Taking on challenge of a 10k marathon swim
THE countdown is underway to the Lough Gill Hospice Swim and I still can’t quite believe I’m signed up to take on the challenge of this 10k route across the lake.
For the first time ever I swam about 5k last week. I’m still recovering. My body feels in a permanent state of exhaustion! And we won’t mention the tummy bug. So the thoughts of doubling that distance in just under four weeks time is daunting to say the least.
I’m by no means an elite swimmer. I only started open water swimming in May. But somewhere at the back of mind I’ve had this mad notion about this particular swim. On some level it was probably spurring me on during the dark winter evenings when I opted to get a quick swim in before curling up in front of the fire.
Sligo has a wonderful community of swimmers of all levels. At the top Olympic Triathlete Laura Tighe encourages so many of us to push ourselves outside of our comfort zone. Her Masters Class on a Sunday evening is the making of many an open water swimmer.
When Leona Moran - the first woman home at last year’s Lough Gill swim - won I remember thinking what an unbelievable achievement. It was amazing that she won, but also that she had competed in the first place.
It was late August and the weather was balmy. I made my way over to Killasbugbrone and joined the jelly fish for a refreshing dip. Afterwards I called Le- ona and asked her ‘Could I do that swim?’ Without hesitation she said ‘yes.’
“But I don’t swim. I mean I haven’t been swimming in years. I love it but I’m out of practice,” I told her.
“If you believe you can, then you will,” Leona said advising to start swimming through the winter to build up some stamina before the open water season the following year.
I was one of the last of the 36 swimmers to sign up this year. Every day I’d open the online booking form, begin to fill it out but lose my courage before I hit submit. Now it’s too late to back down. And the clock is ticking!This marathon swim will be the biggest test of my endurance to date. I know I’ll start, I just hope I finish.
The Lough Gill swim is in aid of the North West Hospice. One hundred percent of fundraising goes to the charity. €150,000 has been raised so far in 6 years. When the going gets tough on the day I’ll think of this worthy cause.