Saturday saw me compete in my first ever open water race... a 3km swim at Holme Pierrepont in Nottingham.
I decided to steer well clear of the pushing, pulling, ducking and shoving at the start and kept myself near the back until the crowds started to break into smaller groups.
I progressed nicely and found a good comfortable pace.. until the lake weed struck (you'd think i'd be used to it by now!!) It was like swimming through tar... horrific. At one point I actually had to stop to try and remove myself from a tangle web of sticky weed.. and in doing so, swallowed half the lake, ending up coughing and spluttering and generally feeling as though I was about to die. Luckily I managed to recover and carried on with the race...
The water was brown and it was really difficult to see where anyone or anything was. My sighting was shocking and hence I swam a wibbly wobbly version of the 3km route!
On the home straight I picked up the pace, still feeling comfortable and was challenging another swimmer with about 200m to go... then I nearly swam head first into a concrete pontoon.. I was saved by a helpful canoeist who steered me out of danger... stopping .. again.. to say thank you I carried on full speed ahead to the finishing point recording a time of 44.45.
The race is on (before the concrete pontoon!!)... thats me on the left!
This is what swallowing half a lake does to you:
Tired but pleased I was delighted to hear that I was the first woman out of the water. The official results confirm that I was 12th overall, and first lady over a minute ahead of the 2nd place lady!!
Me with my medal:
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