I have to admit and apologise that it has been a very quiet February on the blogging and swimming front. For the whole month I have only clocked up 2km across two swims, both of which were only this week! I had a week’s holiday mid-month (and took a little break from swimming beforehand) and planned to go swimming every morning in this pool before breakfast but my good intentions were scuppered by the freezing cold pool temperatures before the sun had chance to warm the water - brrrrrrrrrr.
I was also concerned that the pool seemed to be salty water rather than chlorinated and there were a lot of children in the pool during the day and without the chlorine to protect me, I didn’t fancy swimming around in their wee! I had wanted to get some open water practice in by swimming in the sea but it was so rough & the life guard had the red flag out every day, I would have been way too dangerous!
I’m now re-focused, not only on my swimming but also on the supporting gym programme and eating plan. I’m also going to challenge myself to swim 12km in March – 480 lengths, aiming for the mile each time I poke a toe in the pool. I also want to work on improving my stroke technique and my speed, but one step at a time… still 6 months to go until the big day!
My sister is poorly and back in St. Mark’s Hospital, potentially requiring further surgery. It’s absolutely devastating for her and the whole family as we all hoped and prayed (yes, even I prayed!) that the operation in January would be the last one and that 2014 would be her year, the year she got her life back. So far, this doesn’t appear to have been the case but we still have 10 months of the year to go and I will remain positive that everything happens for a reason and this can still be her year – I often struggle to understand the reason, but I have to believe there is one!
With this in mind, it is even more important for me to continue on my mission of raising awareness for IBD and fundraising for the amazing St. Mark’s Hospital. www.justgiving.com/swimkellyswim.
All you Pattonair lovelies, get saving your pennies as there will be a cake sale shortly to help top up the totalizer!
If you are on Twitter, please follow me and help spread awareness: @_kelly_welly
