Category: Swimming

Ironman 2012 Port Elizabeth

2012 Volunteer

Just finished my first shift marshaling this years Ironman South Africa. which is being held right here in Algoa Bay for the 8th consecutive year.

A 3.8km swim, 180.2km cycle followed by a 42.2km run.

The weather is awful, cold, a strong westerly wind and occasional showers (it poured down early this morning.)

Although the lead cyclist only came past our intersection at 8.15am my crew and I were on station from 5.30am. We had the road closed by 6.00am and spent the rest of the morning fielding inquiries from motorists, most of whom were quite reasonable about the whole thing, as always we had the odd idiot who thought that he was more important than the wellbeing of the almost 2000 entrants but we’re quite adept at handling them and all in all things have gone rather well so far.

I’ll head back at about 1.30pm and help finish off the last hour or so.

I might just catch 40 winks in the meantime 😉

Monkey Business

Monkey was a ‘give away’ associated with a popular brand of tea ( CORRECTION INSERTED: on the TV ad, any fule kno that Johnny Vegas is the straight man to Monkey who is actually voiced by Ben Miller – the one that looks like Rob Bryden) – my Monkey arrived in a box of tea well before Christmas 2010 and has lived in my car ever since. He’s still wearing his Christmas jumper and I felt it was about time he had something else to wear so I bought him a daffodil.

The daffodil appeal is run every year by Marie Curie, a UK-based charity providing care for those with cancer – in this area they work closely in collaboration with the primary health care teams, most commonly providing night-time nursing to support those who chose to die at home. The care is free to the patient and the family. Some of you may remember I have done sponsored swims in previous years and though I am slow to get going, I plan to do the same again this year! (Now I’ve told you, I shall just have to get on with it…)

Here’s monkey sporting his new daffodil

and listening to his favourite author.

Windsurfing

You know how it is when stuff is free. It feels mean not to avail yourself. People have gone to a lot of trouble and it would be rude to refuse.

It was our first all-inclusive hol and there were drinks, all the food you could want and free watersports. Well, obviously booze and swimming don’t mix. Neither do food and swimming for that matter so that was mostly for the evening.

I’m not one of those “alarm clock” sunbathers who turn themselves regularly beneath the roasting Caribbean sun to create that lovely mahogany tan so beloved of Peter Stringfellow which will inevitably turn into briefcase leather at around 65 years old. Continue reading “Windsurfing”

Watery Paradise II

Those noises were very spooky. It’s not as if you don’t hear noise underwater. I’ve heard boat engines, outboards, jetskis, pedaloes, people noises and the sound of rain on the surface of the ocean, but never this weird, unearthly kind of calling.

Sometimes a lower pitch moan seemed to be “answered” by a higher pitch whine, mixed with other more faint noises which were difficult to discern. Continue reading “Watery Paradise II”

Watery paradise

I left some Caribbean beach between my toes for the flight, the sea in my hair for two days and the Virgin holidays luggage label is still on the rucksack.

I have shells on the dressing table and pieces of washed up coral and I’m wearing the weird shell, local rock and local wood bracelet that Helenora the lady who sat on the beach stringing beads, made for me. Continue reading “Watery paradise”

The Ballad of Brave Monty Mouse: The Flood

It rained and rained, and in the nest,
They shook their duvets sadly.
The damp was dire, and all were stressed;
The mice were faring badly.

Hips, haws, and berries for their needs
Were in the grain store dank.
‘Twas also full of mildewed seeds,
Monty’s spirits sank.

Continue reading “The Ballad of Brave Monty Mouse: The Flood”

I have completed!

Last night at 8:30 I finished another 51 lengths at my local pool, bringing my counted total to 1011: I have swum the 25 km, and added a few more, just in case I had any ‘over counting errors’ over the last few weeks! (Sometimes when I’m swimming I get into a zone and forget momentarily to count – though more often than not I just go back to the last number I remember counting, so may have done  a few more, rather than less!) Continue reading “I have completed!”

Keeping Young at Heart

On Thursday I swam in the ‘Young at Heart’ session. The session is for OAPs, disabled and those who are over 50. As you may remember I fall into the latter category. Just.
All well and good.

The pool wasn’t too busy: I went in as the Toddlers and their Mums came out, along with the rope that divides the shallow end from the rest of the pool. I was in the water and ready to go at three minutes to three, and in there with me were two men doing plodding lengths, one with his specs on doing only head-up breast stroke, while the other alternated between breast stroke and crawl, plus there were three women in various Delphinium coloured costumes with Marigold hats and another man in a floating device with two carers. Continue reading “Keeping Young at Heart”

‘Young at Heart’

I suddenly realised that my pledge to swim 1000 lengths with Swimathon, to raise funds for Marie Curie Nursing has been rather neglected over the last few weeks- though a combination of factors (not least of which is the garden) – and that in order to complete the self-imposed challenge I have to get a wiggle on. Continue reading “‘Young at Heart’”

Pier elegance

If you’re not familiar with the West Country, there are two seaside resorts of note on the English side of the Bristol Channel; Weston-super-Mare and Clevedon.

If Weston is the noisy lively teenager, all arcades-kiss-me-quick-candyfloss-and-donkey rides on the sand, Clevedon, the seaside town just to the north, is it’s restrained decorous maiden aunt. Continue reading “Pier elegance”