Instructions from the general

Instructions from the general
I'm the confused one scratching my chin

The Channel Swim "WHY?"

The 1st reason

Last year in September my brother must have been bored at work and got hold of me at the office and asked,
“Hey Graeme, how about doing something interesting next year?”
I said
“okay what is it”
Spencer
“How about we swim the channel!!”
Me
“Are you nuts, what drugs have you been on?”

That was the beginning of a conversation that was to change the way my summer for 2008 panned out, much to the disgust of a few friends and much to the detriment of my socialising but hey looking at the summer so far, I suppose it is not a bad thing.

After this conversation, I started to think about where I was in life and that I was a bit overweight: clinically obese according to my doctors. At that time I was training about 10 km a week and the nurse didn’t quite know how to break the news to me about the above fact.

I was also suffering from lower back trouble and it was really annoying me, thanks to the desk job!!!!!

I am the sort of person who cannot just go to the gym so I figured that if I wanted to tone up a bit and strengthen my body in general, this might be a good plan.

The 2nd reason

The other reason I am doing this is the fact that I will be able to raise some money for the desperate people of a country that has been torn apart by a dictator. With unemployment at about 90% and life expectancy in the mid-thirties, the country has gone from being one of the fastest growing economies in Africa in the 1990s, to having the highest inflation of any country in the world, currently sitting at 1 400 000%.

From breadbasket to basket case all in the space of 10 short years.

This country is Zimbabwe, some of you might know it, some might have even had the privilege to have been there on holiday. For me it is the most amazing country in the world. A country that afforded me so much whilst I was growing up, a country I still call home and a country my heart bleeds for. It is a privilege for me to be able to try and make a difference, in any small way possible to the people, especially the old age pensioners whose pension probably equates to no more than a few pence a month, and that is for the few who actually have or had a pension.

Even for the extremely wealthy, the everyday things like going to the shop to buy milk, bread, meat, eggs, butter, vegetables, fuel. Being able to have a romantic dinner with electric lights as opposed to candles, or just have electricity for more than about 2 hours a day is only a distant memory



Butterfly training

Tuesday, 9 September 2008

Fnal Dover Training and A Big Shock

Hello again from the Zimhippo

Well time is closing in to when I finally get to swim across to France. I would lke to thank all of you for your continued support in this mad adventure of mine.

This last weekend I was down in Dover for what will possibly be my last big training session of the summer before I swim. My parents arrive tomorros and i will be sending some time with them. I am off to Italy for a few days with the family, Got to start the carbo loading and where better to do it than in the Pasta country of the world. Sadly my wife will be unable to join me, someone has to work to pay for this insane challenge and I love her for all her support that she has given me over the last couple of months. The bank manager might think otherwise but hey, you only live once.

Whilst training over the weekend, I did a pretty intense 4 hour session on the Saturday and it was by far the worst weather I have ever swum in, a great learning experience but ploughing through pretty big swell, trying not to swallow half the harbour is not the best way I can think of to spend a wet windy Saturday. Sunday I went in for another 4 hours and when i came out after about 2 hours for a feed there was my pilot with my shoes saying -
"okay, get out now, you up for swimming the channel tomorrow?"
I was temporarily rendered speechless as I now had to make acritical decision of whether to swim now or wait until my scheduled slot. After a quick reality check, I decided to wait for my Slot, the reasons for my decision are below:-

1 - I will have to drive back to London to fetch a whole load of stuff that I needed
2 - I would have to make phone calls and send emails to get my crew together and let you all
know that I was off.
3 - My Shoulders were in agony thanks to the heavy session the day before, as it was only 4
hours I had really pushed it in pretty horrendous weather.
4 - Having trained so hard and spent so much time and money on this venture, I did not want
to swim knowing that I was not 100% mentally, physically and emotionally prepared.
5 - I wanted to swim on my terms, giving myself the best chance of success.

The outcome - Another 2 hours of training with my mind in Limbo asking, HAVE I MADE THE RIGHT DECISION? it was 2 hours of mental torture.

I will now be swimming sometime in the week of the 21st of September, probably early in the week as Alison (my pilot) will try and push people through. All my family will be with me, My parents, brother and wife will be ready to support me on the boat along wth one of My swimming coaches and some others. Well they will be on the boat at least, whether they are supporting me or throwing up over the side is yet to be seen, if they are throwing up they better make sure it is on the other side of the boat to where I am swimming. I should be alright as I will be in the water.

there is a link on this website where you can follow my progress via GPS, click on the link on this page and then select Roco (Alison) this will take you to another website where you can see where the boat is in the channel. If all is going according to plan, I hopefully will be not to far away from the boat.

All that remains now is for all of us to PRAY that there is no wind on that day and the tides are not too strong and the sun is out. I probably have more chance of winning the euromillions but hey miracles do happen!!

Till next time, Zimhippo signing off

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