Swim hats

I’ve banged on about this often enough now, but I’m swimming the 2swim4life event in a few weeks time. If you’ve never read this blog before then it’s a mile swim on the hour, every hour, for 24 hours.

I’ve been trying to pull together everything I need for the event. I managed to borrow a tent. I’ve bought new trunks and goggles. I’m thinking about the feeding routine and preparing myself for that. I’m even planning to pack pain killers and caffeine tablets as well, just in case.

The only thing that is left on the list are my swimming hats.

As you can see in this picture, I’ve got a few already – mainly from my BLDSA swims over the course of the last couple of years, as well as Swimtrek, SwimCanaryWharf and Team Bear (not in the photo).

I see this swim as a chance to remember / promote / pay homage to people, swims and institutions that have helped me over the last few years – I will also hopefully be able to draw strength from them as I face the inevitable lows. But not only to the people that have helped me – to any swimming inspiration.

I’ll be doing 24 separate swims, so I’d love to have 24 different hats and wear them each for specific miles.

If you have a particular hat that you’d like to lend me (I’m happy to return them), and a particular mile that you’d like me to wear it for (with a story as to why), then get in touch. I’ve got specific plans for miles 23 and 24, but other than that you can ‘have’ any mile you like.

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2Swim4Life – Entered

I paid online and filled out and posted the form – I think that means I’m in.

GULP

For those that don’t know – it’s a 24 mile / hour swim – swimming a mile every hour for 24 hours in an open air lido in Guildford. So, as well as lots of swimming, it will involve swimming through the night; dealing with the cold; learning to refuel properly; having the mental strength to keep going; and hopefully meeting lots of other swimmers and having fun (of sorts).

I’m actually kinda looking forward to it.

See you there 😉

Proof!

I need a buddy

This isn’t just a desperate plea for friends to go down the pub with*.

There’s an event on May 2nd – 3rd next year that I’m really keen to enter, but before I can I need to nominate a ‘buddy’, someone that will support me on the day.

The event is the amazing 2swim4life event in which you swim 24 miles over 24 hours at Guildford Lido. The idea is that you start on the hour (or half hour), swim your mile and get out, then repeat on the next hour and so on until you have done 24 miles/hours.

As you can well imagine it’s pretty brutal and this is why the buddies are so vital. To have someone that can offer you a warm cup of tea, remind you to get warm and changed and just be there for chat/support during the ‘dark’ hours (in more ways than one) of the early morning is vital.

Unfortunately I’m not in a position to ask a partner/parent and I don’t have any training partners, so I need to ask around. If you’ve ever done any marathon events, or supported others doing them, then you’ll know that it is bloody hard work (I’m not going to lie), but equally, bloody rewarding.

So, got any plans for May Bank Holiday weekend next year?

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* If anyone fancies going down the pub then let me know that as well. I said it wasn’t “just” a desperate plea for that!

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UPDATE:

As a friend pointed out on Twitter, being a buddy and offering support for 24 hours is a long time and would end up being as tiring as actually doing the swimming. The ideal solution would be for two or three people to take turns or shifts at this. Once I’ve entered it would be my intention to recruit a support team. The reason I’m asking in the singular at this stage is that I need to name a person on the entry form and I can’t enter without listing someone as my buddy.