Been swimming in the sea again, couple of times this week. Feeling quite tired at the moment but the fear of getting 'tested' is keeping me going. I am delighted that I was selected earlier this week to take part in the SWIM trials. Basically, out of the 500 or so people taking part in this event, they have selected around 40 to go forward to the next stage. And I got into the group.
The trails are in Brighton - pretty close to Arisaig then :-( so I am planning to travel down there on Tuesday for the event. The details have not been sent yet, they are really not giving you much notice and time to plan around it. So today was my last open water swim until the trails. I went into the bay down the Rhu road and was happily swimming around when I spotted a couple of seals tailing me. I need to get over the SEAL thing. They freak me out a wee bit. Totally unexplained, there is nothing to be scared of, but I did swim a lot faster. Maybe that's the trick for next Tuesday, get a couple of big daddy seals to follow me and I will definately get picked. Peter recons that I would win the London marathon if I had a big dug chasing me, so the same may apply to the seals.
So keep your fingers crossed that I pass the fitness test etc and they like me enough to get in the team. Only thing is that it may co-oncide with my move north, but hey, will cross that bridge when I come to it.
Lots of love Anne xxx
Friday, 22 July 2011
Friday, 15 July 2011
Miles 27 to 35
Have not been swimming in the sea again since I was out with Fran last week, but have put a few miles in the pool. Feeling quite comfortable at swimming 4K in the pool and happy I could do the same in open water.
Looking forward to a few more miles at sea when I get back up to Arisaig next week. Contacted a few people on the SWIM facebook site to see if they wanted to team up with me for open-water swimming, but none replied. Either I'm pretty rubbish or they feel intimidated (aye right !). Got a call from the Oban Times, they are doing an article on me, so must buy the paper next week - hope they use the nice picture I sent and not the one where I look like I've had a frontal lobotomy.
Feeling much fitter for swimming. The 'mums arms' are getting better and I have almost reached £4K in fundraising. I am really pleased and so happy with the support I have had, even been sponsored by people I don't know (thanks Irene for the free advertising!!!). Trying to push every-one who has pleged to get on line and sponsor me !
Tomorrow they pick people to be 'assessed' for the BIG SWIM. This is due to happen at the end of July. I would like to be in the team but not hearbroken if I am not. Now that I know Ronan Keating is a singer and he is not in Take-That I am not sure I should meet him in-case I put my foot in it - I'm such a big Take That fan as well ... am I?
The other Celebs who are doing the swim ... I have heard of Richard Branston (he made pickle, didn't he?) and as for - Jason Bradbury and Jenny Frost, never heard of them, guess they must be known for something? Answers on a postcard please. If they are not on Radio 4 then I'm at a loss, now if it was James Naughtie and Mark Lawson I would be fine - but think they are both fatties, but hey they would be in good company. Long live the chubby swimmers xx Anne
Looking forward to a few more miles at sea when I get back up to Arisaig next week. Contacted a few people on the SWIM facebook site to see if they wanted to team up with me for open-water swimming, but none replied. Either I'm pretty rubbish or they feel intimidated (aye right !). Got a call from the Oban Times, they are doing an article on me, so must buy the paper next week - hope they use the nice picture I sent and not the one where I look like I've had a frontal lobotomy.
Feeling much fitter for swimming. The 'mums arms' are getting better and I have almost reached £4K in fundraising. I am really pleased and so happy with the support I have had, even been sponsored by people I don't know (thanks Irene for the free advertising!!!). Trying to push every-one who has pleged to get on line and sponsor me !
Tomorrow they pick people to be 'assessed' for the BIG SWIM. This is due to happen at the end of July. I would like to be in the team but not hearbroken if I am not. Now that I know Ronan Keating is a singer and he is not in Take-That I am not sure I should meet him in-case I put my foot in it - I'm such a big Take That fan as well ... am I?
The other Celebs who are doing the swim ... I have heard of Richard Branston (he made pickle, didn't he?) and as for - Jason Bradbury and Jenny Frost, never heard of them, guess they must be known for something? Answers on a postcard please. If they are not on Radio 4 then I'm at a loss, now if it was James Naughtie and Mark Lawson I would be fine - but think they are both fatties, but hey they would be in good company. Long live the chubby swimmers xx Anne
Thursday, 7 July 2011
4KM swim today - longest I have ever swam in my life
Last night I made the mistake of looking at the 'suggested' plan from THE SWIM team and bloody hell ! So thought I better start upping my miles. So off to the pool this morning with the target of a 4K swim (200 lengths in the Mallaig pool). Not for the faint hearted. The staff at the pool are brilliant and so accomodating. So although the pool officially closed to the public before I finished, they were quite happy to let me finish my stint, which I did.
