NORTHERN PLANNER

Despite the training for last year’s swimming challenge REALLY hurting, I haven’t stopped training. I haven’t been killing myself, but I haven’t taken it easy either. Since it’s the only thing I’m good at it would be daft not to do it. 

Now it’s time to push it again. Time for a new challenge. To be specific; Tortuous, ‘Why did I ever think I could do this?’ agony.

This a picture of Penzance pier, Cornwall, near St Ives. Half my family live here.

The photographer is standing in Newlyn, the lighthouse in the distance is Penzance. The expanse of water in between is the setting for the imaginatively named ‘Newlyn to Penzance swim’.

It’s a proper race this August. That’s a mile of currents, waves and freezing cold water. Just finishing it is hard enough, but I’m going to do it in under 20 minutes. Somehow.

There’s no way I’ll win (that takes a 17 minute swim), I’m not young enough, I haven’t got enough time to train and I’m not used to swimming in the sea. It’s going to take some seriously hard work to just do 20 minutes since this time since I’m going against what I do best.

I used to hate distance swimming as a kid, I wasn’t built for it and I’m still not. That just makes the challenge more fun. It’s on the 18th of August. That’s a month of excruciating mile after mile in the pool –  and then a week of getting used to the sea.

To make matters worse, my nephews (16 and 14) are doing it. They swim everyday, they’re young fit and Cornish champions. I won’t beat the eldest, I may beat the youngest, but in any case, I can’t look too stupid. I won’t live it down.

What an idiot eh?

I thought about resurrecting Tired is Stupid, but no. If you want recipes and nonsensical planning stuff, you’re going to suffer with me right here. Every step of the way.