The question I am being asked all the time lately is WHY?  Most people cannot understand why I have decided to swim the channel.  My answer is always "Well it's something to do" or "It keeps me out of trouble".  The truth is that I want to know that I have achieved something amazing as well as over- coming a fear of mine (absolutely petrified of swimming in open water).  There is also the knowledge that I am raising money for my chosen charities, Havens Hospices and the RSPCA.

I am very fortunate to have Lorraine as my coach.  She is scary, tough, but knows her stuff.  She has been putting me through drills for the last couple of weeks.  We are now doing some speed work but the real work starts in September (as she keeps telling me and I thought I was worried before).  At present we are swimming approx 5 times a week with a mixture of open water and pool sessions.

Last night we did a sea swim and for the first time we had to combat quite big waves.  Certainly gives you food for thought when you are being pushed about in the water with nothing to keep you safe except your own skills.  It was really reassuring to look up and see the red hatted head of Lorraine swimming close by.  There is someone about swimming in the sea that can make you feel isolated and knowing that Lorraine is close is really reasurring, not to mention our husbands keeping watch on the shore line.

No its not Casper its my coach Lorraine

No matter how hard it is now and how hard it is going to get, we are determined to have fun as you can see from the attached picture.  This is me and Lorraine after last nights sea swim with Lorraine in her home made change tent.