I worked this morning. It went fairly slowly and I had swimming on my mind really. Meanwhile back at home Ady and the kids spent the morning in the garden. They moved all the containers round from the patio – where the chickens have been enjoying rather more free ranging than normal meaning nothing plant based is safe – to the veranda bit infront of the house. We now have a large array of compost filled containers ready for seedlings and seeds to grow various things here at home.
I came home and we all had some lunch. Having ignored training advice in a big way with no swimming for the last 3 weeks and a week filled with all sorts of early mornings, late nights and other such distractions I did deign to do pretty much nothing for most of this afternoon in a nod to preparing myself for my swim. Ady and the kids spent most of the afternoon outside in the garden too. Davies and Scarlett set up a ‘farm’ complete with signage, toy animals where real ones were not available and typical money making scam to boot. There were sheep (one suckling lamb picture stuck to one sheep), pigs (a load of pig ornaments), lizard lounge (a pile of sticks under which I was led to believe lizards were sleeping) and chicken corner where I could pet chickens and buy small pots of grain for 10p each :). Hugely impressed as ever with both their creativity and their entrepreneurialism :). Ady painted the bench, which was bright pink and is now metallic purple. There is a campaign led by Davies and Scarlett and supported by me to paint the house in lurid rainbow colours. Ady is relenting with an idea to do something crazy and beach hut inspired in the bathroom and may well be up for a bit of ManorBorn style wheelie bin decoration.
The time slipped away and I got changed into my swimsuit, packed my towel and clean pants and we all headed down to the swimming pool. I confess to being pretty nervous which shocked Ady who said ‘but you’re never nervous about *anything*!’ in surprise but this was something that is so very not me. I don’t do physical challenges, certainly not half naked with very little makeup! My panic increased as I lined up alongside proper serious athlete types, checked in, chose a swimming hat (green) and went off to get changed.
Ady and the kids were amazing, I could not have done it without them as every time I flagged and thought it was too tough I heard Davies and Scarlett cheering me on, telling me I was doing great and they knew I could do it. My own words about ‘if you try hard enough you can do anything’ rang in my ears and the thought of friends having put faith and cold hard cash in me to do this carried me through. I struggled around the 40 length mark when I was over half way but close to where I’d usually finish and I remember shouting to Ady at 55 lengths ‘this is more than I’ve swam at once in my life!’. The lane I was in had six of us to start – 4 doing the 5km swim, me doing the 2.5km and one doing the 1.5km. The 1.5km pretty much kept pace with me the whole way but of course got out after 45 lengths when I was still less than 2/3 of the way through. It was a fab atmosphere, supportive, friendly and encouraging and we were all cheered on at end of our final lengths.
I think I was about fourth out of the pool at just over the halfway mark (I did my 2.5km in one hour, 37 minutes and 30 seconds which I’m pretty proud of given 50 lengths in one hour is pushing myself and I did 1.5 times that in only just over 1.5 the time. I waited at the end of lengths when the faster person behind me was close enough to overtake too as per the rules which meant I stopped, albeit only briefly, more often than I usually would too.) but I think most people there were doing the 5km challenge. Given the full time of 3 hours for 5km and me not quite doing half of it in half that time I suspect it is beyond my reach and indeed wonder if it’s something I’d want to do but it at least gives me a further challenge to aim for should I require one…
I staggered out of the pool to the cheers and claps of the organiser, Ady and the kids along with all the other spectators and just about managed to do the bending and stretching required to get dressed. There was tea and biscuits (and medals) upstairs so we sat and ate and drank while I recovered myself before heading for home.
The kids had tea, I had a bath, Ady cooked dinner and opened a bottle of fizz 🙂 We’ve watched Doctor Who and I am now, quite justifiably very tired indeed and am going off to bed. Assuming I can get up the stairs of course ;).
You’re awesome. I take my hat off to you m’dear! Xx
Comment by Michelle — 18 April 2010 @ 7:40 am
Brilliant 🙂
You could just paint the house in one (or two) nice bright colours, doesn’t have to be lurid rainbow colours to look striking 🙂
We were very disappointed last week to find that the purple house on the left as you leave Haverfordwest to go towards Newgale has very recently been repainted to a much more sober lemon yellow. Lots of lovely bright houses round there 🙂 My parents’ house is now very blue 🙂
Comment by Alison — 18 April 2010 @ 10:28 am
Fabulous! Well done you 🙂
I’d love a purple house!
Comment by Roslyn — 18 April 2010 @ 11:07 am
Ros, look up 5 St David’s Rd, Pembrokeshire on Google Maps and then go onto streetview 🙂
And this is my parents’ house.
Comment by Alison — 18 April 2010 @ 6:56 pm