I’m breathless, gasping. My body is automatically sucking everything in, minimising contact with the water. My heart is racing, flight or flight adrenaline soaring. SWIM!

We’ve been away for 3 weeks and stayed at  8 different camp sites, all with swimming pools.  What I hadn’t appreciated is that the May weather in Northern Spain is really cold and we are still out of season.  None of the pools open until July, so my training for the Henley mile has been a big, fat, zero!  Today is the last day of our holiday and I’m determined to swim in the sea.  I may not have done any serious swimming lengths, but I will have have covered the open water bit of the training.

I know its going to be ok because the air temperature is so cold that the water will feel quite mild.  Wrong!  It’s flipping freezing!  

I dance about at thigh depth for some time, but then I go for it.  The cold takes my breath away and I’m gasping.  But I get in and I swim.  I try to put my head under for some proper breaststroke but I’m a bit panicky and I swallow mouthfuls of sea water.  I’m going to save this skill for another day.  Today I’m just pleased to have got in the Atlantic ocean and swam!