HumanRace

What's it like to Swim The Thames?

So, it's 830 on Sunday morning and I'm about to throw myself into the Thames.

Admittedly several hundred other people are joining me, but that's not the point.

Yes it's time for the annual Hampton Court Swim in aid of Cancer Research as part of the HumanRace swim series events.

I've just dipped my tie in the water and despite it being a warm 18degrees outside already, in the water it's a balmy 23 degrees and realistically there's no way I can justify using a wetsuit. So I don't. At best guess I'd say around 10 percent of us are 'suit less' in stark contrast to last years delayed October race where I spied 2 people just in cossies.

I enter the starting pen about 25mins before the start time of 910 and talk is about how warm the water is and what the swim is actually like as its one guys first year (he's fully wet suited as I would have been if it was not my second year - I'm nearly a vet now!).

Then after a 5minute simple safety brief from an official high on a chair, we edge down the blue mat and put a toe off the bank. Suddenly i'm gripped.Was it the right thing to do going suitless? What if that water's freezing? Was it just a warm spot where my toe was earlier?

All of that fades away as my foot squishes into the mud on the river bed. All I can think is it's probably better to be swimming just above this than trying to wade out thigh-high with this stuff engulfing my feet, so I throw myself in and start breast stroking towards the holding area before the in-water start gate. By the time I get used to the rubbery and, dare i say it, slightly medical/biological taste of the grey/green Thames I am oblivious to the temperature. It must be warm.

Final briefing done whilst treading water for 2mins and the airhorn goes for the off. I let the crowd splash off ahead if me and hang back to get some clear water to start in - I'm not precious about my timings so it's not a hardship for me, I just don't like catching others ankles/arms/goggles while I'm swimming so I wait and somehow still manage to bump into a few people even doing breast stroke (*said to myself I'd do breast stroke for the first 250meters to:
1- allow my body to warm up to the swim, I just can't settle in that quickly
2- to allow my panic at the state/taste/openness of the water to subside and
3- allow a little space to start without being in a torrent of white water from other swimmers).

Once that initial 15minutes is over my body picks up a natural 3stroke breathing rhythm and all the practice at 'spotting' and positioning myself in the water is paying off as I start to enjoy the swim. The days not sunny unlike last year so the contrast is a little less and the grey is making it harder to pick out targets. Then my goggles start to steam up. I plough on regardless but by 1600m I am thinking that not only am I not able to enjoy the scenery but it has become really hard to see a clear sight line and I've just got to stop and get a finger under these steamers. It's a shame as I've swum we'll and have just overtaken the back of the 'peloton' of my fellow blue-capped 'fifth wavers' but it's got to be. I spy the bouy ahead and think I'll stop there.

As I tread water a helpful kayak Marshall drifts over to see if I'm ok. I say I'm fine just steamy goggles. He drifts away again and...SNAP. I feel the elastic intense at the back of my head and know my goggles are now only held on by suction. I wave at the Marshall again and ask if I can hold onto the kayak for a second while I sort this out. He says 'no problem, that's what I'm here for'. Nice people these marshals.

Luckily it's only a plastic spindle that's jumped it's housing so it clicks back in nicely. Have not been a fan if these 'Head' goggles since I got them - they have always leaked slightly anyhow - time for a switch back to aquasphere.

Sorted I'm on my way when a double blow. A flesh coloured peach swim cap appears on my left and passes me closely followed by another. The first if the next wave have caught me up. It's not about timings, I tell myself as I crawl past the next giant orange distance marker. Which has 800m written on it. Was sure I passed one of those - this should be 1600m but actually, no, this is only 1/4 of the distance not the half that I'd thought.

But that said I'm feeling good and actually enjoying the swim. I watch the people following alongside spectating, people cycling, a painter, several boats of varying sizes, even the wash from one of the large 'Turk Launches' ferries fails to really impact on me. I am passed a few times by various coloured caps (and to my surprise I actually pass a pink cap from the wave in front if me!). The river current is what I would call lazy and it gently pushes me on past the Huf-Haus at Thames Ditton, past the BMW garage and the Old Water Works. Past Ravens Ait isle and slowly to the Surbiton promenade front and suddenly it feels like I'm almost home. As usual I'm slightly regretful that I've done 3/4 of the course already - there won't be another chance until next year - but also looking forward to getting out and knowing I've completed this big green/grey adventure.

So on I plough. I'm looking occasionally at the bank for signs of Anna and Milo who I've arranged to meet at the finish - I'm not expecting them to be there but, y'know, just in case. The people on the bank start to thicken as I can clearly now see the in water yellow finishing posts and I'm spotting regularly to keep the shortest route. Am passed closely by three others in green caps ploughing on the the line far quicker than I could ever hope to swim even in a 100m dash but am unusually glad of their presence as it can get a little isolated at times on the swim. Am gee-d on by the non-reciprocal comradery anyhow.

As soon as I'm through the posts I search for the cobbles with my feet and have to swim on a few yards to find it. I rip off my cap and goggles and instantly hear Anna shouting and waving her congratulations from the barrier above through my slightly water-logged right ear. She is taking this photo (as I'd asked her to do) and then she shouts that we're supposed to keep our caps on until we're out! I half heartedly stretch it back over and feeling remarkably fresh, much fresher than last years even, I grab an arm of a helper who pulls me up the cobbles and free of the Thames.

I make my way through the exit course of hose showers (which I've never been more pleased to be squirted by) and bag collection and stumble to the men's changing tent over the sharp grass. My body is starting to feel slightly heavy now, like that feeling you get when you come off a trampoline, and my arms I admit to myself do feel a little fatigued, but nothing can stomp on the feeling of having achieved, of actually having done it. I'm thinking later, having done it twice now, and even managed it without a wetsuit, is there actually any reason to do it again? Next year for the hat-trick? Well, I haven't done it when it's really sunny yet...

*Oh and before I go, my placing? I was 796 out of 845. To save you the maths that's just about 5% from bottom, in about 1hr36mins for 3.65k. I never said I was fast, did I? See for me its not about the speed, its about the doing ;)