Sunday 24 November 2019

It has been a hectic weekend and sometimes I need to write about it so I won’t forget it or who I am.
It is now 5.56am and in bed everyone is asleep. Or is Monday and Joaquin has school but not Zalia
She has dance rehearsals at NIDA at 10.30am. She will miss out on school today to dance and watch others perform.

Ok what I got up to yesterday.

I got up early before 6am as I had planned to do the 1km Coogee Island swim.
So I started getting ready and had to find a wallet with money to pay for the swim. It was $55 and finally before I left and by the time everyone was up I found money.
I did not have breakfast or coffee as I have been fasting in the morning.

I left the home after 7am with swimmers and wetsuit and towel and goggles.
I walked down to the beach quite nervous and all of Coogee was still asleep. The streets were quite. I got down to the beach by 7.30am and quite nervous seeing all the people setting up.
It was windy and a the ocean a bit rough but no white caps. There are three swims 800mt for 10- 12 year olds, 1km and 2.4km swim around Wedding Cake Island. I registered but did not pay yet and texted my friend to see if she was coming. You see I love to swim and I am ok and a strongish swimmer and I have swam in the ocean but this was terrifying. I am
Terrified of swimming out deep. I knew there was going to be people on board and a rubber duck boat out and experienced people and water crew to help.
My fears are deep ocean water and sharks.





I met up with friends we all talked about how scared we felt and why we had decided to do this. I said for myself and my kids. I am a bit of a chicken so I need to push myself.
I am kind of competitive but also not so at the same time and hate competing. People were telling me it will be ok as I am strong swimmer and yes I guess I am ok but deep down felt very not ok.
In the end I had a white coffee before the race. Got my spring wetsuit on which is really good and from Patagonia clothing.
We got our swimming caps colour coded based on age. We lined up and the local
Member of parliament Marjorie was pressing the buzzer so we could all go. I was nervous but did not want to think about it and then in the end we left the beach I always stay a bit behind I hate competitions. I got in the water was not rough and easy to swim out but then as I got deeper out and waves and swell was coming in on me and other swimmers I began to panick and felt I could not swim or breath. I did breaststroke I could not get rhythm and felt if I took a breath I would swollow
Water. So I got to the first green buoy which I think was about 200 meters out and saw life guards on boat and put up my hand and the girl said come to me so I swam to her and just rested on her board. I think it was over whelming for me and I just did not think in my mind I could
Do it. I am Writing this down so I won’t forget what Happened. Is talked a little and asked does it get easier around the buoy and the girl said no. I later saw her in the shower room and she told me it was hard and choppy. So she asked me if I wanted to get a ride in and I said no. In the end I kept swimming trying to get a Rhythm and not think of the depth or sharks or drowning. I swam to the next buoy and felt a bit better and saw another guy on a board and
Stopped and talked and he asked domo want to go in and I also
Said no. I would feel so terrible not finishing. So I rested fixed my goggles and kept swimming across the straight bit to the next buoy. I started feeling better I started catching up to people and caps in my colour aged group. I saw my friend and she was happy and said you caught up, it is the home stretch yah!!! Then on the way back in I felt so much better, my swimming was better and I just swam and caught up to most people and got to shore and run to the finish mark. I did it in 29 min not so shabby considering I stopped and talked and breaststroked and freaked out. In the end I decided to swim and concentrate and love the water. I was so glad to finish and nearly catch up to others. I came 8 out 9 in my age group for women. I was happy and over the moon. I want to do it again and. It freak out and just swim.




After the race we spoke we were all happy and went and had a shower.


 I think I was stung by a jelly fish on my neck. I called Jason he was with kids at Bondi Junction buying food to make sushi and to make a Christmas pudding. I was buzzing and he later came and picked me up.

At home I was really excited and could not believe I had finishe sit. I also called my parents who were so happy to me.

Jason made yummy home made sushi for lunch. I finally had food at 1pm.



We had lunch, we cleaned the kitchen.


He made Christmas pudding.





Zalia and Joaquin helped mix and stir for good luck.




Zalia has a play date at 2pm and her two friends came to
Play. The kids had cleaned the trampoline and now were playing outside. Zalias friends are form
China and bough rice cakes. They had snacks  and played and Zalia was happy.
At 3.50 pm Jason took Joaquin basketball and watched him play. They lost in the end but Joaquon is starting to play well.



Then at 5pm Zalia’s friends left and we got ready to go out to a friends place for thanksgiving dinner.
We walked there and then once we got there the kids played we talked and drank. My friends husband did the island 2.4km swim that day and he was happy eh did it in 51min so amazing and swims once a week around island. I would love to do that.
We talked and had a great time.
We left at 9pm and walked home. I was so tired in the end.

It was a good day and I was happy, felt alive and wonderful.
I need to do more to push myself! Congratulations to all who swam!