Entering the chilly 13.6 degree water at Dover Harbour yesterday morning was not for the faint-hearted!

The wind was howling at Force 5, white horses danced on the waves and the swells were smashing against the harbour walls.

Undeterred the team stripped off to their Speedos and swim suits and plunged into the dark, angry water. All I kept thinking was that the sea can indeed be cruel and savage!

Some waves were so big they smashed into the side of your head and left your ears ringing. Salty water became the drink of the day and the wind whistled and drowned out the sound of our voices.

Its very hard to find your rhythm in such rough water and its important to bury your head deep into the waves and to breathe right into the armpit to avoid swallowing water, however most of us drunk several pints i think!

After half hours rest, we were back in for another hour and this time the wind had whipped up to a Force 6 and the sea was truly a boiling mass of spray, swells and howling gusts. It literally was a case of "Who Dares Swims"!

Trying to avoid the other Channel swimmers became a game of chance, as the large swells made it impossible to see who or what was in front or to the side of you. Several times I ended up almost colliding with another swimmer.

The team swam strong and hard and no one was shivering when we eventually washed up with a large wave on the pebbly beach. 

A great day of training in brutal conditions and I feel certain that if the weather & tides are kind to us, then Force 6 will succeed in getting to France!

Holborough Lake in Kent is a great venue to swim.

Its clean (you would have to go abroad to find water this pristine), friendly and there is a steaming mug of tea in your hand the moment you step out of the water!

Swimming under glorious sun the other day, I spotted a large silvery pike on the bottom (dont worry, he's not interested in swimmers!) a Heron on one leg in the reeds and two beautiful, shimmering Kingfishers perched on branches above the water. 

I had to stop and watch them, literally five foot away, their metallic blue feathers glistening in the sun and their beady black eyes watching me. I hardly dared to breathe as I trod water for at least 5 minutes, until finally they fluttered away across the lake. Magical!

Dragon flys skipped across the lake, Perch danced underneath me and the suns beams pierced the surface of the lake and warmed me.

A mellow 5.5k later I reluctantly left my watery paradise for tea and that other magical sight - thick slices of homemade marmalade cake! Wonderful!

How can you tell the difference between an open water swimmer and a pool swimmer?

The open water swimmer has panda eyes from goggles, a massive 'hot cross bun' nerd mark across her back from the swim suit and half her forehead is white (from the hat) and the other half is brown!

Gorgeous eh? I did try using fake tan to 'colour in' the white circles around my eyes, but ended up looking like I was wearing orange sunbed goggles!

So, I have been a bit neglectful with my blog, but a family bereavement has meant other priorities instead.

Ive still been swimming though - lots! I have the panda eyes and nerd marks to prove it (no pretty summer dresses for me again this year!)

In the last 2 weeks ive swum over 30k in lakes and the sea and im feeling much more confident about tackling the Channel now. 

I know my arms are getting stronger as all the pretty tops I bought over the winter are too tight over my arms - a bit like the Incredible Hulk's splitting shirts! Attractive!

So with a combination of a multi-coloured forehead, a back with more white lines than the M25 and arms like Arnie, its probably better to stay in the water rather than out!

My blood has once again turned to anti-feeze and my confidence is back!

On Monday I did my fastest 3K ever in the pool and felt great! NO shoulder twinges, just a rumbly stomach after (soon medicated by copious amounts of cake and choccy - well I am swimming The Channel, so its allowed!)

Then I got into 11 degree water for a 30 min swim on Tuesday and have been back nearly every day, increasing the distance and amount of time in the water. It feels lovely and relaxing.

In fact, ive just packed my swim bag to go back at lunchtime - The IcyFish is definitely back!

After a long day at work I thought a swim in the outdoor pool might stretch out my chair-shaped body and notch up a few km's in my training diary.


After it had "droughted" cats and dogs all morning, the sun finally peaked through the clouds as I got into the water. Bliss! And I had the pool to my lonesome.

The first couple of hundred metres flowed nicely and then I popped my fins on for a bit of 'leg action'. Suddenly cramp in my toes and feet kicked in and I was in agony. Grrrrrr!

Then my arms suddenly felt like iron girders and the swim disintegrated into a struggle, akin to swimming through treacle!

Slowly I ploughed through the water, a much older lady lapping me doing breaststroke and knocking my pride through the pool filter!

At the 2K mark I decided to hang up my goggles for the day and as the clouds darkened I consoled my bruised ego in a cup of hot chocolate! 

Nothing great is EVER easy!

This time last year it was 28 degrees and I was brown! This morning the lake was 12 degrees and I was blue!

Its been a cold few months of swim training in the great outdoors - from 1.5 degrees and a 3 minute penguin dip - to an 8 degree claw-handed struggle around 50 metres! 
Nothing great is EVER easy!

Recovering from major spinal surgery last November, then a pulmonary embolism and pneumonia, its been a battle of mind versus warm bed to get up and plunge into freezing water. At some points I felt like the metal plates in my neck were starting to ice-over! 

The Team members have been outstanding and never stopped taking on the frigid waters in hail, rain, wind and snow. I applaud them all!

So, with 12 weeks to go, acclimatisation and putting the milage in has started with a vengeance! 

I know the team are strong and fuelled by Jelly Babies and chocolate cake, they can take on the most brutish conditions, but the anti is about to be upped and I will chart our progress on this blog.

I look forward to you joining Force6 on our Channel Challenge!