Chapter 4 Mission of a Medal

Mission Accomplished Medal earned!!!!!

From a first outing to a lake, the lady sits, having dipped her feet, contemplating her destiny, its been written, the second her toes touched the cool waters, her heart opened and her head strengthened


Its Louise's big day,  i had agreed to meet her at the changing venue of the Great North Swim. It was an emotional day. I must admit i had no worries about her doing the distance, she was more than capable of it, she had put in so much hard work. Her sheer determination alone should ahve been enough to get her round. I knew how much it meant for her to do it. She really had been on the most amazing journey and today was the culmination of all that work. I knew the input that she had put into arriving at her place at the swim. This had been a physical  mental and emotional journey and she had risen to every challenge thrown at her, today would be the day that she saw the results for all her hard work.

I had my tears before i even left the house, i needed Louise to see me dry eyed and strong for her, i had the feeling that she would shed a tear or two. This meant so much to her to not only do it but to enjoy it too. That was the main thing for me i wanted her to enjoy it, she had already been bitten by the outdoor swimming bug, witnessed things that some swimmers will probably never see.

We were lucky that the race was on, the weather the previous two days had been horrendous

Arriving at the Lake District and heading towards Windermere i was greeted by traffic, lots of it and it was moving at a snails pace. This was not good, i had made a promise and i was determined to do it. Now you have to ask yourself on the biggest sporting weekend of the year for Windermere where on earth was the logic in starting road works!!! Parking is bad at the best of times but it appeared worse today. Finally getting to the car park ..and securing a place, it was now a matter of getting to the venue, ahha, a bus service had been laid on, i told my partner i would grab the bus and he could meet me, getting on i finally felt like i was getting somewhere, almost there Louise, i could not let her know, no mobile signal! The bus joined the traffic....and stopped, oh my god was i ever going to get there in time i thought as i watched Geoff walk past the bus which literally appeared not to have moved in the last 5 minutes. Knickers to this, i alighted the bus and set off at a clumsy trot towards the venue.

And there was Louise in front of the agreed place. Her family had come to watch her swim, all had cameras! Louise looked fit to pop, right get the wetsuit on and head to the start, there was very little time to waste. Right, dressed and time to get Louise in the right place mentally. The family were all smiles, Louise although smiling really needed a moment on her own to collect her thoughts. We needed to get behind the barriers. Hugs and kisses goodbye we headed off, numbers written on hands. We were through, the minute we were Louise took a massive breath and started to relax. We were there, no turning back.

As with all these events there are people there that you know, that you can talk to Louise found her family, who had placed themselves near the barrier. Bottles of water where there for us to drink, we were glugging it down..we already had full bladders and if you looked around you could see the other swimmers who were in a similar situation, we were doing the wetsuit dance, legs crossed, jiggling, bouncing, then back to legs crossed....we needed to save the wee to help keep us warm in the water.

That the event was even going ahead was no minor miracle  two days before the weather had taken a severe turn for the worst. Gales and rain had lashed the Britain and the lake district had taken a battering. The water levels had risen amazingly to the point where the barriers that should have been visible...weren't. (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-cumbria-18546983)

With races cancelled and postponed it was a real worrying time to see if Louises race would go ahead, emails were checked constantly, the internet on permanently.....but eventually the confirmation that the Sunday races would go ahead came....phew. I did not want to see all that hard work to waste.

The earlier morning races had taken place in nice calm conditions but the afternoon ones would take place with wind and little sun. But we were there, ready, and waiting the clock ticking off the minutes until we entered the water. Louise understandably nervous and emotional, after all 'this was it', no turning back...well she did have the option of doing that but there was no way i would have let her do that.

Entering the warm up area i had forewarned Louise NOT to put her head under the water...its not warm for no reason...all those full bladders waiting to pop!!!

As luck would have it a welcome distraction came walking by, in the form of Keri-Anne Payne, having spoken to Keri on several occasions at races, i know that she is approachable and very articulate, and so i approached. Chatting away about the swim, the Olympics which were due to commence and her general being, Louise stood hopping from foot to foot (nerves or the water adding to the pressure on her bladder?) Keri, wished Louise and myself well in the race and set off to do her own prep, me grinning...Louise looking confused...do you know who you have just spoken to, i asked....nope, i enlightened Louise...i am sure had it been possible she would bruised her foot the speed her jaw dropped! Imagine chatting to Britain's leading open water female swimmer and being that nervous that you do not realise who you are speaking to....clearly Louise was in 'race mode!!!!'

Time to do the warm up, Louise and i retreated to the back of the group, you do feel abit foolish at times doing these exercises but they are designed twofold, firstly, you have dipped and have started to cool down and also as i wonderful distraction to those nervous soles about to enter the water. Louise bouncing up and down like a seal on acid...had that look on her face, the eyes were swimming, clearly she knew the time was coming. We hugged and bounced together while she composed herself before a final farewell to her family as we waited in the throng to get our place in the water. 

Deep breaths Louise, you can do this...the eyes were wide, rather like a rabbit caught in the headlights, the breathing as if she had just ran a 10k race, the body language ....tense. Lower your shoulders, rotate them, breath, now breath slower, you are fine, you can do this, you have trained, you are more than ready for it, YOU CAN DO IT!

I can remember my first open water race, its easy to forget the fear but also the determination that you feel. A last hug and then our toes hit the waters edge, take your time but keep moving, i could not push her in....i could not pick her up and take her in, now was the biggest hurdle, getting in. Louise, clearly chatting to herself in her head, lifted up her chin, in that way that i had become accustomed to her doing, YES.....she was going to do it, the feet lifted as she marched into the water, the shoulders dropped. She had swam in colder water so was used to the temperature and this was warmer than it had been of late. 

