When I submitted the application to This Girl Can it was a case of ‘sink or swim’. The week the entries closed coincided with significant anniversaries in my life and I was sinking under my workload and role of being mum. Applying to this This Girl Can spurred me to find a focus that was going to have a positive impact on my mental and physical health.
When I received the call to tell me I had been selected to swim The Henley Mile I was overwhelmed with excitement, nerves, fear, and pride. The realisation hit quick, no sinking just lots of swimming. It was now down to me to motivate myself to learn and achieve something new, in between work and family demanding my time and attention.
The promise of 1:1 training, specialist gear, practical support, and tips from beginners and professionals alike made the idea more manageable and appealing. And 5 other women to share the journey with. Exhilarating!

One of the biggest motivations to discover open water swimming has been to find a new way to exercise, one that my body doesn’t struggle with, doesn’t hurt, and doesn’t let me down. I’ve learnt first-hand how peri-menopause causes muscle aches and pains amongst a long list of other symptoms. I knew that the opportunity to be part of this journey and represent other like-minded women would hopefully help us all get fitter, stronger and healthier together.

So here I am, 2 weeks on from the winner’s phone call, facing and embracing the fears that open water swimming can bring. But trying not to be too honest with myself about how fond I am of fish, slimy vegetation, and insects.