Royal Wedding

As the rest of the world (it seemed) was glued to the TV watching the Royal Wedding, some of us decided to take advantage of the quiet roads and go for a swim at Hatchmere.

Easy drive down, with very little traffic, and a lovely sunny morning. Did a few returns (without wetsuit - more fun). Was surprised when lots of the others decided to shed their wetsuits too for a bit at the end - very beneficial feeling.

Stopped for a quick photo shoot before getting out and heading home. Happy days!

Easter Sunday

Easter Sunday - and I'm meeting some fellow swimmers for a dip at Hatchmere. It's a beautiful day, and as we head west on the M56 the high cloud breaks and the sun comes out.
By the time we get to Hatchmere, the sun is fully out in the blue sky - it's perfect for swimming. We don't waste any time (I've already got my wetsuit on!) and get in.
After 2 returns, I decide to shed the wetsuit and see how much colder it feels without it. I'm amazed! It's barely any colder, but feels soooooo much freer. I do another return much easier than the first two, and I'm not feeling the cold at all.

After an hour, it's time to get out - I've done 3 returns (about 900m, or 36 lengths), don't feel cold or tired. Just very happy.
Time to put on the bunny ears for a real Easter swim, and then time to get out and dried.

Drinking my juice when a swan decides I'm the most likely to feed it and wanders up to me - I'm a bit scared of swans (too many run ins) so I'm walking backwards, and it's following me. Fortunately, it gets distracted by James, who is now offering it grass (thank heavens!)

Great day - can't wait for the next one!

In the swim again

My wetsuit is, well, wet - or rather damp still from last night's swim - but there's a rumble going on down at Pickmere, so I'm up early and full of beans. The day is starting georgeous, blue sky, sunshine - so it's roof down and head south to the lake.
We get there just before 10, and meet up with the others - one of the things I like most about this outdoor swimming is the people you meet. They're all so lovely and friendly and encouraging.
Some swim a couple of miles, and some do less, and I probably do least - but I'm in, practicing, and again it doesn't feel cold at all!
Get out and let the sun dry me off, mostly, before getting changed at the car - always get a few funny looks from people who clearly think we're all mad - but we don't care, we've had our fix for another day...
take care

Catching up

So, it's only a few weeks to the Great Salford Swim, and so far I hadn't been outdoor swimming this year.
Not worried about the distance (did 75 lengths last week, well over a mile) but not sure i'm used to the cold water enough.
It's the Thursday before the long Easter weekend, so I join the queue to leave the office at 5 and hightail over to Hatchmere to catch a swim - arrive a bit later than everyone else (who managed to get there at 5.30, for me it was nearly 6!). Still, it was a lovely evening so in I get.
It didn't feel cold at all!
I didn't swim for very long - the others were soon getting out, but at least I know the temperature shouldn't be a problem.

Thanks to Acky for the picture - and to Ray and Acky for drink and chat afterwards - perfect end to a perfect day!
take care,

just keep swimming

Thought I'd better do some distance training last week - so off to the local pool. It's adult's only lane swimming on a Sunday, so that's ideal when I just want to plough up and down the pool.
I got in at 4.15 and just kept swimming, swimming until 5.30 when they made me get out!
I wasn't counting how many lengths (I find I loose my rhythm when I do that, and it's not as relaxing), but I timed a length and was doing about 1 per minute, so it looks like I did about 70 - 75 lengths.

As Dorey would say... "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming"

Third Time Lucky

After my two previous failed attempts to swim an alternative mile (and earn some of the donations I've already had from people) I was even more determined to get in the water today. It had been a lovely sunny day, and the evening was still and bright - perfect swimming conditions!

Out came the O/S map, and the search for a suitable spot began - we needed somewhere not too far away, close the road and safe to swim in (so rivers were out - they need a good recce first). Then we saw it - Yew Tree Tarn, just by the road to Coniston.

Bag packed, we were out of the door and in the car - wending our way south west and upwards.

The tarn was lovely - with a big layby for easy access, and still water, just the right depth.

In I got - heaven!

I'm not sure how far I swam, the tarn isn't very big so I was basically swimming up and down the middle of it. It was so peaceful - pure therapy!

I got out as the sun was going behind the fells, a big grin on my face and a sense of achievement in my heart.

Second attempt

Yesterday evening, after the failed attempt at swimming Buttermere, David and I went for an evening stroll up one of the tributaries leading into Lake Windermere. I found a great spot for a swim, and couldn't wait to get back into my wetsuit.

