Swimming Day 224 – 5th April 2011

Charity news – Some new fantastic charity fundraisers hit my desk the last couple of days.

1) A lovely lady called Jill (sister of our friend Vinny Shepherd) is having a birthday party and is expecting about 90 people. She is asking for donations instead of presents and all to come to the Starr Trust. What a fantastic thing for her to do.

2) Chobham Rugby – Mike at Chobham Rugby in Surrey has been holding a collection for the Trust from his members. They have raised around £1,200. Amazing. Even more amazing is that one of their supporters has agreed to pound match it! That makes an amazing £2,400.

3) Chobham Rugby – Again from Chobham yet more support. Two of their members (details to follow) are organising a bike ride from Chobham in Surrey down here to Brighton. All sponsorship to be given to the Trust.

4) Dorothy Stringer School - I had a call from Stuart, a teacher at Dorothy Stringer School in Brighton (my old school as it happens). Stuart explained that during the first couple of weeks of July there is an event in Brighton called “Take Part”, which is aimed at encouraging all children and adults in Take Part in Sport. With this in mind Dorothy Stringer School has registered a 21 Hour pool event, starting at 1am on 4th July for 21 hours. It will be swimming, water polo, kayaking etc – the aim is that someone will always be in the pool for the 21 hours. I have naturally agreed to fill some gaps in the night shift as have some of the teachers; perhaps I’ll even be able to encourage some at Brighton Swimming Club members to join in as well (what about it Little Bob & Lindy??) The wonderful thing is that any money DS School raise will be donated to the Starr Trust Swim4Smiles challenge! How fantastic. An amazing thing for them to do, especially as it’s such a big event for them to have to organise.

The £100,000 target we have set ourselves, which is a daunting figure to raise in the best of times let alone without being in the middle of the biggest world recession, is actually starting to look doable at last. We’ve still such a long way to go, but these amazing 4 pledges of support really will make such a huge difference.

Back to today and my training; which is of course four times more important now thanks to the above pledges! Having had an Ok nights sleep (only 2 visits – it’s getting better) I was at the pool in Falmer by 7am and was in the outside pool until just after 9.00am. I was going to do a 3 hour swim, but only managed 2 hours. The brain was not at it’s optimum today and coupled with that was the fact that it was blowing a gail (not the Tilsley variety) and it was raining. Two Hours of rain and wind hitting you is plenty enough first thing in the morning! This afternoon I’m back at the Gym at 4pm for an hour with Ross on weights and then another hour in the pool (maybe the inside one if the rain persists); so that will be two swims and a gym today, which is enough for a grey haired 41 year old father of three babies!!

Tomorrow I’m in London on meetings so no pool time available, so back to the sea for my morning dip with my buddies; already looking forward to it. Funny how the damp and battered Arch at the beach is so much more inviting that the warm, dry and well kitted out changing rooms at the gym!!