Downstream
daughter as she hands me my hat, ‘look at the faces of everyone getting out, they’re smiling!’ I chat ...
the timing chip provided around my ankle, secure the Velcro strap, give my name to someone with a clipboard ...
that’s three I’ve drunk and I really need the toilet. We’ve been advised not to drink any alcohol the night ...
ramp. ‘When you get to me,’ says a man in a red t-shirt, ‘you can swim.’ I get to him and throw myself in ...
someone overtakes and when I look round someone else kicks me in the foot. We’re herded out of the water and ...
in the pub.’ He asks the newbies to put up their hands; nearly everyone in this wave of around 200 people ...
we just stop and put our hand up. Then he passes the mike to a woman who launches into a manic group e ...
about the state of the water either. My ‘on the day guide’ advises that all cuts or abrasions should be covered, ...
specific mention of Weil’s disease. ...
Lining up to enter the Millwall Dock. I’m fourth from right and about to start my first mass-participation swim. Thankfully, the ...
scrum to get into the dock. In previous years, I’ve been told, people ran in and smashed into each othe ...
I’m in the last six as we head towards the waters of Millwall Dock. Then off we go, and I think, it’s eas ...
Buscot Lock. I swallow some water by accident and it tastes like metal, but it’s clear enough for me to se ...
here there’s a set course I have to follow. The warm-up man has told us that after the first buoy at 20 ...
tree-lined walkway on my right, ahead a single chimney rising up over a small park with bushes like gian ...
off course; she’s heading my way and she can’t see me and I stop as a man on a kayak puts her back on tra ...
man high up at an office window, leaning out, smoking a cigarette. I feel like I’m part of some bizarre ent ...
because I can see the end and nothing has gone wrong except my bladder is ready to burst. I tread water as disc ...
So I’ve been a bit slower than I thought, although I have had quite a few stops and floats. But I ...
I’m given a finisher’s bag and follow a sign to a shower. Then I start to cough, and soon I’m coughing ...
«
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
»
Free download pdf