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!