As us ladies approach the half way point of our challenge I thought this would be an excellent time to reflect on what I have learned so far. Now, to a near total non-swimmer like me some of my discoveries have been most unexpected – like, did you know that you can put your face in the water without water going up your nose? This was something of a revelation to me and I will be forever thankful to my lovely swim instructor, Emma, for persuading me it was true and then encouraging me to prove it. I personally think I only put my face in the water at our first swimming lesson to prove her wrong but I am happy to report that she was right… go figure – 36 years of being convinced of something is a long time and usually I hate being proven wrong. But I’ll let her have this one.

So, what else have I learned so far…

• Drowning is not a foregone conclusion when in water
• You can move slowly in the water and not just sink – I’ve always worked on the basis that I needed forward momentum to keep me afloat so usually try and swim a length as quickly as possible. That of course leads me to flake out after 1-2 lengths and pant like I’m in labour at the end of the pool. Not a cool look.
• Wetsuits make you more buoyant in the water – hallelujah! Give the person who designed those a medal… I shall be using one in the Thames in July for two reasons – one I’ll take whatever help I can get to stay afloat but also I am training in an outdoor pool in Muscat where the air temperature is currently 46 degrees Celsius. I will freeze in the Thames without one, even if it is July!
• Apparently they make neoprene swim socks so you can a) keep your feet warm and b) avoid nasty, slimy unidentified underwater floaty things from touching your feet and freaking you out. I am adding them to my Wiggle wish list as I type.

But the thing that has surprised me most of all? I am actually for the first time ever in my life enjoying swimming. And all thanks to the Henley Mile team and #thisgirlcan