I’m Katie. I’m 33 years old. Older and a fitness enthusiast. In truth, I’m the master of all ‘ sports‘ but not the master of any. Despite not being an avid swimmer or having ever attempted an open-water swim, I’ve decided to take on the Henley Mile’ I’m a Henley Mile runner. What could happen?
After registering and signing up, I thought it was interesting to find out more about the event. After all, isn’t Henley predominantly used to row? The idea to swim in Henley was only introduced in 2004. As with all good things, It took time to develop, and in 2008, it became officially recognized as an event.
Because I’ve never participated in any OWS (open swimming) before or have swum a mile, the apparent decision for me was to opt for the half-mile option. Being a total beginner, I didn’t know the length of this distance and what I could expect. My last experience was in the open ocean for the Obstacle Race. This, in all honesty, isn’t exactly a fair comparison. However, I’ll add that I’m glad I won’t be wearing trainers when I swim at Henley.
The only way to improve my performance and be aware of my limitations was to get to the swimming pool to check out how I did. In the eyes of a seasoned swimmer, this could be a relaxing and enjoyable experience; however, for me, it was pretty different. I could not sleep through my alarm at 6 am and then went out of the house carrying an empty bag containing towels, goggles, and a hat for swimming.
When I arrived at the pool, I prepared myself, located a suitable space in the pool’s swim lanes, and set my watch in “Swim mode’ (Yet another exciting new moment!). And then I eased into the water and began to swim. I’m sure you can’t be denied that after a few minutes, I was convinced I could conquer any OWS. After 15 minutes, I began to believe that swimming was a lot of work and practice required. Because this was my first swim, I was taking care of myself and ignoring everyone else’s pace. When I finished my 25 minutes, I felt refreshed, satisfied, and ready for the next day. Additionally, I realized that I have a lengthy way to get to.
With my newfound focus, I walked back to the pool to swim for 50 mins. Everything was going smoothly when I realized 20 minutes had gone by. I was tired as I had obliviously turned off my tracker for swimming and sucked in more water than could be needed.
Depressed, I went home to be reminded that this was a massive undertaking. My self-confidence was changing; I knew I needed to tackle this task more seriously. The first goal was to include some swimming into my day because I would not increase my endurance and confidence within a short time frame. I’m hoping for three 45-minute swims every week.
My third goal was to develop a sense of how I could successfully compete in this event by mensuringI’m adequately hydrated, which will help prevent muscle cramps. I’ve heard it’s essential to maintain distance from other swimmers, but being slapped in the face will help my confidence. I’m set to be one of those proud owners of my first Wetsuit and goggles to ensure II wear appropriate clothing for the competition. In addition, thI’m planning to put e tiny fact that I can swim 800m without a break, n” M the y Work “In Progress” section.
