21 days to go!

 With only 3 weeks tomorrow till we place our feet in the sand of the start line for the Rottnest Channel Swim, I am full of excitement and a little bit nervous.

The past couple of weeks have been very full with swimming and work and trying to make sure I am eating and resting properly as well. My training partner and I have pushed to six days a week and up to seven swims, distances ranging from two kilometers to five kilometers. Its been interesting to see how the body and the mind have coped and so far so good. Have had a couple of issues in the last week with my shoulders, though am very lucky to have a great physiotherapist to help in that area with pressure point and acupuncture.

The next week will be our last week of solid training of up to 25km for the week and then we start tapering, when we rest more and train less, but this time is used for the body to recover and build energy stores and time to think the race plan out and make sure everything is ready to go, and also to keep a check on our crews. Over 12 months of training and organising comes down to one day, well in a way, but for me it will be the start of another chapter.

I will have surgery on my right foot post Rottnest Channel Swim and that will have me out of the water for six weeks at least, with the goal to be back in the water and competing in May, in the Busselton Half Ironman with a friend of mine as a duo. Then its time to grow gills and push the kilometers up as I will look to compete in the 2017 Rottnest Channel Swim as well, with one big goal is to swim a double crossing of the Rottnest Channel.

I have always dreamed big, and with some of these dreams they can be a bit scary and crazy, but we only live once, I guess and I want to make the most of the time I have at the age I am. I don't want to later in my life sit and say "What If?"

I love it when people call me crazy, and ask if I am scared of the sharks..."scary creatures." I'm not scared of them, I would probably crap my bathers first and then settle myself and keep swimming. The ocean is their home and I have the most respect for the creatures that inhabit the ocean.

So with the next 21 days its more swimming, the more rest and eating. I look forward to putting on my white swim cap, timing chip, race number tattoo (54) and lathering up in Stingose, sun cream, zinc and wool fat, then stepping forward to await the staring horn before we head off into the big blue wonder of the Indian Ocean and head to one of my all time favourite holiday destinations.

Have a great weekend everyone...

Hayley xx