Well it's not been my best week as far as swimming has gone; Saturday was overcast and horrible so not my favourite conditions but in we got same as usual after talking for a while and dragging out our preparations. We had planned a 15km swim but my shoulder wasn't happy right from the start. Charlie had told me to get out if it started hurting as I had had to miss the session during the week and looking back I think I stayed in too long but after about 8km Ii had to get out. I could have swum through it but it would have been a stupid thing to do with so little time left until the big swim. I was absolutely gutted when I got out as I was swimming well and hate giving up at the best of times but luckily my parents were on hand to (literally) pick me up from the ground and after talking to Charlie we decided that I clearly needed to rest until I saw Paul again to avoid further problems. Thinking about it now I think mentally a break was also a good idea because it has been a very long season this year and it's not even close to being over.

Sunday was the Deal Regatta swim which I won last year but of course I couldn't swim. We had to take the shield back which was a bit annoying but when we got there we saw the some of the successful channel relay team who have also trained with Charlie. It was great to see them, congratulate them and hear all about him. Such a brilliant group of people who have really lifted me many times and I am thrilled for them. Watched the race in the afternoon and saw Kathryn win the shield which was brilliant. She has always been so good to me and I was really pleased for her.

Couldn't sit still any longer by Monday so went in the gym for an hour and a half and then saw Paul and he sorted me out. We have again been very lucky, firstly that Paul is such an amazing physio and secondly that my injuries have not being too serious. This time it was stiffness in my back and left shoulder have caused trapping in the shoulder but Paul has fixed it and fingers crossed it will be okay. Then a sleepover with the amazing girls from swimming who have got me through so many sessions. We had a great time and I was knackered by Tuesday night. Wednesday morning I was back in the water for a pool session which went quite well. Wednesday night was a sea swim that was brilliant. I got ready to get in the water and suddenly the rain came down and the thunder started. We took shelter under the roof of a beach hut and got in slightly late. The sea was rough and it was very fun, I loved it.

Thursday was my our morning session (no morning getting up at 4am) and one of my last pool sessions as I am mostly based in the sea from now on. It was a good session with all the great Canterbury swimmers; good luck to all of them going to nationals, they are all so amazing in and out the pool and I am sure they will be brilliant. Went on a long walk and afternoon tea with Eleanor (because we're cool) and too Deal Carnival in the evening then running this morning before dossing around all day with mum. How I love the summer holidays!

Post again soon,
Abby x

Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time but here goes...

Monday morning training was hard as usual after the weekend in the sea but finished the session and hurried off to start my work experience: physiotherapy at Kent and Canterbury Hospital. Swam Tuesday night with Charlie which was great as the Deal Tri lot are a brilliant group of people who I always enjoy swimming with. Wednesday morning I almost slept in the water I was so tired, I didn't realise work experience was so tiring! I was gutted that it was my last day as I really enjoyed it and feel I definitely want to go into that kind of work. Wednesday evening was a fantastic session at Kingsdown with Kiri and Ellie, for once we all came out smiling and having enjoyed the whole session, not just the last five minutes! Thursday morning training and then I went to work with mum. Did some spanish homework and saw Shrek with Bizzie which was really funny. Slept late for the first time since April on Friday (bliss) and spent the whole day being lazy. (Well I went out for a run in the morning, bu most of the day.)

3x6km on Saturday which I kind of enjoyed in a roundabout sort of way. On each kilometre did a different times table (from 2 to 19 times table) which was suprisingly amusing. Probably very inaccurate but got me through the session. Sunday was a 2 hour session in Kingsdown which was really fun again and then a bike ride with dad.

Monday morning training came around all too quickly again but we did it and then went for a run and watched My Sisters Keeper with mum which still makes me cry after seeing it many times. Went training in the evening and found out that Emma (who was away in Hastings with a friend) was going to see Blood Brothers! I was very jeleaus and sent he a rather rude text telling her exactly what I thought of her going without me! Got up quite late on Tuesday and went into Folkestone after mum and I declared my wardrobe to be seriously lacking! Had a great day but for some reason my shoulder was hurting again which really worried me. Went to karate and saw Adrian who suggested some exercises. Got in the pool Wednesday and it started hurting straight away. Decided to keep going until the end of the warm-up and luckily it stopped hurting so I carried on. Began to hurt towards the end of the session so I iced it at home and decided to skip Wednesday nights swim. Went and saw Toy Story which was brilliant. Already made plans to see it again. Shoulder felt fine on Thursday despite it being a biggish set, sprints and then 500's. I have continued to ice it and do my exercises and it seems okay. Tidied and totally decluttered my bedroom in the morning and now it looks pretty good so I am really pleased. Afternoon with Eleanor, went walking in Tankerton and had a good gossip, haven't seen each other for a whole week; shocking! We had a lot to talk about!

Hopefully the shoulder will hold out tomorrow and Sunday when I am training and then raacing in the Deal Regatta where as reigning champion(!) I am quite hoping to win! The shield looks good in my room!

Thanks for reading and enjoy the sun.
Abby x

Schools out and the tides coming in

Thought I would have a nice easy set on Sunday after Saturdays effort but never underestimate the coach; Charlie thought I would like a nice 3 x 6 kilometre set. I had plans in the afternoon with the lovely Eleanor so had to get up at 4.45 and eat my porridge so I was in the water at 6. Really lovely and still so the first 6 km was great, fed and did the next one but was starting to notice some pain from my shoulder running down my arm. Survived until the next feed and took on some painkillers but 40 minutes later I was still in agony and mum (on the kayak) was probably suffering from sore ears from all my moaning. Saw Paul at 14 kilometres and he told me to get out. Luckily for me he is probably the best physio in the world as well as being incredibly kind so he told me to come and see him early Tuesday morning and he would fix it.

