The big swim!

I have been swimming on and off in the Kenwood Ladies Pond for the last two years and decided to try and push myself by signing up for a 5km open water swim! 

The distance is said to be the swimming equivalent of a half-marathon. With one thing and another leading up to the swim, it was hard to fit in any long swims and I had never attempted that distance until the day of the swim itself.

On the day of the swim, the weather was clear with a bit of sunshine and the water was 18 degrees at Tri Farm in Chelmsford. The water was beautifully clear and blue. We were given instructions on how many laps to do: to reach the 5km distance, we had to swim six 750m laps around the reservoir followed by two 250m laps around a smaller loop. 

The seemingly calm water was deceptively choppy at some parts of the reservoir and I struggled to swim against the larger waves and swallowed and choked on the water. I tried to allow my body to bob on top of the waves and time my breaths for in between the rise of the waves. Eventually I made it through to calmer waters, and used the time to prepare myself for looping round to the choppy sections again.

About halfway through my neck started to be sore from the chafing of my neoprene vest and all I could think of was the food I was going to eat when I got out!!! One by one the other swimmers completed their swims. As I got to my final big loop, the kayaker who was supporting the swimmers started following me around and gave me a big smile and an encouraging thumbs up. I spotted my friend Jinny who had signed up to the swim with me and had also never done this distance before. We were the final two swimmers in the reservoir! She gave me a gigantic wave and I waved back excitedly, really relieved the end was in sight for both of us! 

I completed my last two small loops and walked out of the water triumphantly. The organisers had already started putting their things away but got them out again and made a hot coffee which tasted delicious after the swim! I found the kayaker to thank him for his support. He laughed that it was his responsibility to make sure I didn’t die and gave me a big bear hug for finishing the swim!

It’s now just after a week from the swim and my sunburn is fading and rash on my neck healing. It was a wonderful experience and I’m very glad Jinny and I decided to go for this crazy adventure together. 

The Swimathon is a fantastic event and I’m so grateful to the wonderful team who organised it. I would highly encourage anyone who is considering the challenge to take the plunge!! The event was held to raise money for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie who do great work - more info below. If you are able, please make a donation through the link below!

The charities

Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie are calling on the nation to take to the open water for Open Water Swimathon 2019 – thousands of swimmers, two great causes, one big charity challenge!

Open Water Swimathon is returning for the third year running on Saturday 7 – Sunday 8 September 2019 at … venues across the UK. This is your chance to fundraise for two incredible causes, Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie.

Cancer Research UK, the world’s leading cancer charity is dedicated to saving lives through research. They don't receive any government funding for their work, so their progress is all thanks to the support of people like you.

Marie Curie provides expert care, guidance and support for people living with any terminal illness, and their families. Around 2,100 Marie Curie Nurses work day and night, in people’s homes all over the UK, providing hands-on care to people when they need it most.

Together we can really make a difference.

We have a range of distances available, from 500m up to 5k, to suit both experienced open water swimmers, and those transferring from the pool to the open water for the first time.

Find out more at https://openwaterswimathon.org