I suppose since knee op number 2 (yes still banging on about it) I’ve been wanting to challenge myself. So what better than to sign up for a 5k swim? The longest swim I’ve done this year is 2.25k and never swam further than 3.5k. What an idea…! Spurred on by the whole two likes of my pre race carb load pasta bowl pic from our @nebula team and a can of red bull (if it’s good enough for Lucy Charles-Barclay, it’s good enough for someone who’s age group finish place is usually the same as the number of people in the age group) I set off.
I had two aims for this race. Oh wait, it’s not a race….
No chips no timing mat no mass start. The lovely event director tells us before we go “this is a celebration of being outside”. And at Chipstead lake, what a lovely outside it is. The aims were 1- no feet on land for the whole time and 2- sub 2 hours. After waving to hayfever suffering Ben and dog, I start. Not 30m in and I’ve stopped. Bobbing around trying to make my neck in the wetsuit feel more comfortable. This could be a long 2 hours if that rubs. Fixed, and we go. The lake has been opened up so we can swim both sides and as I go towards the far side of the lake where I’ve never swum and it’s dawned on me just how far this is. 5k… that’s a park run… that’s 10 bbzzzzzzz’s of my garmin 500m lap notification (dear reader if you don’t know me but maths and triathlon are not my strong suits). Shit. That’s is far. As I head to the furthest point of the lake where I’ve got no reference sight points I’m struggling to see. Everyone’s tow floats look like a buoy and I have no idea where I’m going. My goggles are steamy and I’m confused. Is that a buoy with a H on? No no, it’s someone leaving the side of lake in a swimming costume by some rather nice houses (I make a mental note to look them up on right move to see just how far out of our budget they are). I make the actual buoy and stop. Quick wee and goggles de steam. I can see! This may just be ok.
I’m desperate for my watch the buzz the 2nd 500m as I follow the varied highlighter colour of tow floats and complete the first half of lap 1. Relief as I know the second half having swam here on and off for 6 years. For some reason, I still forget about the weeds. To finish the lap you swim through a lot of reed weed things remarkably looking like the challenge in the triwizard tournament in the black lake. I’m half expecting to see Ron Hermione and Fleur Delacoure’s little sister, but I reach the jetty, wave at Ben and sit on the float and have a few sips of my carbs. Lap 1 done. Wait, that was 1850m. This is 3 laps. Maths isn’t mathsing. This is going to be longer than 5k. Help. “You saved her when she wasn’t yours to save”!
I realise if I don’t get a wiggle on I could fail at aim 2. I start swimming. Actually swimming. I get the bzzzzz of Garmin lap 4 and 5 and I’ve got some pace. The 2.5k-ers have gone and I can just make out the buoys. Lap 2 seems more like I’m a swimmer. I pass the buoys more comfortable and get back to the weeds. No wizards but a lot of fish, I’ve not seen so many fish here, it’s insane/ a bit scary. I finish the 2nd lap and tell Ben I saw a fish as long as my arm! I can’t hear what he says in reply with my ear plugs in but I assume it’s nothing short of amazement. However my “I’ve already done 3650m” was met with his retort “but you’re still doing the full 3 laps right?” Erm yes, thanks Ben.
I start off and delirium and aches creep in with equal measure. I notice my jaw, neck, shoulders and biceps. I see a paddle board coming towards me that looks like Ben and Colin on the way to rescue me. But alas, it was a woman and her two blonde sons enjoying summer solstice. No respite. I realise now I’ve passed the Ironman distance 3.8km and I’m desperate for the 9th watch bzzzz to say 4.5km to signal it’s nearly over. But I’ve got so much of the lap left to cover. How can it be? Again, the maths isn’t mathsing. I work out I’ve got roughly 1km left to the end. I’m comfortably under the 2 hours but haven’t got a clue when I’d actually finish. But I make it round, after the weeds I see the biggest ever fish I’ve seen there, panic, kick my toe float rope, panic more and get to the end. It’s over. It’s time to drink a glass of wine in my Swim the Lake mug and straighten out my arms and biceps, or are they stuck at a 90° angle forever?
Chip time? There isn’t one. Strava says 5446m – annoyingly just shy of 5.5km (My bad maths likes round numbers!) in 2:05. I’ll take that! It’s a celebration after all.
Thank you Tri Swim and coach Laura and team Nebula!