All uphill from here

The shoulder is recovering! Is that not the greatest thing you have ever heard. Okay, maybe not but for me this is like all my Christmas's coming at once. Not totally there yet but a definite improvement; lots of exercises though, sometimes I feel like I have only just got up from the floor from doing them when its time to do them again.

Anyway Wednesday Paul joined me in the harbour where I did 5km, not much but building up slowly. Then saw Mary to see Step Up 3 and hear about her trip to Venice which sounded amazing. Great to see my oldest friend too! Kirsty's 21st birthday meal in the evening which was pretty good too, awesome cake I can assure you.

Thursday was rest day so did very little, watched European swimming championships; sorted out folders for the dreaded return to school and of course, did a zillion rounds of my beloved exercises. Friday I did 6km in the harbour feeling very inadequate getting in with a man who was doing 10 hours. No thank you, the first time I do 10 hours will most likely be on the big day.

Saturday at Kingsdown it was low tide which was irritating but we did about 5km, feed on the old favourite maxim and lemon squash and another 5km. Hard work because of the tide but I actually completed a Charlie set which hasn't happened for a long time. Slightly slower on the second 5km, probably because it started to rain very heavily indeed and I couldn't swim for laughter at the slight of everyone crouched under an umbrella which I knew wasn't particularly good trying to get my stuff ready for when I got out. The things my parents do for me; if I ever have a child, he/she will not be a open water swimmer!

So we arrived back at Kingsdown on Sunday to find a) a low tide b) swimmer swallowing waves c) a very very very very strong current. Charlie arrived a few minutes later Paul and the Baptie crew and declared we were not getting in. The low tide and waves meant the chances of getting smashed agains the rocks at the bottom was very high so it would have been a silly risk to take. Charlie told us to take a day off but Paul and I had other ideas, secretly planning to meet in Dover for a quick swim. So off we went down to the seafront for an hour where I was swimming along and met an incredibly fast swimmer. Naturally my competitive instinct made me stick with them which I did but lets be honest, I was sprinting and they were cruising. Paul found this incredibly funny. Went for a run and then to watch the regatta in the afternoon and caught up with a few people. Especially great to see Lewis from my relay tam in 2008, the memories of which still make me chuckle.

Going to do about 6/7 km today and a quick run and then to see Paul and check on the shoulder.
Update soon.

Thanks for reading!
Abby x