It’s been a tough November and December 2010!. Hence, two reports together. The past month has seen my little ‘water slave’, as Mr. Kevin Carley has started to call her, not only being rolled over by me in the water (all part of her ‘disorientation training’), but also being rolled over in her car!!!!!!!! Combine this ‘time-out’, with horrendous weather conditions and extreme work pressures and what is the result – a failed attempt at December’s continuous 11.2k target! November’s continuous 9.6k straight though, went without a hitch. Hurt like hell, but she did it.
We do our long swims slightly different now. I have decided that as my little ‘water slave’ will not be able to touch the bottom to take on fluids during her challenge, that it would be a good idea to start taking our feeds from the deep end whilst treading water. Her initial reaction – “But my arm will hurt when I reach up onto the side for my bottle”. My initial reaction – L.O.L.! “would you like me to dress a small table with a nice cloth, vase of flowers, candle etc. and pass it to you? So this is the norm now for all continuous swims, no touching the bottom, well so I thought. When Karen reads this, it will be the first time she realizes that I am not the fool she thinks I am. Big brother is watching over you ALL THE TIME. Whilst attempting December’s straight 11.2k, I always swim with her to keep her company. Even though I am sort of enjoying the hard slog myself, I am constantly watching and monitoring her every move. So with the lack of training through December, it came as no surprise to me when I looked back, under my arm, towards her whilst swimming in the opposite direction, to see her taking a sneaky rest and drinking whilst holding onto the side. Then, as I swam back towards the deep end, head up position, to see what she was up to, there she was taking a very long rest indeed. Then came the bit that took me back to my school days when you are doing something really naughty that you mustn’t let teacher see – just as I got within 15metres of the end, she let go of the side and frantically started treading water whilst taking fluids! Who are you trying to kid? Well, I never said anything at the time coz I was trying not to pee myself with laughter and choke as I carried on swimming. OK Karen, so you might get lucky. There might just be a large underwater volcano in the middle of the channel that you manage to find so you can have a little rest half way across. Who knows! Me however, I am quite proud that I am having this effect on her – my water slave is actually scared of me!
Anyway, her 11.2k attempt was obviously going to end is failure. She explained she felt sick – “So chuck up then and continue please” She explained she was giddy – “So switch to backstroke please” She explained backstroke hurts her neck – “So do breaststroke then please” She explained breaststroke hurts her arm !!!!! SO BUGGER OFF THEN AND BE back in the pool at 6.30a.m. to finish off the missing 3.2k in the morning AND it will be done with flippers and paddles very, very hard. To which she replied, I could make it at 7.00a.m. */@*/@*@? Sorry, unprintable……….
Which brings me onto my ‘cyber friend’. Mr. Paul Bates, whoever you are, he seems to be having the same problem with one of his team mates in Walsall . Check out the following quote from his Xmas report before visiting their blog if you wish to follow their story. These guys are going to attempt a record breaking channel crossing relay in July 2011 and they are raising money for the British Heart Foundation in memory of their late friend, Mr. Mark Richuss. Mark sadly died at such a tender age through heart disease in 2005. Mark loved swimming, be it in the pool or open water. Here is the clip from Big Ricks blog: -
“Our other missing member is our very own Super Star..!! Mr Darran "supper chest" Dyke ...who sadly is suffering a very painful illness which he always gets about this time of year , I`m thinking some of you may of heard of this deadly illness ... LAZYITIS....!!, So at the moment, he's more fondly known as Flabby Chest..!.!! So he had best Get his ass into gear and get to training ASAP before he gets his old Man Boobs BACK.!!! (other wise we have to take shocking measures and publish picture evidence of the old man Boobs ..SCARY”.
Seriously though, please visit the site : http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fbigrickchannelswimteam.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F12%2Fmerry-christmas-everyonex.html&h=28bca
So here we are. 2011 at last. Karen Eyles will swim the channel - solo. It’s gonna be a real tough few months as my own job, PA to an accountancy firm, will bring a lack of personal coaching from me whilst I struggle with the usual January self-assessment deadline and all that over-time. My little “water slave” will need to be disciplined and self-motivated to get through the sessions without me nagging and moaning from the side. But, I know she will do it because, despite a very lazy two months, the failed 11.2k was a huge wake up call. We are now going to attempt it again on Friday January 14th, followed by January’s continuous swim of 12.8k on Friday January 26th and I just know they will both be a success because one thing that has not changed at all is her determination that despite the obstacles that are put in front of her, she will succeed in her challenge.
