Day 72 – 13th August 2010

Last night we had the launch of the new Starr Trust web site (www.starrtrust.com) and the Swim4Smiles challenge. It was at the Grosvenor Casino in Hove and we had around 60 people there (mostly businesses), which was fantastic. Everyone seemed to really enjoy it and get behind us. Let’s hope this turns into positive action. Of course now another 60 people expect me to swim the Channel, oh good!

On a personal note I need to get my brain back into gear. Having been about 2 or 3 weeks since a big swim and I have felt lazy in my mind and have let negative feelings creep in for swimming, work, just about everything! Rubbish feeling like this, especially after last night’s fantastic evening. I am going to have a day of reflection at work today and put my mind in order – tomorrow the old me returns! Swimming today was back in the sea.

It felt really like “autumn” today; the air was chilly and the sea, whilst warming up during the swim, felt cold when I first went in. Four of us swam together today, Bob, Midgie, Mike (new guy, his third time ever I think) and Moi. We swam to the bouys, around the pier to the far buoy, through the pier to the first buoy, back to the pier and in. A decent swim in time and length, although I was of course the slowest again. Midgie has really sped up, Bob was holding back to stay with me (bless his heart) and the new chap Mike (being about 20!) was steady and quick.

Even though I was the slowest and I felt not 100% in my mind, I do think that if distance was the target today that I could have gone further and longer than all of them; so not all bad.

Next week though the old me will definitely be back with big swims, big gyms, big runnings and big dreams!! Great to be back in the sea though at any rate.