Swimming at The London Fields Lido

Swimming on a fantastic day in February.  Problems with my shoulder cut the swim short - after an X ray, it transpires there is damage in the shoulder.  If I have torn the ligament, I will need and operation and the swim will be on hold (2 months no swimming and 6 months recovery).  Hopefully, it is just damaged and I can get away with injections - either way, it is very, very painful!

This time last year .........

....  6,000 meters at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro!

January - Bedford Swim Centre for 'Stroke Analysis'

Great news on the weight gain, I've now put on ONE stone! Sadly, this leads to regular chants of "Who ate all the pies" from the boys when they see me getting in the bath (thanks for your support chaps).  

It has been tough getting back into training after Christmas - the pool in December was down to 5 degrees, so I have now switched to swimming indoors at Haileybury for a few weeks.

New Year's Day was my last alcoholic drink until after the swim in July - now that's a challenge in itself!

In early January, I went to 'The Swim Centre' in Bedford for 'stroke analysis'.  A really worth while session, where a swim specialist/coach analyses your swim stroke with underwater cameras. Great fun and thanks to Karen T for sorting that.

.......... I don't seem to be going anywhere fast!

No need to look where I'm going then!

'December Dip' at Parliament Hill Lido with my lovely and brave friends Adelaide and Avril!

December 2011 - Outdoor Swimming Association

December Dip

Chatting about the swim with Edith Bowman from Radio One!

My wonderful friends Adelaide and Avril who came to support me!

(I'm the short fat one in the middle)

............ we swam in 7 degree water to a brass band playing 'The Great Escape'

What a cool (or just cold) bunch

300 other equally mad people joined us

Dover Harbour - November 2011

A very foggy morning at Dover, 13.4 degrees in the water, Poppy didn't join me in the water!
The 'moon face' is due to taking the photo myself (no one else was silly enough to be on the beach)

 Won't get much of a tan today!

The only other thing in the water apart from me.

Karen T has very kindly bought me a solar water thermometer - great fun for checking out how cold the pool is - the coldest temp this week was 11.2 degrees (I'll be chipping the ice off soon).

Super article appeared in The Hertfordshire Mercury this week if you missed it, you can check out:

www.hertfordshiremercury.co.uk/Hertford-Heath-woman-to-swim-English-Channel-31102011.htm

October 2011

Busy month with lots of swimming plus the introduction of running and free weights.  Weight gain is going very well - over half a stone!  I have been in contact with two swimmers who have recently attempted to swim the Channel - sadly both failed.  Lisa swam 31 miles and still didn't reach France due to the tides - what an amazing swimming achievement though!  Sam hit bad weather as so often happens - it's all about the luck on the day!

Looking forward, I'm meeting my pilot/skipper in a couple of weeks and spending some time in the Channel at last! I've signed up to swim the Eton 10k early next year and enlisted the help of Claire Uwins who will help me work on the 'mental challenge' of the swim.  Thanks to Karen T for the 'body glide' roll on - I'm guessing it's for the swimming ........

Practice...

                                       Getting ready to swim in Lake Windemere August 2011

2 miles and still going strong!

 


North Sea - August 2011

Fun in the North Sea with my wonderful friend Karen (who started all this!)
We did get around to some proper swimming.

Swimming The Solent

'SWIM BESTIVAL' - Gosport to Ryde, Isle of Wight

September 2011

Swim Bestival - 11 of us swam from Gosport to the Isle of Wight
Force 6 gale and 2 m waves led to the swim being 10k
(I'm the one without the wet suit, not the big guy obviously!)

Getting ready to go on stage with the gang






On stage at Bestival in front of 30,000 people getting my medal

I won't let fame spoil me ............