As many ended last week looking forward to an extended bank holiday Jubilee weekend, albeit in the rain, I headed home with heavy heart. For in a moment of weakness and under extreme duress from my daughter, I had conceded to swim in the 24 hr school Swimathon that night, after a long and intense clinical day. Not a great lover of swimming, I spent my journey home pondering how in the past I would have come up with colourful excuses to swerve this commitment as I got cold feet. But I am good for my word today, and this was in an excellent cause – local children’s charity Dandelion Time – and, most importantly perhaps, the commitment was to my daughter. Also as we were camping at the school in celebration of the end of exams and Jubilee, there was no way out! So with a flask full of tea and towel over one arm I ventured onto the campsite with trepidation to discover that I was scheduled to swim the 0215 leg alone for 3/4hr!
As the evening darkened so did any hope that a miracle might alleviate me of my duty. And so it was that 2am found me standing in fine drizzle at the edge of a steaming pool, with 2 life guards and my husband watching over me, and a sole swimmer in practised rhythm finishing the leg before mine. Knees bent I felt a sudden surge of satisfaction, I was doing this.
After about 20 minutes I was tiring so I floated on my back and found myself thinking about recovery and how it is possible to do anything when you just put one foot front of the other. How simple it is when you just accept and put the over-thinking to one side. And as I looked to the side of the pool and saw my daughter and 2 of her friends amble out of their tents to file along the side of the pool and watch, sleep addled and shivering in the night air, I felt supported and grateful – we can do what I can’t. (Then I sent them back to bed!)
And as I crept back into my sleeping bag around 0315, uncomfortable, tired, still damp and cold through, and yet I felt proud. This was an esteem-able act, and I felt nourished by it – what an unexpected result!