I won a medal!!!!!!!

Oh my, what a bloomin’ marvellous day! My first race was the 50m breast stroke at 10:40. I left Victoria in the apartment as she had a lie in and I met Julie and Val on the way to the marina. We were nervous as the water temp had dropped to 2.7° but there wasn’t the biting wind of yesterday and the sun was shining.

The water did feel colder but we stormed through our races. The sauna was wonderful afterwards. We then dressed and put another costume on ready for our next event. My toes had only just thawed out when we put our Victorian outfits on for the fun swim. Dave went as Captain Webb…it is the 150th anniversary. Another visit to the sauna helped me defrost, but the temp in the sauna we used this time was so hot it felt like an oven!

My last event was the relay. 1st was Julie, then Val, me third, then Dave was the anchorman. We were nowhere near the winners who flew through the water, but we gave it our all and had the best time.

The presentations took a while but were great. Amy stormed through her races, Dave won 450m in his age group, Julie came 2nd in the 50m in her age group. Val and I both came 3rd in our age groups….I actually won a medal!!!! I couldn’t believe it. We also won the fancy dress prize.

What an amazing experience this has been. I have been so cold, I’ve had to get in freezing water in five seconds and then swum with no gloves which has been painful and completed three events in one day. I have swum alongside swimmers from Latvia, Argentina, Poland, Belgium, France, Spain, Austria and other countries. I have shivered alongside new friends and enjoyed every minute. It has been challenging, painful, fantastic and rewarding. Absolutely brilliant.

Dave, Karen, Amy, Victoria and I ate out this evening and we are all completely shattered.