so often and must learn not to because I won't be able to take a breather half way across the River Fal without causing an incident. My game plan tomorrow is to get it, get on and keep going. Words are so easy - action takes a bit more!

I can remember as a kid in the sixties watching my Mum delicately step into the sea wearing her pink swimming cap that was covered in bright rubber flowers. I thought it looked great then. Fortunately swim caps are much sleeker now but they're hardly a fashion statement. I look like a wrinkly version of Kojak in mine and once I put my reflective goggles on, I look like an alien from one of those B rated sci-fi movies - charming. What's more there's an art to putting the darn thing on. A well trained cap assistant can whip it over your head in seconds, but Rachel didn't quite get the technique so when we tried yesterday, I landed up with it over my eyes and clamped to my cheeks. Then I'm blundering blind round the changing area with Rachel in fits of giggles, terrifying small children as they tried to pass by. Oh the suffering I face for the sake of my sport!

Overtaking and facing the crowds

This may not seem exciting to you, but I overtook another swimmer in the pool last night! I'm in Poole in Dorset at the moment, for a gathering of the RNLI's media team, so headed off to the Dolphin Centre with colleague, Rachel from Scotland. I faced the usual issues of trying to set off too quickly on my first length and fighting for breath, but then found myself going past another swimmer. Oh so satisfying when I still feel like the numbskull novice in the water. I think Rachel said something like 'you'd better go first as you're doing it properly' - properly! Well that's one person fooled then.

Unfortunately they only had one lifeguard on duty at the pool so had to close the length lanes and heap us all into the half pool that was available. It was like a waterbased scrum with people swimming under and over each other. I did one length with some chap swimming along the bottom beneath me - now I put my head in I can see things like that. It takes your mind off the breathing problems!

Anyway, it was good to have to weave my way through all the other swimmers as I'll be setting off with a crowd of people when we start the river swim in 18 days time. The British are terribly polite about these things, especially the women. Lots of 'sorry' and 'I do apologise' as I kicked several folk and slapped one swimmer round the head with my hand.

They tell me there will be one RNLI lifeguard for every ten swimmers at the Castle to Castle event. I plan to swim right by the lifeguard rescue board so I treat it as my safety blanket. If its there I won't need it - that's my motto!

Gasping for breath!

Quick update on yesterday's training - yesterday being Sunday 16 May: made the mistake of going horse riding on Saturday so now I've got aching thighs from that and stiff arms from swimming training. But the swim went well and I got about 45 lengths under my belt. Just one problem - seems to take me about ten lengths to get my breathing sorted so I don't gasp and thrash about like I'm drowning! I also tend to set off like I'm in a race, which doesn't help, so I now try to recite in my head the story of the Tortoise and the Hare.

As I came out of the Dragon Centre at Bodmin, where I swim, thinking of myself as an athlete and not a hastled Mum, I was put in my place by the arrival of hundreds of serious cyclists. Some had ridden 100 road miles around North Cornwall. Puts my aching limbs into perspective! One of the riders who did the shorter 44 mile
course was pool lifeguard, Ben who has done wonders to improve my breaststroke - all credit to him and his sore calf muscles.

So today I am going to be working at my desk at the RNLI base in Saltash and for once, I'm not complaining that I've got to sit down all day.