The Great Pier Swim - Southend - July 30th 2014

How I love the Southend Great Pier Swim.  Mainly due to the fact that there are so many of my Redcap training mates entered.  And of course, it's the most local one to me and extremely well supported.  Havens Hospice did a fabulous job once again in ensuring the safety of all competitors.

All Redcaps

I was in the race, and hubby entered the challenge.  A 3.8k tide assisted swim from the Crowstone in Chalkwell to Southend and taking in a fabulous swim under the great pier.  Weather was kind today and sea temperature bearable (for me).  The race is non-wetsuit but the challengers are allowed to wear one.

It had been pointed out prior to the event that the race start time would probably mean it would not be tide assisted after all - and boy did I notice it.  Wind was up a little and it was tough.  I really did struggle to hold my stroke together and each time I popped my head up to site, all I saw was water, not land.  This made it very difficult as I kept saying to myself, don't worry, you are probably going in the right direction so catch a glimpse on the next site breath.  But sure enough, as soon as I lifted my head up again, what did I see - water, more water and more water.  I noticed some swimmers were actually doing a bit of breaststroke in order to catch a glimpse of where the pier was but I stuck to my guns, kept swimming in the hope that at least after every few attempts I would get the timing right and spot something familiar.

It soon became apparent when I was approaching the pier, which is quite a treacherous manoeuvre not to be swept into the support structure, that I clearly was way of course.  This became evident by the constant whistling of Iain Keenan, the beach lifeguard, in my ear who was out there on his surf-board alongside me screaming, move over, move over, BEEP, BEEEEEEP.   All I could think of was I am trying, I am trying, but the tide was insisting on moving me into shore.

It was probably at this point when I noticed a different coloured swim-cap beside me.  We all had the yellow caps on, but this one was orange.  I had remembered asking Danny Bunn at the start of the race, why are you wearing an orange hat, to which he replied, they ran out of yellow ones.   Surely I couldn't be level-pegging with Danny Bunn?   He had been having some banter on the B.O.S.S. WhatsApp page with Matthew Skidmore and James Cliff as to which one of these three guys would win it this year.  Then out of blue one of them messaged, "Never mind which one of us three will win, what about Lorraine Rate"?   Well, I didn't particularly think my swimming speed had been going great this year, so I just offered my own banter by adding "Don't worry, feeling slow and unfit" and left it at that.   Not that I would ever be capable of winning this event anyway, but we do all love a bit of banter.   So seeing this orange hat beside me, and being as competitive as I am,....... surely this isn't Danny Bunn alongside me.... IS IT ???

So I dug my heels in, upped the tempo and allowed my usual competitive streak to take over.  and sure enough when I crossed the finish line and turned round, who was behind me, Danny and Matthew.  Wow, I was so bloomin chuffed I can tell you.  First lady home too so what a great result for me today and I also won the over 50's ladies event.  Happy Days.