Great North Swim 2011

Today started early,couldnt sleep and was awake from before 4 this morning. I challenged myself to run everyday this month so I had planned to run after the swim. Whilst I was lying awake I thought I may aswell go for my run early then ther'd be nowt to do after the swim so I got up an ran round Kendal, just short of 2 miles but a run is a run. The Great North Swim we set off from Kendal to Bowness on Windermere at 6:30 to get he ferry at 7:00. We had to pay for the car park but we didnt have enough change and the card machine was not working so we went to the overflow carpark where hubby could use disabled badge to park for free. This meant we had further to walk for the ferry. We had just missed one ferry and had to w Ait 15 mins for next one. The weather was wet but not cold or eindy . We got off the ferry and got a bus to the start. We got there at about 8:15. The skys were grey and it was drizzley. We got into our wet suits and checked in. There was an acclimatisation pool so we went in that initially it felt cold, especally when I stood up to get out. We than went to the start, did a warm up and then it was time. I felt sick I was so nervous as we walked at the back towards the start line, I reached for hubbys hand for reasurance as we enterd the water. The acclimatisation pool had done its job and entering the water was not too big a schock but I couldnt get my face in the water. Hubby got ahead as we made our way to the edge of the crowd he looked back and I signalled him to go on without me. I had another go at getting my face in the water, it was murky and disorientating so I continued to do front crawl wth my head up. Soon I was into a rhythmn a bit like distance running, I counted off the boys and was determined not to have a break. I knew I was not last and relaxed. I was hwever a bit too far on the outside as the pack spread out. I vounted the bouys off , yellow,yellow, yellow,pink. Halfway still going strong not fast but steady. I worked my way closer to the bouys and counted them down, yellow I was tiring thinking on land Im a tortoise does that mean in water Im a turtle, slow and steady. Yellow, I could do with a rest, yellow, its like seeing the last marker in a race, I just had to go between the orange boys and under the gantry, 100 m to go and I had not rested my arms were killing but I was nearly there. I got out of the water better than normal so was happy with that. I heard my name as I was staggering up the ramp and there was Hubby waiting for me. My watch sait 45:22 and his said 40:09so we were ecstatic. Big hugs. The hardest bit today was getting out of my wet suit. Need to practice that before the tri in 3 weeks. I bought hubby tickets to question of sport live in October as a gift for completing it I got 2 new charms for my nomination bracelet. A lovely day, busy and boozy on champagne. So happy