Monster Swim 2012

Monster swim 2012!

Having massively enjoyed the Monster swim last year, i was over the moon to see it reappearing on the agenda again this year. For those of you who have  not yet participated its a race organised by those intrepid swimmers that are Swimtrek. Last year the sun shone, the swimmers gulped, the organisers prepared  it was amazing, even the weather changing and the wind turning the water into washing machine type conditions. This year would it be the same!

Entry fee paid, accommodation booked, now all i had to do was tick the days off of the calendar. I love going up to Scotland and you must admit there is something legendary about Loch Ness, will she come to greet us, will we glimpse her under the water! The answer so far is no she's not popped her head above the water but that being said she could be swimming right under me and i would not know the water is so black! Literally you can not see your hand once it enters the water even in the brightest of sun! The scenery is truly amazing and the atmosphere of the swim incredible. The organisation and safety cover is second to none with not a thing being an issue. Do i recommend it....very much so.

And so with the date almost upon us we decided to travel up a day or so early and extend the stay after the swim to make the  most of swimming in Scotland. The hotel were great, knowing what we were there for they put us in the Loch Ness room!

The morning of the swim came so quickly but the excitement came equally as swift. A quick breakfast and it was time to head to the venue, Dores on the shore of Loch Ness. The sun was already in the sky showing us Scotland at its finest first thing in the morning. The low light complimenting the quiet and calm of the lochs that we passed along the way. Literally mirror images of trees reflected on water met our eyes with every sweep of the road.

Tarmac rising as we climbed the hills towards the top, and then the view ahead of us literally caused us to stop the car and hunt for the cameras. It was simply breath taking and had we not had a place to be we would have set camp and watched the suns efforts on the mist laden valleys in front of us. I can only liken it to how mountaineers feel when they reach the peak and pause, it was incredible.

Pictures taken we reluctantly headed over the tops and towards the mist, convincing ourselves that we would head towards it and through it and the sun would work its magic and enable us to enjoy the magnificent surroundings once again.

Alas it was not to be , tarmac and roadside barriers were our only markers that we were on stable surface, Loch Ness which was indicated on the map (yes we use that old fashioned paper based version as well as a sat nav) was to our left but there was no sign of it to the human eye!. And thus it stayed this way throughout the whole of the ride to Dores, where it only briefly lifted slightly to afford us a view of people in luminous yellow overcoats directing us to the car park (field).

Wow, this could be one hell of a race if the mist did not lift, we were amazed at the difference a few miles can make. Retrieving our wetsuits out of the boot, we headed to registration and the water’s edge.

We queried the actual starting of the race given the weather conditions, the staff were as chirpy in person as they are on the phone, ‘oh it will not be a problem it will lift they said....oh and if it doesn't we will look to put it on later or tomorrow’. You had to admire their faith.

Registration packs in hand we headed to the water’s edge, it looked completely stunning, picturesque even. The water pan flat, the mist only affording us a view of the wooden pillars standing dark and proud. People milling around talking in almost a whisper, the occasional bout of laughter as they moved in and out of the mist. Then eerily it started to lift and as if too heavy stopped where it got to.  A bit more water on offer to see, and then all of a sudden the water silently started a swell towards us, oh wow was this Nessie come to say hello, to show that the water really is her’s! Nope a lifeboat slowly and slightly drifted in to view. Amazing how your imagination works doesn't it! Note to self, there are no such things as monsters.....or are there!

More and more people arriving, some prepared and ready to race, wetsuits on others like myself waiting for a verdict on the weather. Already i had a plan in mind if the race was postponed until the following day after all over the other side of the hills where the sun had already worked its charms there was plenty of water to play in!

I also had an additional problem that had been plaguing me for a while and had decided to make life not only painful but limited! I have a long neck, and before you say oh ok so what.....i can hyper-flex it...well i used to be able to but degeneration in the bones mean that its not as flexible as it  used to be and also the bones now move in directions i don’t always want them to go and they nip the nerves....you have no idea how many nerves there are til they get nipped! It results in aches and pains, limited movement that not only feasts itself in the neck area but also travels to your shoulders, down your arms and into your upper back, where the muscles tense to protect. Now i had spent this year desperately trying to protect the neck so that it would not pull its normal stunt but had failed epically. I had been in pain for about 3 months, been to the chiropractor, physio, doctors, had it massaged, you name it i had done it. To no avail!

I had be ultra careful when i swam but every movement was painful, i truly wanted to do the race but even the week before i was still needing help to sit up out of the bed, to dress myself properly, i made a phone call to the Monster staff asking their advice and if i could defer if i was unable to swim. To be honest their response was incredible, and the reassurance i received was indeed heartening.

Various friends who were also swimming had offered to assist me getting my wetsuit on, i was determined that if i could get it on i WOULD swim, even if it was one armed! And so standing beside the changing tent Geoff and Maybelle McKenzie had the unenviable task of trying to shrug me into my wetsuit, yes the tears flowed i could not help it even though they were being as gentle as possible. But after a fashion i was in it and zipped up. I can  not thank them enough!

