Back in Windermere for the Great North Swim

Having completed my Windermere one-way swim in September 2017 I really wasn’t sure what I was going to do in 2018 so eventually I decided to enter the three Great Swim 10km events.  I’m really pleased I did. 

I can honestly say that with a lot going on in life this year I didn’t quite get my training to where I would have wanted it to be but with two weeks to go the first event I was watched (unknowingly) by a swim coach at a pool in Nottingham who made a point of coming to speak to me once I had finished. Having just completed a 7km pool swim his positive and supportive comments made me believe I had the 10km in the bag.

Arriving at the edge of the lake in Ambleside on Thursday 7 June memories of making it to those shores 9 months earlier flooded back and I couldn’t wait to get back in Windermere the next day. The 10km wave was at midday so plenty of time to get up, get a good breakfast and faff a bit before taking the bus to the new venue at Brockhole.

I met a fellow swimmer at the bus stop and we chatted about swimming until it was time to head into the changing tents and don the wetsuits! If I am honest I wasn’t sure about the change of venue from Low Wood Bay but once I was in the 19.5-degree waters I was just enjoying being back in the lake and enjoying the atmosphere of the event. 

Emerging from the water some while later I was elated to have completed the six laps of the mile course and despite the regular onslaught of multi coloured swim hats joining in on the course as you start to tire I loved the swim and by the time I was done I was pretty keen on the new venue too.  As I drove home I apologised to my arms that in a couple of weeks they had to do that all over again!