Judging from the OS map, it looked like I could swim about 1/2 mile in the river, meaning that if I doubled back (current allowing) I could get a mile in. Part of me is determined to do my promised mile in cold murky water - I've got hundreds of supporters who've all donated good money to make me do this, and I really don't want to let them down.

So, tonight I got into my wetsuit and added a big fleece, and David and I followed the footpath to the river. The first section we walk along is shallow and slow flowing - no good for swimming, but great for wildlife. A flash of blue streaked low above the water - kingfisher! Brilliant!

A bit lower down, another river joins the one we walk along, and it gets deep enough to swim in. Just a little further and there's a "beach". Perfect. I discard my big fleece and enter the water - a bit cold, but not too bad. Towards the centre is plenty deep enough, and the water is so clear I can see the bed easily.

I spot a swan and give it a wide berth - David is on the bank watching over me, but I don't fancy tangling with swam just in case.

Around a bend in the river and I'm now heading into the wind. It's not as bad as Buttermere, but makes it hard going. I'm quite far fron the bank now, any closer in and my feet hit the ground. And then I get thwarted - again! The river gets wide and much too shallow to swim in. Lying on my belly I can just about do commando crawl, but certainly not front crawl! I turn round and swim back upstream. I'm not going to be able to swim far, but I've enjoyed being in the water all the same. I swim about for a bit, up and down the same section, before deciding to clamber out and head for home.

Try again another day!

Making Amends

With today's swim cancelled, Jess (one of the OSS people I know) and I decided to attempt our own alternative mile by swimming the length of Buttermere (approx 1 mile).

We set off, full of enthusiasm and determination. The water wasn't too cold, and quite clear. All was going well, and then the wind picked up. The water began to get quite choppy, with white crests on the waves, and the cross wind made it hard to breathe. I decided to swim on my back for a bit (one advantage of being the only two swimmers in the whole lake - I wasn't about to bump into anyone!). I'd not done many stokes when I heard Jess shouting me. The wind was blowing me off course, and I was heading straight for some trees on the bank!

Back on my front, I corrected my position and got back to where Jess was, but by now the going was really getting tough, and I was getting tired. I knew that at this rate I wouldn't be able to get far, and it looked as though conditions were worse around the headland.

We heard shouts from the shore, and I looked up to see a group of my friends and neighbours who'd come up to the lakes to support me on my swim. I waved, but couldn't shout to them, the wind was sucking the breath out of me.

I swam a bit more, concious that I was holding Jess back (I'm not a quick swimmer, especially after the big break in training) and realised that I wasn't going to be able to swim the length of the lake. I decided that discretion was definitely the better part of valour, and suggested to Jess that we called it a day, before we got into trouble (with only a shore buddy and no boat, this was possible if we got round the headland and into really rough water). Jess didn't seem to mind, so we swam to shore, letting the swell carry us to the beach.

Jess said that it was like swimming in the sea, with the strong swell, and that it was the hardest outdoor swim she'd done. So I didn't feel quite so bad about stopping. We trudged back to the car in our wet wetsuits, and went in search of a nice hot cuppa.

Gadding About

Gaddings Dam was on the agenda this bank holiday. It's the first time I've been, but I'd heard a lot about it. The climb up to the dam is about 250m, and I have to admit, I had to stop half way up as I thought I was going to be sick - it was really tough going for someone as unfit as me (and a little worrying, given the swim is now only days away!).

With the huge support and help of David, and the encouragement of a group of fellow outdoor swimmers, I finally made it to the top, into my wetsuit, and into the mercifully flat water.

But boy was it cold! about 13 degrees, which is enough to make your feet go numb after about 10 mins.

It stayed lovely and sunny, and I stayed in probably longer than I should have (I think because I was dreading the decent down the big hill).
The walk back was tough going too - with some quite big steps - not good for arthritic knees! But at least the walk ended in a pub - with lunch!
What a great day out!
Take care,

