Hi
Stopped shivering at last. Thanks to everyone for their support and encouragement. Brilliant pics NLN, we love the one where the competitors are setting a blistering pace following the whistle to start. I dont actually remember the whistle and seemed to forget it was a race in my attempts to survive the challenge without needing external assistance. Mr K's comment that I was very relaxed like I was on a gentle paddle on my own were quite near the mark. The concept of swimming faster paled into insignificance compared to braving the cold and even worse the darkness of the water. For those who haven't tried it, when you put your face in the water and open your eyes, in goggles, you can not see anything - it is like strong black coffee! Need more practice before any other outdoor swim challenges. Well done EtU on a great victory. My daugther though you looked very muscled indeed.