LANES TO LAKES BLOG (6)

THE SWIM - Padstow to Rock - Sunday 14th July 2019

As you can see from my previous blogs on Swim Secure’s website I’ve been challenging myself this year to some different physical activities. The pinnacle of this being the Marie Curie charity swim in Cornwall, swimming from Padstow to Rock across the Camel Estuary, a sea swim.

I felt so excited that I thought I was 6 again. I had none of the fear and anxiety of some of the previous experiences.  

Arriving at Padstow I checked in with many other crazy people that thought this would be a good thing to do on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon.  The atmosphere was electric, a positive buzz with smiley happy faces all around me.  

With the sun on our faces, the sound and smell of the sea in the air I caught a waft of my new favourite smell “neoprene” from my Selkie wetsuit as it took me to my space.  I took a moment to absorb the atmosphere and feelings, which is something that will stay with me always.

Chatting to Harry (my giant son, with the wingspan of an albatross) he said that he was going to go for it! Well good for him. I decided that this was my day and I would get into a good steady rhythm and enjoy this experience.  I was there to take on board the incredible journey I’ve been on so far this year and complete the course.

Safety brief complete I slowly entered the sea.  OMG the lakes were positively warm compared to the shock of the temperature of the sea!  It took my breath away but it wasn’t going to stop me completing the course.  It took a while to acclimatise to the temperature of the water.  As Jason from South West Swim would say, just breathe, so I did.  This helped make me more determined to crack on.  Setting a plan in my head of the route I was going to take and identifying a couple of landmarks on the distant shoreline, we were about ready to set off.

Countdown done, it was a bit of a frantic start.  A lot of jostling for position. Keeping my cool I latched on to another swimmer keeping he/she on my left side and I soon got into a beautiful steady rhythm.  

I felt so at home and easily swimming along in my own world.  This was suddenly interrupted when breathing to the left side to be hit in the face by a wave, just as I was taking a breath. Bilateral breathing was halted for a while and I decided that I would breath away from the incoming tide.  I was fascinated that I was able to see the bed of estuary beneath me so clearly.  

Before I knew it I was on the last section of the course and the slipway was looming. I was almost there. I didn’t want the swim to end.  Then someone overtook me, how rude! Well I wasn’t having that, so picked up the pace and kicked on to the slipway, the exit point.  

The crowd were so loud and cheering and encouraging everyone, as I exited the water. I felt completely exhilarated and overwhelmed.  Pulling off my hat I trotted (remember I don’t run) up the slipway amazed by my own achievement.  My time was 32 mins for the swim. PHENOMENAL!

It’s been so amazing with what I have achieved so far this year with the continued support from everyone around me, pushing me to believe in my own goals and dreams and that I could do such beautiful brilliant things. Thank you all so much.