Week 4

Finally kept up in the pool this evening. Didn't get lapped once. Dropping down a lane was a most excellent idea.

First actual ocean swim yesterday! Swam 1km without entirely drowning. Still couldn't get the breathing quite right in the first leg but it kind of came together in the second. Still find it all incredibly challenging but at least I know I'll last the distance.

No sign of sharks. However still swam in time to the jaws theme song.

Week 3

Starting sighting drills at the beach - swimming out and around buoys. Such exhausting work - getting out and through the surf, around the buoys and back through the channel (like swimming on a treadmill) before running up the beach! Swimming such a short distance has never been so exhausted! Afterwards they told us that if the surf ever got that big in the Cole Classic or the Big Swim they'd cancel - this is a relief.

Week 2

Have survived week 1.

Excellent start, I feel.

In Brisbane for work. Buy new sneakers as investment in fitness regime. Bright as daylight by 5:30am. Start running / swimming before work. Swim in baths. Bath temperature. But very, very cute. Unclear why you need a heated pool in Brisbane.

Saturday at the beach. Focus is still on getting in and out of the water. Running over the waves with high knees. Porpoising aka diving over waves into very shallow water. Remember reason for introducing Civil Liability Act. Repression of inner law nerd not going as well as training. Sadly.

Again. Less death than expected. Lovely people, all very supporting and encouraging. Life guards around us at all times. Must not end up on Bondi rescue. Really dislike reality television as a concept, let alone as a guest star.

We have to swim in that?!

Warm up at the Beach

Some of our faithful lifesavers

We have to do what now?

And into the surf we go ...

Okay. I lied. I'm really fine in the pool. The pool is clear, friendly and wave free. I will happily swim the requisite 2.7km in the pool. Just don't make me go in the ocean.

Arrived on bike. Begrudging kudos from the drivers.

Briefing session on Bondi Beach. Two permanent rips. Joy. Talk about overkill. Possibly literally in my case.

Briefing on waves. And the sand bar. Wait, didn't that massive damages case happen here? [Try to turn off inner law nerd whilst surrounded by beach babes. Epic fail.]

Warm up. Beach jog. Wait. I did not sign up to the Can Too run program. I know my limits. Also never wanted to feel like extra on Baywatch.

Time to get wet. No time to shriek about the cold before we are hearded out (like lambs to the slaughter?) through the break. Expected death does not ensue. Can't get breathing together. Swim like they do in Baywatch instead. Give up on hope of never looking like an extra. Very glad I did not buy the red speedos.

Focus on getting out through the waves and getting back in. Do this multiple times without dying. Am again made to run, out of the surf. Seriously. Did not join Marathon program. Very well aware I am not a runner. Breath slowly returns to normal. Then comes hill climb out of Bondi. Swim, what swim?

Splish Splash

First training session tonight. Got lapped more times than if I had swum against Michael Phelps.

If at first you are lapped, perhaps the fast lane is not for you.

Otherwise less drowning than expected. Normally quite fine in the pool. Then started thinking of the ocean. Black line less easy to follow when it morphs into denziens of the deep.