What a weekend. I did a 5k open water swimming race starting at 6.45 on Saturday morning and won my first ever trophy: second place in the vets ladies race. Was pleased with my time – a stately 1hr 35. Bray Lake really is lovely – and the warm water and weather helped to make this a fantastic event. Oh – and I wore my wetsuit… I’d entered the wetsuit category but I so nearly forgot to put the wetsuit in the car and I’d have been happy swimming without.
We were out that evening so had a bit of a late night on top of a very early morning.
Then on the Sunday I was proud to be part of WADAC’s Track to Track Relay. The club wanted to commemorate Olympic year and help to launch a new campaign in Winchester to provide top class sports facilities in the city for future generations of athletes. The Fit4theFuture campaign is canvassing for a 50m pool and more facilities to support the growing number of sports clubs in the area.
The relay carried a baton containing a petition the 100 miles from outside the Olympic Park track to the track at the Winchester Stadium, starting at 1am. It was a fabulous thing to be part of on a beautifully warm autumn day. I ran 10 miles with three other club mates before handing over the baton to members of Winchester’s Penguin Swimming Club who then dived straight into the pool at St Swithins School to carry the baton on for a watery four-length continuation of the relay. Then it all turned a bit pied piperish as a group of older children ran towards the city, gathering up more and more junior WADAC club members along the way until over a 100 black and gold-clad children poured into the track.
The baton then pole vaulted, long jumped and sprinted its way around the track in the hands of the club’s youngest (8) and oldest (81) members and only wheelchair member before crossing the line and being handed to local MP Steve Brine. Let’s hope he does something useful with it…
Then it was home to watch the Paralympic Closing Ceremony and a bit of a lie down. What next?
Taking over the baton from Sue True.