108 length challenge and the last race of the 2014 season

This weekend marked the last weekend of Tooting Bec Lido opening to the public and the last race for us of the season.

Saturday we went down to TBL to take part in the 108 length challenge.  Every year SLSC put on a challenge of swimming the number of lengths equal to the Lido’s age.  This year 108, which is approx. 9.8km

You can take part individually or as a team so we decided to take on the challenge as a 2 person … well 2 and a bump…relay.  We were planning on splitting the 108 by Katie and bump doing 54 lengths then I (Manda) would get in and finish off with me doing my 54, however, we were told we could do it at the same time. So mid Feast ice cream (Apparently an ice cream is a bold choice before jumping into the lido – but in my defense the air and water temperature were unseasonably high).. I had to prepare to swim a lot sooner than I expected.

It was a very relaxed swim and it was nice to take advantage of the lido being shut to the public.  We completed the swim 2:47

So next year 109 lengths… maybe we can get baby Kenny to do the extra 1!

Sunday morning we headed down to Ham Lake with Brian to do the final RG Active race of the year and the final race of the season for us.  We arrived to an unusual scene of campers covering the whole site who were there for some dragon racing.  There was me thinking what kind of people camp over night to do dragon racing, but realizing I had got up at 6:30 to go swim 3km in a lock off the thames..I wasn’t really in a position to comment!!!

Anyone who hasn’t been to the RG Active races, they are very friendly and calm affairs, probably comparable to a parkrun.  We jumped or waded into the lock just before 8am and then set off.  Katie was doing the 1.3km and myself and Brian the 3.2km.

After Phil P, one of the RG Active coaches, kicked me a couple of times (unintentionally!!) I got into my rhythm but there was no one to draft off.  After the 1st lap there was someone in front of me who I was making up distance on, I thought this was Phil, thinking he had gone off too hard.  So I caught up with him and then decided to have a bit of fun by sprinting past him whilst trying to make it look effortless.. Turns out it wasn’t Phil but Brian.. But Brian had taken note!

The rest of the laps were relatively uneventful with “Phil”/Brian, behind me and then exited the water and realized it was Brian.

We then ate some amazing cake (the most important part) – thanks Vicki! and headed to the Breakfast Club for some food.

Thanks to RG Active for a great morning.  See you next year.

http://www.rgactive.com/

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