Day 3 in the Lake

Day 3 was hard! Conditions were ok - a bit overcast, a bit of drizzle. And the lake wasn't TOO choppy - that's the first thing I break my neck to look at as we swing round the corner to Pooley Bridge! Mhairi and I had company on Day 3 (Monday 17th June). Neil and Emma both professional like Mhairi.  (Lots better than me anyway!)

We parked in Pooley Bridge car park and decided we'd live dangerously and chance getting away without putting a ticket on the car from the pay and display this time. We agreed we'd split the fine - if we got one! Seeing as we were the only car in the car park at 9.30am we thought the chances of getting caught were pretty slim. Neil and Emma arrived and Mhairi told them about our cunning plan. We'd kind of forgot Neil was a policeman! Oops!

Damn wetsuit seems to be shrinking rather than fitting better. Maybe it was because there were 2 extra people there it made me nervous!

Walking to the Lake I overhead conversations like 'on the bike I use gels', 'the last 3 miles at */?** were the hardest' 'I've a bike and swim to do today' of which I joined in because obviously I was a professional too now as it was my third swim...

It was decided we would swim towards Waterside campsite (!?!) and see how I get on. Ooooookkkaayyy. So we set off and I did ok, except my new googles were leaking and I didn't want to stop after 5 yards so I kept going with one eye shut. The other problem I have at the moment is I need a filling. I have a crater size hole in a back tooth, and when I swim, the cold water gets in and it's like crunching on an ice cube - yes, you know the feeling right. I remedy that by sticking my tongue in the crater. So I was swimming along merrily, with one eye shut and my tongue in my tooth... It's a good job no-one can see me underwater- I'd look like I was trying to gurn at the same time as swimming.

We didn't quite make it to Waterside, but far enough along, to a red buoy. I huffed and puffed for a minute til I got my breath back, then we were off again , this time back the way we came, but past the start point and all the way across towards the steamer pier. What!! Mhairi said 'It's half a mile. You can do it!' Dear God. And I did do it. One eye shut, tongue in tooth - it was great!

Neil and Emma set back of for the red buoy and I decided that was enough for one day, and headed back in. Mhairi's watch said we had swum 0.76 of a mile! How chuffed was I! I was as red as a beetroot mind, and puffing like a steam train but I felt elated. I was actually getting somewhere. When it's the Swim Day, I want to be able to swim all of it without stopping, so I need to be able to get to 1 mile in my training.

I wobbled back to the car, as I was feeling a bit motion sick again - even though I had tried my new ear plugs. I'm sure water got in then the ear plugs trapped it in there! Mm. Keeping an eye on that. Straight home then straight to work - didn't have time for a shower so looked like I'd swam in a lake for the rest of the day, which of course I had!

Don't forget, if you are enjoying the blog, I'm doing The Swim to raise money for the Stroke Association and you can donate by going to www.justgiving.com/Moira-Dudson. My aim is to raise £500.

Many thanks!