To Swim or Not to Swim….

Well, I’m hoping to have a matching photo for this shot – by the end of the day.   This is Fergal Sommerville or ‘Chanimal’ to his friends.  Fergal swam the English Channel last November in a super time, and he’s taking me out swimming today at Malahide.  I’ve swum with Fergal and the High-Rock swimmers before, quite a few times.  Fergal had dared me to swim in the Irish Sea, and I said I would, if he swam the channel..  at the time I didn’t know that was exactly what he was training to do!!!   You could say, he snookered me!

Anyway, I may have swam with them before, but never like today.  I’m a in a different frame of mind and I’m ready to change the stakes.  I’m probably motivated by the prospect of my triathlon swim in Roscommon on Sunday, when I have to swim 750m in a lake in under 30-mins or risk disqualifying the rest of my relay team from the cycle and running laps.  Today in Malahide I want to push the envelope a bit.

The pressure’s on, and for the first time I want to put myself to a bit of a test.  On previous swims, I just swam out with the pack for about 10 minutes and then struck back for home.  Today I want to try and put a bit of distance under my belt.  I’ve never swam long enough to get tired, so I have no idea what will happen if I swim a decent distance – but run out of steam on the way back.

There’s lots of questions in my mind; will I get cold, will I get tired, will I make a fool of myself, should I try it without a wetsuit?

Should have a few answers for you by tomorrow!    Fingers crossed……