I didn't die

As I lay in bed last night, thinking that Staines was not a very glamorous place to end my life and that drowning was not the way I wanted to go, I really thought there was a possibility that I would have to blog today to say that the Ironman dream was over.  I thought that if today went badly, I would at least have time to get some of my money back from Ironman UK.

It was with this positive, up-beat view that I got up at 5:40 and set out down the M4 to Staines and Heron Lake for my first ever swim in a wet suit and my first ever open water swim.  I got there at 6:30 and met up with Simon, my mentor for the morning.  He's a good friend who did the UK Ironman in 2008 so is well placed to advise me.

As I parked up, I saw there were already people in the water and it just looked odd.  I've never seen a triathlon so it was all very new.  I put on my wetsuit on top of a pair of Kraft shorts and a compression top as its what I will be wearing in two weeks time.

All suited up (with my two borrowed swim caps) I followed Simon down the small jetty into the water.  It was cold but not too bad.  I felt it on my hands and feet but it was OK.  That is until I started swimming.  As soon as I put my head in the water in was freezing.  It took my breath away and I had a little panic.

What was brilliant was the wet suit.  Everyone had told me that they are really buoyant and keep you afloat and its true.  I was not going to die in Staines.  I could just stop and float without effort.

From then on, a pattern formed where I would swim about 20 strokes OK but feel more and more stressed and tight-chested forcing me to stop.  I'd relax and talk to the extremely patient Simon and then set off again.  It was the same feeling as in the pool; not out of breath from a lack of fitness but from a panic or fear or something.

The good news is that my speed seemed OK so I know that as long as I keep going or even reduce the stops down, I can finish the distance.  I will now go every week I can and just concentrate on doing slightly longer each time.  I will try and increase that 20 stokes to 25 between stops and then 30 and so on.

A huge thank you to Simon for holding my hand (figuratively) around the lake and only spooking me once by hiding behind a buoy.  He did laugh when I yelped after something touched my foot (definitely a shark or stingray) but I'll forgive him that.