Here are my thoughts after, nuff said xx Anne
Here are my thoughts after, nuff said xx Anne
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Miles 17 to 26.5 - I'm over half way in both distance and fundraising
By popular demand, I'm back with an update and some new people to introduce in my blog. Have been swimming in a a number of different places - in the pool and in the great outdoors again. Now completed over 26 miles and 23 swim sessions. Looked at the training plan on the SWIM site today and I need to do some swims of over 2 hours IN THE SEA - yikes. Can this old body cope ?
The first clip is of me swimming in Loch Morar. If you are not familiar with this loch, it's the deepest in the UK and has a mythical monster called Morag. So I interpidly set off for a swim. It was a beautiful sunny day and me and my twin Ronald walked a few miles from the car along a track to a suitable spot for a swim. I was not thinking about monsters at all (well just a wee bit). The loch was crystal clear and about 10 meters from the shore it dissapeared into 100meters of deep, dark, creepy gloom. It's like something out of a nightmare. My imagination was running riot. So off I set and just as I was telling myself not to be so stupid I swam over a fallen tree poking up out of the gloom and it brushed my leg. Can you hear screams under water? What a feartie. So I decided to stay in the shallows and not to swim over the deep part. What an admission from some-one who does not believe in monsters, or maybe I do now. Anyway - here is the video and my twin makes a quick appearance too !
Next clip was taken by my sister, Irene, visiting on holiday. So of course I had to rope her in to coming to the beach at Traigh and filming me ... she does a great running commentary and is not much good at keeping my head in the shot and too much filing of my rear end, which really should be getting smaller :-). The weather was wonderful again - its always like this in Scotland and look at those beaches !
And last clip, and for a change I have some company for my swim. It's been a busy week chez widdop in Arisaig. My friend Fran arrived with the kids and she wanted to get out swimming - in the rain - because she is training for an Iron-Man. Now that's what I call crazy ! When will I get friends that want to do 'normal' things. It's my own fault, save me from mediocrity ! Fran and I swam out from the marina in Arisaig bay for nearly an hour. It was great, thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the rain. It's wet in the sea anyway. The only concern was the number of seals I had seen out there recently and there are lots of pups. The bigger seals may come over to have a look but the pups would come right over to you and then mummy seal would be right after them. Must practice my seal deterrent scowl. Truth be told, I think all the splashing about the seals would have thought 'no danger going over there - look at those numpties, tell them to get back onto the land' ... or maybe not. I'm sure seals can speak english?
The first clip is of me swimming in Loch Morar. If you are not familiar with this loch, it's the deepest in the UK and has a mythical monster called Morag. So I interpidly set off for a swim. It was a beautiful sunny day and me and my twin Ronald walked a few miles from the car along a track to a suitable spot for a swim. I was not thinking about monsters at all (well just a wee bit). The loch was crystal clear and about 10 meters from the shore it dissapeared into 100meters of deep, dark, creepy gloom. It's like something out of a nightmare. My imagination was running riot. So off I set and just as I was telling myself not to be so stupid I swam over a fallen tree poking up out of the gloom and it brushed my leg. Can you hear screams under water? What a feartie. So I decided to stay in the shallows and not to swim over the deep part. What an admission from some-one who does not believe in monsters, or maybe I do now. Anyway - here is the video and my twin makes a quick appearance too !
after - featuring RONALD !!!
And last clip, and for a change I have some company for my swim. It's been a busy week chez widdop in Arisaig. My friend Fran arrived with the kids and she wanted to get out swimming - in the rain - because she is training for an Iron-Man. Now that's what I call crazy ! When will I get friends that want to do 'normal' things. It's my own fault, save me from mediocrity ! Fran and I swam out from the marina in Arisaig bay for nearly an hour. It was great, thoroughly enjoyed it, despite the rain. It's wet in the sea anyway. The only concern was the number of seals I had seen out there recently and there are lots of pups. The bigger seals may come over to have a look but the pups would come right over to you and then mummy seal would be right after them. Must practice my seal deterrent scowl. Truth be told, I think all the splashing about the seals would have thought 'no danger going over there - look at those numpties, tell them to get back onto the land' ... or maybe not. I'm sure seals can speak english?
Before
After
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