Friday 23 December 2011

Home for Christmas


After the whirlwind of last month – taking a surprise trip to Paris and getting engaged – December has been a little calmer.


My last blog came from Florida, sitting in 25 degree heat, next to a pool and surrounded by palm trees.  Having returned to the UK last week, this month’s blog comes from a slightly less glamorous surrounding.  I’m sitting at my kitchen table, heating on full blast, enduring the strong smell of wet dogs!  It’s freezing here and the two hounds are lying by my side after a walk in the wind and rain.

Although it feels like being on another planet now, Florida was a great trip.  I managed to get in a lot of good work and feel that I’ve returned in great shape. The idea of the training camp was to complete a solid training block of work, stay fit and healthy, and come back in better shape than when I left.  On all three counts it feels like mission accomplished. 

We managed the occasional afternoon of downtime out in Florida. One afternoon we took the same fishing trip as the last time we were out there.  The motel owners have a 20 foot-long boat and invited us out for an afternoon’s fishing.  Always welcome!

Swimming is a tough sport; we literally spend hours and hours submerged in water with only a black line for company.  But it’s also given me travel opportunities I could only dream about otherwise.  One example would be fishing in the Atlantic Ocean off Florida under glorious sunshine, when most people are sat inside working!

It was a great day out and a lovely way to unwind but it was rewarding too.  There’s something really satisfying about taking on the elements and catching your own dinner.   Between us we managed to catch a number of fish including Tuna, Snapper and a fish called a Grouper, which I caught!  It was a weighty, strong fish that took a good 5-minutes to reel in and get aboard.  I’m not sure you can get a much fresher dinner and they tasted unbelievable.

The remainder of the trip was spent largely in the water, as opposed to on it, but I had a great time nonetheless.

Since coming back with only ten days until Christmas I’ve had to be organised in order to get the shopping done.  Normally I’m the one rushing around on Christmas Eve but this year with help from my fiancĂ© I’m all done!

I’ve also managed to catch up with some family on my return.  My family have been brilliant all the way through my career and it’s really nice when we all get together. I don’t get to see them enough with all the training and travelling, so it’s important to make the effort when I am here.  My auntie always follows my blogs and texts me to say she’s read it, wherever I am in the world.  Its lovely to have the support and it means the world to me.

Me and Auntie Jane.
Also this month I competed at the Northampton Swim Meet: a low-key event but one with great importance in the lead up to the Olympic Trials.  It was useful to apply all the things we’re trying to improve in training.  I was really pleased with my times and with the shape I’m in.  Things are definitely moving in the right direction.

As the year comes to an end I want to thank everybody who has supported me through 2011, whatever their role.  Without all the help, my chances of competing at a third Olympic Games wouldn’t look as bright.

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and here’s to a Happy 2012!