Day 159 – New Years Eve 2010

New Years Eve and my last swim of 2010. From my standing start as a non swimmer back in April I have now swum 159 days, have covered who knows how many miles, have swum in various conditions ranging from calm as a cucumber to raging torrents and from scorching 20 degrees to freezing 3.5 degrees. I have spent hours in the sea and probably a lot more hours in the pool, I have spent numerous hours running to the gym and numerous hours running away from food. I have made so many new friends and have experienced so many new emotions. I have had what can only be described as a life changing year! I wonder how next year will top this, but then I think about the actual swimming of the channel and that certainly ups the game!

Today was a much nicer start as there was no fog, no wind and no rain; simply a cold but bright morning. I was at the Arch and in the water by 7.30am and swam my usual Pier sign and back. Little Bob, Mike, David and Martina were in and did their short swims and then the lovely Fiona turned up just as I was emerging 'James Bond' like from the ocean (I wish!). Of course Fiona being Fiona, she went out to the silver ball and back; but I think even she found that tough as when she came back in she did look a little shaky. In these temperatures you really have to be so careful because you can jump in and get swimming, feeling all up for it and strong, but literally within a couple of minutes the cold can take over and you find your energy is sapped within seconds and your body is starting to slow right down. You can all of a sudden turn to shore and realise you are a few hundred metres out and completely wasted, but somehow you have got to get in even faster than usual as every second out there drains you further. All that aside, the effects you feel afterwards when you are back in the Arch is incredible; you literally can feel like you’ve conquered the unconquerable (is that a word?). Today, despite the cold and the pain in my hands and feet, I absolutely loved every second of the swim. I came out of the sea all buzzed up and if my feet had allowed I would have skipped up the pebbles.

Back in Arch it was great to see a fuller room; Kevin, David, Little Bob, Mike, Evo, Martina, Paul and of course he who can’t be named. The conversations were somewhat eclectic as usual; even with the question from Kevin about whether water floats, which then was debated with gusto by all. You just gotta love it.

Tonight the Starr family are heading to Bristol to stay with friends for New Year, hence no New Year day swim for me. However, Sunday morning, being the 2nd January I will be firmly back in the sea and then it’s full on thereafter.

Happy New Year to you All