I was massively looking forward to this! To be fair I didn’t feel 100% getting into the pool beforehand. I did go to bed early but couldn’t drift off so I think I had less than 6 hours sleep. I still warmed up really well and ate the correct foods and breakfast.

With the injuries I got these could have been from the Good Friday Pike walking with Seb on my shoulders on the carrier. My back was absolutely fine throughout so that’s a positive but my knee and Achilles tendon, Not Good!

My right knee went about 2 hours into the swim, the same knee that’s been plaguing me since This Injury (click to read) from running. At this point I couldn’t use my legs at all. I tried to adapt my kick just using my left leg but it was useless – I spent the next 3 hours in agony using ONLY my arms which took on more strain. Three times during the main section I thought about giving up and going home early – the Easy Option. But my arrogance got the better of me and ensured that I got as much of the main section done as possible seeing how I got on.

Towards the end of the main section when I was in the upper pool at Manchester Aquatics Centre my knee felt a lot better, but then my left Achilles tendon became very sore so I had to reduce the power of my kick again. After coping with this the knee injury came back in the penultimate and final 70 length sections.

Throughout the swim I was so depressed and couldn’t distract myself and daydream to pass the time. I felt every minute of it! Still, I was SO proud of myself getting through it although I had no lumps in my throat this time because I knew I’m over-training. My knee today is still very sore and my left foot is also. I’m considering reducing Sunday’s 800 lengths to 500 and seeing how I get on, the slightest sign of pain I’ll just get out of the pool and save myself for the 1,000 lengths.

What also worries me is I need this knee for the Coast to Coast challenge for the 8 days of mega endurance. I might need to see a specialist but I’m unsure what they can suggest in the little time I have left.

Sunday was different – GOOD: did the 15K, got some good feedback, did it in the allotted time. BAD: cold water, muscle/back aches, 50m lengths, and THE COLD!

So yeah the water was cold at Manchester Aquatics Centre

I did the 600 lengths (15K) in two parts, the first in the basement 50m training pool, completing 240 x 50m lengths. Believe me that is a long way. And my god it was cold – I need to get that across! Anyway, apparently this is kept cold for the athletes who train as it prevents overheating when they’re absolutely nailing it. The second part was 120 x 25m lengths in the ground floor pool as the image above.

I went through all 18 bottles so I will need more for next week’s 700 lengths… 😥 I don’t want to think about that yet!!!

So a third of the way through my total lengths I was feeling my left shoulder clicking again and after a while my back started getting sore. I do think though the back was due to just poor form as I was having a good look around the new facilities keeping myself sane.

When I got to two thirds through, my back was a better but both shoulders, my right runners knee issue and FEET?? became sore and numb with tiredness.

At just over two thirds through I was aware that the basement 50m pool was closing shortly so I ended up talking to the lifeguards who were really interested and impressed in the challenge and training, one of which promised to bring in £5 for next week!!! Amazing – I don’t even know the guy but he said “I think what you’re doing is really commendable”. Wow!

I went upstairs into the 25m pool which felt like 10m after being in the huge pool for so long – but the lengths didn’t countdown quickly at all. It felt like an age getting to the final 60 length set.

The swimming training IS the challenge. The 1,000 lengths is just the small bit at the end.

Wow so proud of myself to get to this level. Even though I did 500 in 6 hours which is longer than I’ve ever swam, overall it felt quicker and went better than I could have expected.

Don’t get me wrong, however, it was bloody tough. I hit an enormous wall around the 300 mark. The initial sections of 75+125 lengths got a major chunk of it out of the way leaving 6 sections of 50 lengths which I just focused on. But at 300 I felt so weak and mentally depressed with it all. But at around 350 it got easier and at 400 I felt like I was on the home straight. I actually got a little emotional at 480, thinking of the finish line thinking if there will be people cheering me on on length 999 on 7th May :’-)

The lifeguards were asking about my swim, joking that 500 is not enough, try 501 etc.

There were plenty of people in the pool asking about what I’m doing, including one guy asking if I was a swimming professional to me replying “No I’m just an amateur doing something stupid”.

Very very good feedback, one guy saying every time he comes in he’s impressed at how long I can maintain the high pace. Wow – thanks buddy!

A very strange feeling now – 500 – what a milestone. 600 next week!!! Will that feel as much of a milestone… and where am I going to do it? I don’t think Farnworth pool will be open long enough for me to do it! Maybe Manchester Aquatics Centre? How will I get there for an early start with trains on a Sunday starting so late!?