On Sunday 18th May I took part in Fareham triathlon. I swam OK, had a brilliant (for me) cycle but walked the run. I crossed the line on my own and n last place but was 10 minutes faster than the previous year and delighted. However the next day somebody said something to me that made me feel that I had let myself down . This was a very odd feeling as I'm one of those people who just believes that if you put your mind to it you can do anything. I hadn't done any training for the triathlon - I just did it.
With that in mind I had to prepare for a 10k swim, again with no training. My mind was full of doubt. Could I swim the distance? Would I make the cut off time? Would I let myself down? My stubborn pig-headedness cut in and by hook or by crook I was going to swim this event.
Preparation the night before wasn't the best! I went for a little sea swim which lasted longer than intended so my early night went out the window. I couldn't sleep and looked at my phone at 3am. There was a message from my husband to say there was no record of mot on my car. In a panic I got up and searched for the mot certificate. It had run out Sunday. Luckily I had his car outside so after a search for keys I was outside in my pjs at 3.30am testing if the car worked!
Back to bed I went and waited for the 5am alarm. I got up and had my porridge and promptly chipped a tooth. First thought - I've now got something to do on the swim as I can play with the hole with my tongue. I woke 2 kids up and piled them in the car, searched for an open petrol station and made my way to Eton Dorney.
To my utter joy I arrived and found 2 friends in the car park. It was fantastic to see familiar faces and meant I didn't have to go through the panic of registration on my own. I'm not sure if Caz and Sarah were as nervous as me. They weren't singing 'Totally unprepared am I to face the Lake and swim. Timid and shy and scared am I for what the water brings' Off we went together, reluctant kids in tow, to the registration tent. Jokingly I had packed my passport in case I got really lost so was pleasantly pleased when I was asked for ID at registration and pulled out said passport. (The fact it had run out about 10 years ago didn't seem to matter!) Swimmer number 78. My number was written on my hand, a yellow wristband attached to my arm and a brown envelope with my hat and timing chip handed over. There was no going back now.
The 3 of us left the tent and wandered off to take a look at the start. That's when we bumped into the Bayside Tri gang and cheer team. We waited for them to register (having asked if they had passports) and together the swimming group went off to place goodies at the feeding station. Here my lack of organisation became clear. They had boxes with Bayside Tri written on and looked professional. I had an ASDA bag with an ASDA sports drink and a couple of ASDA fudge pieces. At the station they put their boxes down and I put my plastic bag next to them.
By now my nervous singing was getting annoying and I asked if we could get changed. Off to the tent we went and I started the fight to get my wet wetsuit on. I smothered myself in Body glide and headed off to check my bag in. Nerves were taking hold and doubt was creeping in. In an odd way the fact that Sadie was late and I was worrying about her making the start took my mind off my race nerves. We headed to the holding pen. Fast swimmers had to go in the first pen so that's where Addy went. Caz and I decided the back of the second pen was the best place for us so we could avoid the crowd. Somehow we moved to the middle of that pen. Anna, Erika, Sarah, Caz and I posed for photos for the support team and Sadie rushed to join us.
Before we knew it the race was starting. I remember saying to Caz, 'Let's not get caught up in this. Don't go out fast. Lets just finish'. Off we went. I followed Caz into the water. First thought - it's not too cold. Second thought - it doesn't taste nice. I much prefer salty water. (This made me giggle in a dirty minded way) Third thought - I can actually see my hands and things in the water. Fourth thought - bugger I've been caught up in this and gone out fast. Fifth thought - where are my friends? Sixth thought - I'm on my own so just swim.
After that I don't remember thinking anything particular. I was still singing that stupid song but enjoying the swim. I noticed a board at the side that said 1500m. I couldn't work out why it was there as first lap was 1.25km. Didn't take too long to realise it was a race marker for the rowing lake. Later I noticed 1250m and 1000m. (On the start of second circuit I found the 1750m marker too) These were nice to see as I could tell how far I was through the race. It was nice watching the distance drop as I knew it was getting me closer to the finish.
Another really nice point came when the first of the skin swimmers ran me over. They all had orange hats. My friend Tom is a skins swimmer and wears an orange hat. I took it as a sign that my friends were with me. Being overtaken by a heard of Tom Barnetts made me giggle. I reached the huge Human Race buoy and swam under the bridge. It was at this point I noticed I was swimming with a friend. Sarah was by my side. I'm a social group swimmer normally and like to check on everybody as I swim. To have Sarah there meant I could do my usual thing of swimming with an eye on a friend.
That second length seemed to go faster than the first. Before I knew it I was at the second feed station where my drink was placed. I could see Erika and Anna having a drink. Slight quandary - do I stop and drink or continue with Sarah.I stopped. I'm glad I did. The kids were there with Tim, Sharon and Amy and they were all cheering us on. I've never stopped for a drink when swimming before. It was an experience. For a second I thought I was going to drown - not because of the lake but because I squeezed the bottle and raspberry drink flooded down my throat. Erika and Anna were off again so I went with them. I knew they had trained and were probably pacing themselves well. They actually had a time in mind whereas I just wanted to finish. We set off with the 3 of us side by side. We went under the bridge and round the buoy to start the second lap. By now the lake was getting crowded again. Blue hat swimmers from the 5k race were determined that nothing was going to get in the way. I got hit and stopped to let them go by. I watched Erika and Anna swim off in the sea of blue hats.