Getting out of the jetty area and finding her place in the race was hard work, those around were in the same or similar state, oblivious Louise carried on turning her arms over, the water was choppy but not too bad. Heading towards the first buoy  it can seem like an eternity especially as you are trying to get your breathing right and sort your pace out added to this the water once out of the jetty area WAS very choppy. I had told Louise prior to the race that i would do various things to keep myself warm, syncronised swimming, butterfly and also taking as many sweets off of the kayakers as i could! I did all of these throughout the race but the first mission was to get her to AND past the first buoy.

We got to the first buoy and started to pass it...and then she stopped...on no....keep moving. The chop was making her bounce and feel sick, the sudden awareness of the distance ahead had got to her....she wanted to return to shore. Louise had not realised it but as she had been heading to the buoy some behind her had done just that...but she had family there, they had given the hugs, taken pictures....SHE had put in the work, overcome her fears...did she honestly think i would let her return to land so soon....Not a hope, heading to a kayaker and grabbing some sweets, i handed her one...while she was chewing you see she could not talk herself  out of swimming. COME ON, you can do this, you will do it....she shook her head, 'i can't' its too choppy', no its not, you can do it, roll with the chop, pick your wave and ride with it, use the water to your advantage, her face changed, the chin started to rise.... OK final resort, if you even think of turning round i will break your arm...she giggled, took a breath and started moving.

Phew...i don't even know if it is possible to break someones arm in the water and i am glad she never called my bluff.!!!

Onward s she went, literally fighting the waves, taking in the occasional mouthful of water, choking on it but carrying on, the determination was amazing to see. She was going to do it, she passed the first buoy! Brilliant, she would never turn back now. Choking again on more water, she needed to change her stroke, the waves slapping her in the face with each breast stroke she took would have her full up in no time. Turn your arms over i shouted, the look i got was priceless and not repeatable on paper but she did it, and started picking up speed.

Head down, arms powering, legs fluttering in their endless pattern, she was doing it! The kayaker who we had robbed of sweets by her side shielding her from some of the chop, she continued to plow forwards.

No need to remind her of the lessons she had had, sighting becoming at natural as breathing to her, she did it perfectly and in perfect timing to her stroke and the waves. She was in her zone, doing it and doing it brilliantly.Literally eating up the water, she moved forward, occasionally needing to change to breaststroke to  have a chat and a look round, she could hear me all the time, chatting to her, occasionally her head would turn to acknowledge what i was saying, 'dont kick so hard' watch your head when you are breathing...she took it all in and adjusted accordingly.

The half way buoy coming up and Louise was catching up with swimmers from the previous wave, pointing this out brought a huge grin, she was relaxed if looking a little tired, but she was still going strong. The half way buoy is set in relatively shallow waters and if you are able to take the time you will be able to view the stones and rocks beneath you...Louise did get a glimpse and shouted ROCKS in between strokes!

Heading back Louise automatically adjusted her stroke and breathing to the new direction of the waves, she was tiring, but still determined. I had told her in the weeks prior to the race that at a certain point in the race on the way home she would be able to hear the music, the people and the commentator, i was keeping and ear out, i knew it would give her renewed strength.

Breaststroke started to creep in a bit more....not having that, i resorted to the 'mother tone' of voice...front crawl, turn your arms over, slowing up slightly....but still working so hard, and all of a sudden you could hear the sounds from the shore,....Louise listen...can you hear it, the grin she gave brought tears to my eyes, i have never witnessed such hard work, such strength and such success in a swim! Putting my head in the water so she would not see, it was hard not to get emotional, she was nearly there.

Guiding her into the final 250 metres and she was as powerful as ever, slicing through the water, the chop had not let up once, she was cold, hungry and running on the last of her reserves but she could see the finish area and made a bee line for it. Holding back so she could get out of the water first, this was her moment, i could hear people cheering, one look at Louise's face and i started to loose it, She had done it, and more than done it in style, never had she done so much front crawl, never had i seen her with so much power, she was tremendous.

The woman who helped us out the water grabbed my camera, unfortunately,shes caught me trying not to cry and the reality of Louises achievement starting to sink in. But you can see that she made it!!!

Photo's taken, goodie bags collected it was time to see the family, at this point i will admit i lost it, the tears came, the embraces Louise received were enough to almost squeeze the water out of her wetsuit. Louise too, had a tear or two, i felt as if my chest would burst with pride, it was an amazing moment, this is a lady who is a mum, a wife, a daughter but right at that moment she was an open water swimmer who had just completed her first race, her family seeing her with new eyes, the admiration they showered her with was wonderful to see.

Starting to shiver, it was time to get changed and dressed, Louise's grin was truly brighter than the sun, her chatter...NON STOP! Her endorphin's coursing through her body matched her blow by blow verbal recount of the event. Dressed it was hot drinks and chocolate time, and thankfully her husband had provided lots! It was gratefully received! Louise sitting grinning, several times i had to walk away to hide the water that kept appearing in my eyes, Louise and i had forged a strong bond and a friendship of trust and giggles, she had inspired me, charmed me and shown me just how strong a person can be. Time to leave Louise to her success and the admiration of her family.

In the car park i did let the tears flow, it had been such an emotional day, to see her florish, to go from strength to strength, overcome fears, grown mentally and physically into the swimmer she had become was incredible. My only wish, that i could have provided champagne and toasted her with it. Louise you are incredible, like a mermaid you belong in the water! xx
CONGRATULATIONS YOU AMAZING LADY!.....see you in the water soon!

And on a last note...Louise recently became engaged ...wonder if i can persuade her to let me wear neoprene to the wedding!!!! Again congratulations my extremely good friend!