Thursday 30 June 2011

Pics - lol lol lol !









A massive massive thank you to everyone!


So I think I've just about recovered from Just and Kate's fundraiser on Saturday night at the Lady Bay pub. We had the most amazing time and you guys were so so generous that we have raised nearly £1000 - OMG!!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!!! Kate and I hope you had as much fun as we did and the feedback from the disco and karaoke DJ's went a little like this "this is the best party and best audience we've ever had" and consequently they continued to play music free of charge for another couple of hours...much to the delight of Emma "tiggerrrrrr" Trent - that girl just bounced all night - respect!

There obviously were some classic moments - incredibly bad singing from my best mate Bex, Chubby Bunnies (all the participants were such great sports and congrats to Mike the winner) and some table dancing using vinegar bottles as microphones! Ali, Paul, Lolly, Steve and the rest of the Lady Bay pub gang - THANK YOU and we will hopefully swing our pants again to celebrate our channel crossing!!!

So I will leave you with some images of the night and most importantly the Teenage Cancer Trust will be that little bit closer to completing a much needed unit at the QMC.


Monday 20 June 2011

"Magic" journey moments!





The journey not the destination...

As the swim gets closer and the nerves start to kick in I got to thinking about everything we have done and achieved over the past year. I know nearer the time things will get a bit manic and I will be that nervous that stringing sentences together will be a real challenge so I thought I'd write this now!!

It really has been life changing.

Whatever the final outcome of our Channel Swim Challenge I know that both Justine and I have done everything we can do to prepare for this swim. I know that there are people out there that have trained for years to attempt this challenge, and that many people commit their whole lives for a good chunk of time to achieving this dream. This was never our plan. We set out to show that ordinary people can achieve extraordinary things... and our aim was to show how working towards a dream could fit in nicely around our work and family commitments.

It hasn't quite worked out that way!

As the months went on we have both come to realise that its not that easy to do this level of training whilst holding down a full time job, feeding and entertaining partners and family, and trying to maintain some form of life outside of the pool / river / lake!

... but we have tried to stay as normal as possible! (!?)

We have had to adapt normal channel swim training to fit around our life and work commitments... most Channel swimmers head to Dover most weekends to Swimmers Beach to join Freda Streeter and her team for some training. Justine and I have not yet managed to make it to Dover due to one thing and another, but we are planning on going in July for the weekend a couple of weeks before the big day! Until then we will continue to train in the River Trent in Nottingham, racking up the miles in the coldest water we can find!!

We may find on the day, that we wish that we had been able to go to Dover more often.. or any seaside for that matter. But I know for sure that we are both ballsy girls and will attack any challenge thrown at us with guts and gusto.. so bring it on!! and what will be will be!

The training we have done to get here has been amazing. Our coach Nick Dunn has kept us motivated and challenged throughout.. working with him and getting to know the rest of the Virgin team (Lucy, Richard, John, Sally & Richard ...and anyone else in the pool or gym that chats to us about whatever we're up to that day!) has been real highlight of this journey for me...

The events we have done, (Eton 10km and the 24 hour swim at Guildford) have both been amazing .. both were excellent preparation for the channel, and both gave us the opportunity to meet and chat to other swimmers attempting similar challenges. The support of these people can never be underestimated... the number of supportive emails and messages and Facebook postings that have helped through out this experience has been amazing. I find myself checking blogs and profiles to see how all these new swimming friends are getting on with their challenges and can't wait to hear their stories of success when they achieve their goals! People I feel compelled to mention are Colin Hill, Brynn Dymott, Karen Throsby and Paul Bates.. you have no idea how much it has helped reading your messages and blogs!

The final point I wanted to make was about the way this challenge has changed me as a person. By putting myself through this whole experience I have come to appreciate just how lucky I am. Not only in that I am physically able to swim and enjoy it, but also to have the support network I have in my own family and friends (Emma has been just AMAZING throughout and I couldn't ask for a better wife!) and Justine and her gang... not to mention work friends (who have been bloomin' brilliant in my quest to fatten up and generally being supportive and understanding when I come in smelling of chlorine or pond weed!), gym friends, and people in general that show an interest in what we are doing and why we are doing it. I feel truly blessed!

A massive thanks must go to the gang at South Nottingham College for having faith in us and getting us sorted with our support boat and many other things!... Carrie Eames we have you to thank for helping us get the sponsorship from the college (and getting us hooked up with the BBC and many other things where Justine and I have to parade ourselves around in our swimming cozzies!).. and not forgetting Kimberley Caravans for helping us with our accommodation when we're doing the swim!

I can't finish this without mentioning Justine... It was all her idea after all!

Seriously though Just, you have been brilliant! I know there have been plenty of times when you must have really hated me and nick... and the sessions we would bring to the pool, but without fail you cracked on and got on with it (with only a bit of a protest!) ! Your determination through this has been a real inspiration to me and I know that between us we make a pretty formidable team.

Which brings me back to the beginning;

Whatever the outcome of our challenge, it's the journey not the destination.

LETS SMASH THIS!!

... and then can we go to the pub ;-)

Monday 13 June 2011

Gossip......


So just to keep everyone up to speed with things. Firstly it's only 6 weeks until our big swim OMG! I'm starting to get rather apprehensive from time to time and last week I had to endure a mental battle with myself and for the first time I got really niggy in the pool (bad tempered for the non-welsh!). And to top it off I ended the week swimming in HPP regatta lake during an almighty thunder and lightening storm with hail stones the size of sprouts. Thankfully I live to tell the tale!

So following our 10 km swim at Eton I headed down to Cornwall with my family to do some sea training. This turned out to be a really valuable experience; the water temp was 11-12 degrees Celsius and the swell was massive! In fact Dave (my hubby) and GB marathon kayaker Big Matt were suffering from sea sickness whilst piloting me on one of my daily jaunts into the ocean. Anyway the conditions did settle during the week and the taste of salt water became bearable.

Kate has just returned from Norfolk and her sea training so we'll catch tomorrow for a full debrief. The River Trent is proving to be a great training venue; there seems to be less fleas and less swan poo, although our cossies have turned brown! Our usual Trent days are Monday and Friday mornings - entering the water at 6am. So please come and join us and I bet you'll be surprised how much you enjoy it.

And don't forget that we have our Teenage Cancer Trust fundraiser on 25th June at the Lady Bay pub - disco, karaoke and BBQ starting at 7.00pm. It would be great to see everyone there and the perfect opportunity for Kate and I to thank everyone in person for their support - it's been one hell of a life changing journey! Come on us - we can do it!!!!!!


Big thanks to Speedo!

So I had a quick visit to the new Speedo head quarters at NG2 last week which is very very impressive. Dr Tom presented me with a box of goodies for both Kate and I and then to top it off Graham, also from Speedo aqualab donated some ace cossies. I also had a quick catch up with James Hickman - it just seems to be that everyone who works there looks incredibly fit and is bloomin nice. So a big thanks guys from Channeling Positivity and you're all invited to our charity fundraiser at the Lady Bay pub on 25th June - disco, karaoke and BBQ...now who could resist!!!