~T~

My Final Thoughts

For 40 Days I have been planning, preparing and swimming much more like when I was a child although this time I have had to deal with chronic pain and fighting against the mental exhaustion it all brings. I also found constant Freestyle / Front Crawl too exhausting to do more than 50metres at a time so 99% of this Challenge has been a breast stroke which obviously takes a little longer than the freestyle movement.

For those that know me; this was like climbing a mountain and I have had to fight through many hurdles to reach the end of this challenge successfully.

At times I thought I couldn't carry on; whether that be with pain, other health issues, frustration of not being able to find my routine or the anxiety of doing something out in public and out of my comfort zone; but I kept thinking of why I was there, how I used to love being in the water and that people who have never even met me, were supporting me and it willed me on.

For those that have supported me by ways of comments and shares through social media, positive words to me personally and those few that have believed in me enough to sponsor me and donate (with several of those people having never even met me!) to the Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital Charity;

Thank You, Thank You, THANK YOU!

It means a great deal to me; more than you will ever know or realise. Hopefully those kids; having to deal with all that a hospital brings; that will receive help with this small amount of funding, will get something good from it too.

So again; Thank You for all of your Support! 

Keep Swimming!

Increasing My Target

A bit of a delayed post but on 24th October I had reached the 8km Target!

So with time still left I wondered if I could increase my overall distance and complete it by the end of October...

I then decided to push my Target up to 10km as I thought a week left of my Challenge month would be straight forward!

I have also increased my Donation Target to £222 to coincide my love for ducks... they Keep Swimming right...?

Let's see how it goes!

First Session Complete

I am Crazily Swimming 8km in October for GOSH Charity!

I have set myself the challenge of aiming to swim 8km over the course of the month of October 2026!

This is all to raise money for Great Ormond Street Children's' Hospital also known as the GOSH Charity.

"Childhood should be a time of joy, wonder, curiosity and fun. Of making friends, making mistakes, and growing into the adults we become. But it’s also fragile, and sometimes all too brief."

"That’s why Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity raises funds to help give seriously ill children childhoods that are fuller, funner and longer. For the children from all over the UK who are treated by Great Ormond Street Hospital every day, for children with rare or complex illnesses everywhere, for this generation and all those to come. Because no childhood should be lost to serious illness."

This is a huge challenge for me; swimming 8km or just under 5 miles which is around 320 laps of a 25metre pool!

I will have to dig deep and fight my way through the pain, discomfort and mind issues that I struggle with; as many people will know. And what better way to challenge myself but supporting a vital Children's Charity along the way.

So please, please help me to achieve my goal by giving whatever you can; no amount is too small to make a difference to a child and boost my confidence in being successful in this challenge!

Thank You

~T~