Had a great afternoon with Ellie and saw eclipse in the evening which was great. The image of Taylor Laugtner with his shirt off has got me through many sessions since! Morning training on Monday was fine apart from my shoulder so I did some kick and cut the session short. Then school for the last week until the summer holidays. Saw Paul on Tuesday morning and he fixed the shoulder and gave me some exercises. Cake sale at school on Tuesday and then karate before morning training on Wednesday and Thursday with my sports leaders final assessment in the afternoon. The last day of school on Friday, can't believe it is the summer holidays and I am going to be in year 11 next year! Also makes the channel swim seem ever closer as after the holidays it's 2 and a half weeks!

Four times 4 kilometres fast swim on Saturday. First two were fine but after 10 km was was very very bored and losing motivation. It is quite difficult at the moment; lots of hours and still 10 weeks to go but somehow got through and finished, but not very fast! Improved my hat line and tan line immensely, I am at the stage that no matter how bad my hair looks (and trust me, it can look awful!) I cannot pin my fringe back without being laughd at by everyone I meet. It makes running very hard.

Anyway, Kingsdown today which was great as it is know where near as boring as Dover, but this is where the blog title comes in. The tide was against us going to Deal pier which meant we were 1 hour 25 minutes for the 4 kilometres, without the tide we would cover it in under an hour. Anyway began to go back looking forward to an easy swim but... the tide changed and began to go in like no mans business. It was incredible, I swam for an hour and made about 100 metres! Anyway, saw Paul walking down the beach and got up myself, was coming up to some boats and it was getting dangerous. He had made no ground and knew we weren't going to make it back so we walked back and informed Charlie we were over determined idiots and dad was still in the kayak. Mum collected him so we all got back okay. Although it was annoying it as a great experience. At Cape Griz Nez we could be making no ground for up to six hours. It kind of hit home how tough the swim is going to be and has made me more determined, without training my very best and doing everything Charlie and Tony tell me I will have no chance. Everything, training, eating, resting and tapering has to be perfect and I also luck, God and everything looking favourably upon me. Thank goodness I will have a fantastic pilot and a wonderful support team in my family as well as two brilliant coaches and a lot of pure bloody-mindedness to help me!

Feasting with the fish

Start again where I left off. Monday night time trial. The sun was out and unfortunately, so was the fast swimmer in the wetsuit meaning I got beaten. Only by 15 seconds but just goes to show the importance of my attitude when I swim. The minute I saw the swimmer who I knew was as fast or more likely faster than me I was beaten, even before I got in the water. I swam okay and the time wasn't bad but I was really angry with myself for being beaten, not because he was faster but because I didn't fight for the race because mentally I was already second. Anyway, I swam back to get my kit and got the disappointment out of my system and got stung twice more by those stupid jellyfish.

Back in the pool Wednesday morning for a short set as I had to get out early to get ready for a fundraising day and sports day at school. In case any of you are reading this, thanks to all the people who helped out, really fun day with Ellie and I getting into the roles of Jack and Jill quite well dragging buckets of water up onto the field for throwing sponges at teachers. Thanks to all the teachers who volunteered for that! The unofficial total is £250.40 for the day so thanks to everyone for being so generous. In the sea for a session on Wednesday night with Howard and Paul which I enjoyed immensely. Then a BBQ on the beach to celebrate mums birthday before heading to bed rather late. Thursday morning came around all too quickly and the set was not an Abby set. One hundreds? No thanks, I always find you start to get into it and the wall gets in the way. Then again, thats always the way in the pool!

Went for a run on Friday and then watched Murray. I think I must be cursed, I came back to watch it and he immediately lost his serve. Anyway woke up early this morning to eat my porridge and go to the beach. Thought I would improve my tan line but the sun never appeared. Charlie dropped a bombshell when I arrived. The most I have done in one go is 12km (a bit under 3 hours) and today he asked for 9km, feed, 7km, feed, 4km. 20km! I was slightly scared (especially when I got stung almost straight away) but was already with my new found operation combat boredem after telling mum I was going mad in the water with so little to think about. It didn't quite work though. I planned to do an A-Z of everything and yes, I did an A-Z of girls names, boys names, spanish words, biology, chemistry and physics words, history words, books, films, songs and everything else but I had done them all by 4km and had to count to some big number to keep myself amused before lapsing into daydreaming about nothing and singing the songs on my ipod that I am not going to name through fear of embarassing myself! Anyway dad was on the kayak and kept me company, he even gave me my feeds in the water! Kept amused until 16km but my shoulders were starting to hurt and I was seriously in need to motivation. Luckily for me Paul was on hand when we saw each other in the water and he told me I couldn't count and actually I had only 3 km to go, that cheered me up and I finished in about 4 hours and 40 something minutes chuffed to bits having swum for 2 hours longer than ever before.

Suffering now with sore shoulders, tiredness and stings but still smiling. Going to cook dinner now so if dad and I don't turn up where we are meant to me next week, just assume with have food poisoning!

Thanks for reading
Abby x