Howling at the Moon

Last night I joined the Outdoor Swimming Society for a Full Moon swim at Hatchmere. It wasn't a promising evening, with lots of cloud cover and only the occasional glimpse of sky. We arrived at the lake just before 9 - to find one swimmer already in the water. Others arrived just as we did, so by the time I'd got into my wetsuit, there were 3 or 4 of us getting in.
David, who came with me but remained fully dressed and shorebound, waved us off, taking photos of the big moment (Splash!).
I was swimming pretty slowly - much slower than everyone else, as I'm still feeling pretty tired. I was determined to do 4 trips accross the lake and back though, as this would be almost a mile and great training.
Trip 1 - can't get into my rhythm at all and I'm finding it hard to breathe properly. I have to talk myself into not panicking.
Trip 2 - getting the hang of it, feeling much better and getting a rhythm going - lovely to have company on the back leg of the trip (thanks to Vic and Nez for swimming so slowly and chatting!)
Trip 3 - begining to get dark - finding it harder to see the sign on the opposite bank that we're swimming towards, but keep going anyway. David's put lights on the beach so we can swim our way back to shore easily.
Trip 4 - it's raining! Oh well! I'm wet anyway.
David's managed to gather up the bags and put them under a tree, so our things aren't too wet when we get out. It's almost 10.30 - but it's really warm after the rain has stopped. The pub's closed and so we can't have a celebratory drink - I managed the 4 trips I set out to do - although I swam the shortest distance I'm perhaps the proudest of my swim!
It's almost midnight when I get home - and by the time I've rinsed my wetsuit and had a shower, I fall into bed very tired!

Scream if you want to go faster!

So I did a pool swim last night, and beat my personal best for swimming 1/2 mile (32 lenths) by a whole 5 minutes! I'd read another swimmer's post on facebook earlier, and he'd done a really good time (thanks Acky!) so I thought I'd try and beef mine up a bit. So with a few lengths of crawl thrown in (thanks to Dave for the coaching) and under the influence of some performance enhancing medicine that the doctor's given me to mend my brain, I fairly stormed up and down the pool.

So I'm a very happy bunny!

My Viewpoint

Just in case you're wondering (and I know it's a long shot) but this is what it looks like from my viewpoint when I'm swimming outdoors. That white thing in the water is my arm by the way, not a pale french stick or a bit or wood!

The Big Jump

Had another outdoor swim today - it was brilliant! I found out that the Outdoor Swimming Society were having a "Big Jump" at 3pm this afternoon - people all over the UK took to rivers and lakes and just jumped in.
I joined a group of hardy souls at Hatchmere in Cheshire (actually, not so hardy, it was apparently 22 degrees C!). I swam to the far bank and back, which is 400yds, so another quarter of a mile, but this was much easier going than at Salford Quays, and much more relaxed.
We were joined by a pair of swans and their 4 cygnets, and a dog with a stick who was having great fun!
Can't wait for the next one!
Take care,

Taking the plunge

The first thought that went through my head as I looked up through the murky water, seeing the bubbles rise above my head wasn't "gosh! it's cold" or even "gosh! it's a bit deep" but "what a strange colour the water is". Now that might be strange for someone who's just jumped into Salford Quays, but I don't suppose you're ever fully in control of what pops into your head.
Once I'd surfaced and caught my breath, I was struck by how clear the water is - OK, it's an amber colour, but you can see a good 6 feet down at least - so it was a bit like swimming in cold tea (only not quite as tasty, and I did taste a fair bit!).
This plunge came about when another swimmer from GNS requested an open water swimming buddy and I volunteered. Steve (my new buddy) has a friend (Dave) who used to do Triathlons regularly, so he offered to take us through some hints and tips. I'm not sure what they expected, but it probably wasn't me - a complete novice who'd never even worn a wetsuit before and doesn't swim the triathlete's preferred front crawl. And since I'm not yet back to fully fit after my recent medical adventures, I'm sure they got more (or rather less) than they'd bargained for. However, they were both lovely and very generous with their support and time. Dave did a bit of coaching with me to get me swimming crawl, and they both went the first circuit at my speed (which meant they had to wait quite a lot). I got out after one circuit - I have no idea how long this took and it was quite hard work. But it's 400m (16 lenths) under my belt.
So, with the swim only 57 days away, I've got a lot of work to do - at the moment I'm definitely not fit enough to complete the course, but I'm sure I can get there.
Massive, massive thanks to both Steve and Dave for their support and patience, and to Mick for the wetsuit! (Don't I look fetching in it? - no, don't answer that!)

