Day 5 in the Lake

So Day 5 in the Lake I had a new swimming partner (not Flirt this time)- well I use the term 'new' loosely, as it was Neil, who swam with me the previous week. He was training for 'A Day in the Lakes' half ironman, and needed a partner, and I did too, as Mhairi was away. So we teamed up and met up at Pooley Bridge, in the car park, stripping off and donning wetsuits. I mean, is it just me that thinks there is something very wrong about that last sentence....

Neil filled me in on his rise to open water swimming, and how he couldn't even do the crawl to begin with, or put his face in the water. I thought 'There's hope for me yet then!' He also has a fancy garmin watch which would tell us how far we had swum, so we set off from Pooley Bridge and headed out to a red buoy first, then towards Waterside campsite. We stopped for a breather, and I had a fiddle with my new googles, which weren't doing what they said on the tin - still leaking! I adjusted my hat and had a brief panic when I dropped an ear plug - but hey - they float! You learn something new every day!

We then began the long haul back towards Pooley Bridge and the steamer pier, where two pink buoys sit. Man, that feels like a loooong swim! But, it's good to get a bit of distance in, and I can tell I am so much fitter, even just after 4 and a half swims! We didn't hang about the pier end, as it's surprising how much colder it is down there. We made our way back to the red buoy, then back in to shore - all in all 0.87 of a mile - the furthest I've managed so far!

I felt like I was beginning to get the hang of this open water swimmimg....

Sponsor me at www.justgiving.com/Moira-Dudson in aid of the Stroke Association.

Many thanks x