Now would the painkillers hold on long enough for me to swim as long as it was not delayed too long then i was hopeful. The looks on Geoff and Maybelles face said they thought differently and that i was nuts.....but this is Loch Ness and the Monster swim i really wanted to do it.

Walking towards the warm up area, mindful of not getting knocked by other swimmers and nervous of the neck and would it let me swim, we were allowed to get in to test the water and warm up, the same effect as last year, despite the water being cool it did not feel unduly cold, maybe that is because i swim all year round or not i do not know but to me it did not feel too bad. On the plus side the mist was clearing as if the sun had said enough playing and cast her magic, it literally lifted before our eyes; quite magical if you have never seen it before. Even some sort of mist rainbow greeted us.

Those that were not ready to swim suddenly rushed to get into their wetsuits, the ambiance of the areas was  suddenly bustling and an air of nervous anticipation started to appear.

A quick dip to test the water temperature, it was not too bad, we had been told 10.5 but it felt warmer. From thick mist to radiant sunshire and the loch was showing us her beauty, to be honest i think most of us were silenced in awe of it seemingly endless waters. It really was a sight to behold!

Safety briefing given and we are eager to be off, normally i would love to have got in with the throng and trashed my way to finding a good spot but i was so wary of being knocked that i hung back, just as well as i did as there was a false start!!! Still it was interesting to watch the start rather than being in the throng of it...next time though!!!!

Everyone regrouped and it was time for the big yin to start, the water once calm became froth like with the churning of the swimmers arms and the frantic kicking of legs, in I got, it felt great, the neck and shoulders relishing the cold water as a natural painkiller. The first buoy came and went, then the second, virtually every breath i took i was aware of the safety crews watching over us there were that many of them (can't say i have been in a race where the swimmers are so well catered for!), those in canoes shouting words of encouragement, if only you could have stopped and said thank you to them ( i am saying it now).

And then it happened, from out of nowhere a lone swimmer not only bumped into me but managed to wallop the back of my neck with their stroke. Instant pain and a right arm that became numb and totally useless! Just what i was worried about. The breathing temporarily went to pot as the strength of the pain overtook me. Swimming one handed the head then began to play silly games, would Nessie see the useless arm as a target to come and say hello....yes i was spurred on to do the two armed swim again, but now i felt a lack of power, never mind, i was in Loch Ness, the weather was great and in reality i was having a ball.

The sun, however, decided it too would play with us, the furthest buoy was now not visible to the swimmers eye. Decisions....do i follow the other swimmers and hope they are going in the right direction or do i carry on sighting on what i think is the general area....a mixture of the two got me there. And then it was time for the home sprint....not in this case for me, it was more of a lollop! But the finish arrived and the grins not long afterwards, the staff there congratulating everyone which is always lovely.

Off to get changed and unusually but very much welcomed was a young gentleman asking for and taking instant feedback, very refreshing i must say. Feedback duly given and off to find my clothing, thankfully there were people to help me get the wetsuit off and the top of my clothing on and the rest was down to me. Dried and dressed and out into the sunshine, camera in hand. It was time to capture those grins and see how everyone had plastered on their face!

The weather had changed, the sun still shone (as it did last year) and the waves were picking up, thankfully all swimmers were in and either dried or drying off. It does appear at times that the loch has its own micro climate. And it was great to see some of the ladies from last years swim there too, Ann Middleton looking pleased with her time and the swim.

Another beauty of these swims is that they attract swimmers from all over Britain and abroad, most of home appear to be on Facebook judging by the amount that came over to say hello. I must admit that unless you are in a wetsuit (and the same suit you have in your pictures!!!) its highly unlikely that i will recognise you!! Its not an insult just my daft brain not recognising faces out of context!

One swimmer who brought along her 'plus one' (her Labrador dog, whose name is forever escaping me so every time said dog and i meet i end up calling her something new, i am sure this perplexes Jo but the dog understand my dotty nature!) The dog, we'll call her Amphitrite for the purposes of this blog, has as much of a love of the water as her owner and was in as soon as the clink of the lead established her freedom. Clearly oblivious to any chill she bounded in and out loving it as much as we did. Shorty after each exit she did the typical canine thing of standing as close as possible then shaking! But since her swim she has accompanied her owner on several trips to swim with us at our local watering hole (Ellerton), dogs aren't meant to be allowed into the water there by i plan to make her our team mascot so the lake owner will permit!!!

With time passing, and it did pass, its so easy to relax and just enjoy the company and scenery at the Loch, staff are in no hurry to push you towards your cars and in fact approach to congratulate and hear of your experiences, they clearly love the event as much as the swimmers. But soon it was time to head off, I had spied other stretches of water on the journey over and you know me, if there's water i will swim. Little did i know of the surprise that awaited me the following day...but that's for another blog.

Do i enjoy this event, very much so, would i recommend it, definitely  its value for money, fit for purpose and does what is says on the tin! See you all there next year!!!!.