Another Swimming Challenge
Posted: September 22, 2015 Filed under: Fundraising, Swimming | Tags: Aspire Channel Swim, Exercise, Swimming 19 CommentsWay back in April this year I started adult improvers swimming lessons. I am still having lessons but am glad to say I have improved quite a lot! I did a Swimathon at the end of my first block of lessons and was amazed at the distance I managed to swim in aid of Marie Curie cancer care.
Well, I have agreed to do another fund raising swim but this one is a bit different – and an altogether bigger challenge. This one is the Aspire Channel Swim Challenge. Over the next 12 weeks (ish) I’ll be swimming 22 miles across the English Channel to raise money for people who have been paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury. Apparently every eight hours someone is paralysed by Spinal Cord Injury. It can happen to anyone at any time, and I am aware of this because one of my friends had what she described as a minor fall from a horse and suffered a major spinal trauma. Her consultant said that if it had been one vertebrae different she would have been instantly and totally paralyzed. She was lucky and has made a full recovery (although I am sure she still has days that are somewhat painful though she never complains). Not everyone is so fortunate which is why I intend to swim this 22 miles in 12 weeks. Thankfully we avoid sea water (and the boats in the english channel) by swimming this in our local pool.
I managed to swim 2.7 miles in my first week which is a bit ahead of schedule but means that I am able to relax if I have a particularly busy spell with clients and such. Perhaps this is why my waist is starting to shrink a bit. Hmmm, nice side effect though unexpected.
Maybe you would like to join the challenge if you are in the UK, or you might like to follow my progress over the next couple of months at my Aspire swim Challenge page. I don’t expect to be sponsored by my blog readers but if you feel you would like to contribute to this cause (maybe you have personal experience of how traumatic this can be) I would be unbelievably happy. Here is the link to my Aspire Just Giving page.
Who knows, by December I may even have a recognisable waistline!
P.S. Because it has become so.much colder, and because I bought the Indie pattern bundle, I have decided to make the wonderful hoodie from Paprika patterns. The fabric has been purchased from Minerva and the pattern printed and trimmed. I will be very glad of this as the weather gets colder so I need to get stuck in!
The Material Lady 
Sounds far more sensible but will it be as much fun? Over the winter I’m sure the way you are doing it but over the balmy days of summer it might not be (are we talking about the same part of the world methinks? balmy? more like barmy in these latitudes! good luck with it anyway!
I think even my very encouraging swim teacher would allow me a bit more experience before the real English Channel – and I would need it. Thanks for your good wishes.
I think we are going to hVe to call you super woman 🙂
Be careful with your training and have fun. Looking forward to watching your progress.
Thanks Rhonda. I need to exercise and swimming seems a good option. Having a challenge like this keeps me focused.
Swimming is a wonderful exercise but I was initially horrified on reading your post as I assumed you were swimming the real English channel – which seemed too sudden a leap of ambition and I’d have either had to stop you or join you!
Best of luck and as sewbussted said, take care: a little bit at a time, for life, is best.
Even I am not quite that nutty! Would you really have come to stop/join me? That would have been nice.
I think I worked out I need 141 lengths a week to finish just in time but I want to build in a bit of slack in case of problems.
Well done and all the best with the challenge!
Thanks! And thank you so much for the donation. I will swim thinking of all your lovely food! (So much for trimming my waistline!)
Brillian
Good luck! A worthy cause and a lot of lengths! 😃
Having seen my friends treatment and rehabilitation I was moved to make the effort. Thanks so much for your donation- my blog readers rock!
You’re very welcome! 😃
I love doing charity runs! (While jogging). You Go Girl!
Jogging is fun. I have just joined a Couch to 5k group after starting on my own a few weeks ago. Much more fun with company 😀
It is! Have fun with it all!
Wow, Kim, I’m impressed. I’ve met many Couchers who’ve discovered, often to their shock, that running’s kind of ok, fun even and nothing like the torture at school.
Once you’re ready for the 5km, I really recommend ‘parkrun’ if there’s one near you. I’ve met so many lovely people running and volunteering this way.
Hi Marijana – I apologise for editing your comment but couldn’t reply otherwise. I have been to Parkrun as a walk/runner in the past and it is brilliant. I am currently volunteering at the new Wyre Forest Parkrun until it gets a good core of volunteers and will try it running eventually. Hopefully that should coincide with progress from the C2 5K group.
As an ex swimmer, I love the fact that you are swimming! It is so good for your joints and muscles. Keep going…
As a new swimmer I am enjoying it! I have people who have been kind enough to sponsor me on this endeavour so I will be doing my utmost not to let them down.
[…] Thanks for all your good wishes – and a special thank you to those who have sponsored me for Aspire. I have exceeded the amount I hoped to raise so I can only thank you for your […]