Take care,

Recovery Stroke

Recently, my right hand has gone strange. I've had difficulty writing and typing. It was initially diagnosed as being a stroke, and as a result I've been off work and "resting" for the last 6 weeks. As a result, I've not done much training - although to be fair it was more down to the not being able to drive than to not being able to exercise.
As it turns out, I've actually just blown a fuse in my brain, and it's nerve damage. I'm back to driving - and to training!
So I'm building back up to doing 64 lengths, and more rowing in the gymn.
Take care

The Tyranny of Numbers

I've been doing quite a bit of training at the gym - sometimes more than I want to. I'm not sure what it is about the human mind and whole numbers or complete things, but I just don't seem to be able to step off a machine after 14 mins and 30 secs - I have to complete that minute! Or if I've done 0.8 Km, I have to finish that K! But sometimes, I'm at the end of 2k, but my time is 14 mins and 30 secs, so I stay on, and then I get into the next K, and I can't stop until that's a whole number, or at least a round 0.5. I can't get off at 2.34Km, that would be madness.
And now, to add to the complication, I have an MP3 player to listen to. But this means I can't stop mid track - I have to wait until the end of the track.
So like some demented soothsayer of old, I keep going until all the elements line up in conjunction - the end of a track falls at the precise point, exactly X minutes after I've started, and when I've completed exactly Y Kilometers.
When that eventually happens, I'll get off the rowing machine or treadmill - but it could be some time, so don't wait for me!
take care

Row, Row, Row your machine

I've discovered the rowing machine and think I'm in love!
It's tucked away at the back of the gym I use, and I wouldn't even have looked for it but for a friend recommending it as an alternative to the treadmill (thanks Phil!). A bit of tuition, and I rowed myself nearly 2km. It's hard work, but more enjoyable - and not so tough on the knees. So after 10 mins of rowing, I did just 10 mins on the treadmill, but instead of inclining it at 5, I upped it to 9 - so I was practically climbing, rather than walking. But since my legs were warmed up already, and since it uses different muscle groups (apparently) I didn't feel it anywhere near as much as I normally do.
So that looks like my new gym regime - splitting time between rowing and walking quickly up a very steep hill!
And I bought some goggles ready for next swim...
take care

Back in the swim of things

The last vestiges of my cold and chest infection have finally gone, and I was itching to get back in the pool. Having not swum for about 3 weeks though, I decided not to overdo it, and set myself a target of a half mile swim.
It felt really good to be back in the water - and the pool was lovely and quiet - always an added bonus! 32 lengths took me just about 30 mins, so even though I hadn't been for a while, I don't seem to have slowed down much.
I'd really like to work on improving my stroke though - and I think one easy way will be to get my head under water more. At the moment I don't wear goggles, so it's not comfortable to get my face underwater too much, but I think this could be remedied with a good pair of goggs - I feel a little shopping trip coming on!
Take care,

Cold, but not wet yet

Training isn't going well this week - I'm full of a cold, so haven't done anything since Monday :-(


The fundraising is going well though - I'm almost a third of the way to my target, with £1150 raised so far - so a massive "Thank You" to everyone who's contributed so far.


I've also had many lovely messages of support - and I've been surprised at how many other people have been affected by Alzheimer's and dementia in their family. It's touched me greatly that so many people have shared their stories with me.


It's also been very heartening that I've had support from people I haven't seen for years, or only met once or twice - clearly, having the brass neck to ask is paying off.


I've also been very impressed with lots of the fundraising tips from JustGiving - I get emails with suggestions on - many of which I've taken up, including ordering some mini-moo cards - see http://uk.moo.com/en/ideas/justgiving - now, if only the post office could find them and deliver them!

Swim, Swim, Walk

Training is going well - I swam 1/2 a mile on Thursday (32 lengths) and over 1/2 mile on Friday (40 lengths). My arms felt like lead on Sunday morning though, so instead of swimming I went for a walk. It was such a lovely day, and I thought my legs could do with a bit more of a workout.

When I swim I do breast-stoke, but I have a terrible screw kick - it looks as though my right leg knows what's going on, and does a nice frog-like kick, but my left leg thinks we're doing crawl, and refuses to go out - it just goes up and down! I'm sure this slows me down, but even if I concentrate really hard, I can't make it do the right kick! It must look really bizare - like swimming with a limp.

I would like to put this down to an old injury - I dislocated my left knee when I was 17, spent 8 weeks on crutches and it's never been the same since. I say I'd like to put it down to this, but I have such strong memories of one particular swimming lesson at school.

The gym mistress (yes, it was that kind of school) asked everyone else to get out of the pool and then asked me to swim 1 length breast-stroke. Feeling proud to be singled out, I did my finest length - going as fast and as elegantly as I could. Imagine my horror when she then turned to the rest of the class and said "and that's how you don't do it - what a terrible screw kick!" She never did help me fix it, and so here I am, decades later, still limping through the water like a half-frog/half-fish creature.

I must see if I can find her and get her to sponsor me - it must be worth £1 at least!