Happy New Year everybody!!! I hope you are all having a great start to 2017. I kicked off my year by completing the Polar Swim in Salford Quays. What a fabulous experience!
I wanted to start 2017 by doing something which scared me; yes I know that sounds strange but those of you who know me will surely be nodding your heads right now! I believe that a challenge should always be scary and take you out of your comfort zone, otherwise it's not really a challenge is it? Doing something that scares me helps me grow in confidence - when I'm standing in my running shoes trying to get myself out of the door, worried that people will see me and scoff at the red-faced efforts; then I will remember January 1st and know that I can conquer my fears and achieve my goals. I will remember the week before the swim; having a heavy cold and bad chest and worrying that I would not be well enough to take part. I had many messages that week from family and friends telling me not to get into the water if I was ill - and some were very strongly worded (you know who you are!). I had two wonderful young men who were waiting on the side lines ready to take my place if I wasn't better - thank you so much Cain and Tom, you are absolute stars!! By New Year's Eve (which by the way, is still fun even if you are the only sober person at the party!) I had the cough under control and had decided that if I got into the water and started coughing then I would beat a retreat. After all, if you can't breathe you can't swim and I'm no hero!! When New Year's Day dawned myself and my entourage set out for Salford and spent 2 hours standing around in the rain slowly getting colder and colder! I stood on the edge of Dock 9 looking at the icebergs - no really there were icebergs in the water! Okay they were the course markers but still.........each time I looked at the icebergs in the black water I shivered and thought "surely that is more than 250 meters". I passed most of the waiting time talking to other swimmers who were a very friendly bunch and listening to their tales of icy swims and gathering tips on how to survive. When my "wave" was called I hugged by daughter Katrina and said "erm I'm really scared!" She looked me in the eye and said "my Mum took on a storm in Loch Ness and came out smiling - Salford Quays is no match for you! Go and have fun mum". Clearly she has had an excellent upbringing (and bringing my grandson along dressed as a shark was a stroke of genius!) I hung back when the starting horn sounded as I was nervous and wanted to make sure I could turn around and get out if necessary but I have to say it was a very sedate start - none of the usual running in and swimming over each other. Once in the water I had the inevitable "oh s**t that's cold" moment and then an "arrggghhh that's painful" moment when I tried to put my head in the water and had an instant ice cream headache!! The decision to swim head up was quickly made and I started to get into my stride. I approached the midway iceberg much quicker than I anticipated and from the wrong angle which meant I head butted it and then skirted around it. Which was slightly unnerving for me as one of my fears in open water swimming is getting my legs tangled in the ropes that anchor boats and buoys - the other fear is cramp. Thankfully neither materialised. The atmosphere in the water was great with everyone cheering each other on and the die-hard's wearing only swimsuits and silly hats. Everyone was grinning and it really was an awesome feeling. As with other swims, I was struck by how small I felt looking up at the huge dock walls and thinking how far away the crowds of on-lookers seemed as they appeared so small. It gives one a completely different perspective when viewing the world from water level! Once I was around 3/4 of the way round I started to feel the cold seeping through my wetsuit and began to shiver a little. I was feeling rather breathless and made a conscious decision to slow my pace as I wasn't getting enough oxygen into my lungs. At this point I did start to think about the cold and wonder whether I would be ok to make it to the finish. This thought was quickly followed by a reminder of why I was doing this and I literally gritted my teeth, punched the air and shouted "come on this is for Lizzie!" The lady swimming at the side of me (one of the mad one's in a swimsuit) immediately smiled at me and said "yes come on Lizzie you can do this!". A lovely chap ahead of me turned and yelled to me "come on Lizzie" and before long a group of people around me were all shouting "come on Lizzie!" I wasn't about to inform them that I'm not Lizzie so I joined in and ploughed on to the finish!!! So, to my beautiful niece Lizzie - sorry but I stole your identity for a few minutes - hope you don't mind! On exiting the water I was given my lovely medal and lots of hugs from Meghan who commented that I had been grinning all the way round. I don't know if it's hypothermia setting in but my smile was a little manic and I truly felt invincible! My "crew" quickly had me divested of wetsuit and swimsuit and dried off with warm clothing piled on before handing me a shot of whiskey. The cold hit me about 40 minutes later and felt as though someone had parked an industrial freezer in my chest. Intense cold spreads from the core outwards and is a most unpleasant sensation. However a hot shower, hot water bottle, blankets and a couple of walnut vodkas followed by 2 days in bed and I was back on form! I am so very glad that I was able to complete this challenge and I cannot find the words to express how fabulous it feels to set your intentions at the beginning of a year of challenges and know that you really can achieve them. So, challenge number 1 is ticked off and training has begun for challenge 2 (100k cycle) and challenge 3 (Manchester Color Run). Plans for challenges 4 and 5 are also in hand. I am now the proud owner of an action cam so hopefully I will be able to add videos to this blog - once I have worked out how to do it!! Finally I want to say a huge THANK YOU for everybody's support and encouragement. You amazing people have so far raised £332.17 for Maggie's Centres in honour of Lizzie's Blue Tit and I cannot express how much that means to me. Fund raising is currently at 16% of the total £2,017 which I hope to raise by the end of 2017. More coming soon.................
8 Comments
Katrina
15/1/2017 08:01:03 pm
Oh Gill, as always your blog was amusing, inspirational and emotional.
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Gill
15/1/2017 08:30:01 pm
Thank you so much Katrina! You never fail to support me and cheer me on - 29 years (yes really!) since you saved Meghan and we are still sharing laughter and tears. I love you my wonderful friend xxxx
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Lizzie (Blue Tit!)
16/1/2017 08:35:47 am
Aw I love it!! Go Lizzie! Lmao!! I did think we could combine names and came up with Gizzie..... that's just not right thought! 😂 I was thinking about you freezing your t!ts off! What a wonderful thing to do and what a wonderful thing you are doing. Putting yourself through 'torture' to help others, that says a lot about the person you are and I will be forever grateful! Let's get some cash raised for my blue tit!! 😂💜💜😘😘
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Gill
16/1/2017 06:36:11 pm
Blue Tits Rule!!! Love you Lizzie xxxx
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Liz Mulqueen
16/1/2017 11:22:05 am
You are truly inspirational Gill. The thought of that icy water just sends shivers through me, but your steely determination is a force to be reckoned with. I salute you!!! xxx
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Gill
16/1/2017 06:37:23 pm
Thanks Liz, it really wasn't so bad - and I have a lot of natural insulation lol xxx
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Gill
16/1/2017 06:39:23 pm
Hi Peter, thank you so much for your ongoing support. It really does mean the world to me to have my big brother say he is proud of me. Xxxx (never too late for hugs!)
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