I was on my own again so just watched the rowing markers count down the length. The turning buoy was a short distance past the 1000m marker. I went under the bridge and past the first of the 2 feeding stations. There I was delighted to see Sarah having a drink. She set off and I tried to swim with her but lost her in amongst other green hats. I knew where she was by the man with the stripey umbrella walking and cheering her on. I now knew Erika, Anna and Sarah were in front of me somewhere and I hoped to see them at the next feed stop.
I pulled in at the feeding station and had a chat with Amy and Sharon. They asked where Erika and Anna were. I hadn't a clue. I had seen them swim off at speed and thought they were in front. I carefully had a drink and ate a piece of fudge before swimming off. Under the bridge, round the buoy and into lap 3. Thoughts started in my head. This was uncharted territory. I'd only ever swum 5k before. That was OK. I had a talk with myself. I had swum 5k twice before and that made 10k so I could obviously do this. The fact my 2 5k swims were about 4 weeks apart wasn't an issue. I just had 5k to do. Here came those marker points again . Here came the singing again. I was singing 'There's one more angel in heaven' from Joseph. This had perfect rhythm for longer breathe holding and made the swim comfortable. I decided to sing the whole soundtrack from the start of the show but discovered I'd forgotten too many words. Go go Joseph was a good one for speeding up though!
As I rounded the corner to go under the bridge I decided to do breast stroke. That's when it happened. I got cramp in one leg. OK, I thought how do you cure cramp. Blank. I've never had cramp before swimming. I decided to kick it out. I switched back to front crawl and the other leg went. Now, I THOUGHT THAT I DIDN'T USE MY LEGS WHEN SWIMMING CRAWL. I THOUGHT THEY JUST TRAILED BEHIND.AT THAT PRECISE MOMENT I REALISED JUST HOW IMPORTANT MY LEGS WERE. They just sank. I tried to power on with just arms but I was going nowhere and sinking. I tried kicking but my legs didn't like it. I kicked enough to stay afloat and move forward. I could see the feed station. I could see Sarah! I kicked my legs. They worked! Dilemma do I drink or keep going? I kept going. My legs were working so it would have been silly to stop. Next thought -I've got a 5k run next week and my legs have cramp now and running is my nemesis. OOH nemesis. I KNOW A SONG ABOUT THAT! Perry the Platypus has a lot to answer as the swim to the next feeding station was filled with 'My Neme neme ooh my neme nemesis, my neme neme ooh my nemenemesis.'
Feed station 3 and again met with cheers and horns. The Bayside pom poms and horns are such a sight to behold especially after 7.5k swimming. More fudge and drink. I think Sarah was there too. I remember talking to a swimmer and an official asking if we were going. I finished my fudge and said the next stop was the finish. Off we went and off Sarah shot (Yes I remember now, it was her.) Under the bridge. Round the buoy. Here come the markers. Reached the buoy, under the bridge, stick tongue out at photographer, keep going, past feed station (no Sarah), just keep swimming, just keep swimming. Go away cramp I don't like you. Keep working legs. Ooh Robbie Williams singing swing song to me.. Ooh 'Dream a little dream for me' has a good swim beat and breathing pattern. Goodbye swans. Goodbye gap where you can see other lake. Keep swimming. Keep singing. Nobody at the feed station. Keep swimming. I hear horn. I hear cheers. Under bridge. Wave at kids on bridge first. Can I overtake this man. Sing faster, swim faster. Give up and let the man have his moment. Approach black finish marker. Made it.
Now came the hardest part of the race. Get out. Dear legs why do you no longer work. Nice man takes my elbow and helps me up. He lets go I fall over. He helps me up. Cross the line he shouts. He lets go. I fall over. He helps me up, pulls me up slope, lets go. Splat. Lady comes over, 'CROSS THE LINE' she shouts. She escorts me over line, removes my ankle timer and props me up against the fence with a hand on my elbow. Supporters are all there and I wonder how many photos of me on the floor there are (none so far!) A huge smile on my face and a foil blanket placed over my shoulders. Pigeon steps to the medal table as my legs still weren't working and a wobbly walk to find my clothes.
Off to the changing tent and start to get changed. A text came through CONGRATULATIONS PENELOPE on completing the swim in a time of 3:44:31 . Gobsmacked. I was expecting over 4 hours. I was worried I would be stopped before final lap! Just after that Anna walked in shivering badly. 'Why didn't you get changed straight away? ' I asked. Then Erika walked in 'ANNA! You look dreadful' she says. (What else are friends for!) THEY START TO CONGRATULATE ME. I'm still looking confused as to why they hadn't got changed. Then the penny dropped! They were behind me. I still can't work out when I went by them. I would have bet everything I owned that they were in front of me. The position of any of us didn't matter. It was finishing that was important but that was the part of the day that still confuses me. I'm sure I saw them ahead of me on that final lap.
Dressed and with sweet tea drunk it was off to watch Sadie finish. I secretly wanted her to fall flat on her face getting out too but she didn't. However when she came to talk to us it looked like she had! Anna had a puffy face but Sadie took the prize! I believe next time she won't wear her goggles so tight.
Excitement then as we could see Caz coming down the last length. She had a safety boat with her and we were ready to form a lynch mob if they tried to stop her. Legs now working I 'ran' to the bridge to cheer her on. Then back to the finish to watch her cross that line. I was so proud to see my friend being wrapped in blankets and be congratulated in style. Bayside tri were there to cheer and hug . What an amazing experience.
