Saturday 17th September saw me doing the third and last Go Swim event of this year- a 3,000m swim at Loch Morlich. I’d originally entered the Loch Tay 3km, the Loch Lomond 5km and the Loch Morlich 5km swim events – with two weeks between each, way back in January.

Then in summer I swam 8km with Judith and Nina in Loch Lubnaig, and I figured if I can do that, and with my training being consistent since mostly the start of the year, I could likely do the 5km at Loch Morlich. So I asked the events organiser to upgrade me.

I’d done the very choppy 3km swim at Loch Tay on the 20th August, then the 5km at Loch Lomond on 3rd September was reduced to 4.5km for safety, and I did that, then I got a bit of a bump with my fainting episode a few days later, so sense told me to reduce the Loch Morlich swim back down to the 3km event. And I’m glad I did.

I got to the Loch Morlich site early, just after 8am as I’d been awake early and got up. I spent a bit of time getting to know the event site and went over to speak to the lovely Sean at big bobble hats… and we were watching the weather get a little worse.

It wasn’t quite raining, but it certainly wasn’t warm. The water temperature was reportedly around 12-13’C… a lot colder than Loch Lomond had been a couple of weeks before (about 17-18’C). I had my some 3 dryrobe on keeping me warm and dry though, and my wetsuit on my bottom half.

I registered and got number 190. I’d been 170 at Loch Tay (very choppy!) and 158 at Loch Lomond.

Around 915 or so I went to get changed ahead off the swim time at 945. I saw the race organiser Richard on my way to get changed and said hello. He and the events staff so such a good job of it being a well organised and safe event with so many people / distances catered for.

The nerves were palpable in the changing room – one woman had done the 1.5km swim last year and was worried for the 3km and how she’d be able to count 4 laps. Another talked about how she’d swim across the Cromarty Firth in an event recently. And there was one woman who was doing the 3km swim, then coming out and doing the 250m with her 11 year old son later on. Cool.

When I was ready, it so happened I was ready at the same time as another woman, the Cromarty Firth woman… and I decided to introduce myself and get her name, and buddy up with her. We dropped out bags in, got a photo each, and heads for the start line … we nervously chatted about this and that. Her name was Cherie.

Once I got ready and chatting to Cherie ahead of the start line, I knew it was the right decision to come and do the swim. I was ready, even though I’d taken two weeks rest between Loch Lomond and today… a swim in Loch Morlich would be good and 3km was just right.

With the water temperature being 12-13’C I decided to go slightly against the competition rules and wear my neoprene socks. I’d seen others wearing them at other events, and if anything it was safer to wear them for warmth and less risk of cramp etc.

Cherie was saying how her hands and feet get cold, and even though we were on our way to the start line, I suggested we go back for her socks too. We might as well. So that’s what we did.

We got to the start pen with plenty of time and we’re chatting some more. The nerves were going a bit and I’m glad I made a friend in Cherie. She was telling me she was a swimming coach too, and her son was a brilliant swimmer who has also taken a break from swimming… then won a race. So I took that as another sign the break would have done me good.

Pink caps on, goggles on, numbers written on our hand… and before we knew it Richard was calling us in and checking we had our timing chip, pink hats and numbers written on our hands. I did as I usually do and sneaked towards the front… I just like first in, first out and less chance of being swept up in all the swimmers.

Richard gave us the good news that the race course had changed slightly, and today instead of 4x750m loops it would be 2x1500m loops. We’d swim around 6 bouys. The only thing with that was sometimes it wasn’t too easy to sight / to see the bouys, but I seemed to go ok. And it was good just doing 2 loops rather than the 4 at Tay and the 6 at Loch Lomond. It’s good they were trying out different ways for different conditions.

The 30 second count down came and then we were all go. I feel like I’m getting better at getting into the water, and this time, although it was cold, I was in and swimming fine. Head up for a bit then I got on with it.

I noticed Cherie was near me and there was also a younger swimmer with the same wetsuit as me. She seemed to go a little ahead of me, and was ahead for a long while. Right early on my right goggle started to fill up with water.

Eventually it became full and after maybe a km or so I rolled onto my back, still kick and fixed it. It happened once more later on… so a tip to get my goggles on better in future before the start.

I was swimming steadily, and felt strong, sighting was ok, although I did cross Cherie’s path at one point and she gave my leg a well deserved pull! At half way it felt like we got surrounded by some other swimmers… these were in orange hats, and I realised they must be the 1.5km swimmers who would be doing 1 lap.

I was feeling good and could still see the swimmer with the same wetsuit as me ahead of me. Bright orange arms. As we got to the top of the route again, I noticed that she slowed, and I took the opportunity to focus on swimming in a straight line to the next bouy.

As I was swimming I was needing a wee push. I’d mostly been swimming and breathing every three without really thing about it… so I came up with the ingenuous and very helpful mantra of …’ swim like Nina… swim like Judith’…a word for every arm stroke.

I’ve become friends of Nina and Judith who are great swimmers – in open water and in the pool at Glasgow Triathlon Club training sessions. So trying to swim like them was a gear motivator (when I told them, apparently they say to themselves to swim like each of us too lol). (Nina was swimming a mile in Loch Tay on the same day and she came in first lady which is ace).

As I swam along and realised I’d overtaken my wetsuit twin (who was maybe 10-20 years younger than me)…. I felt a good strong but if encouragement for the last 750m or so. I tried to power in, and stay on course. I could see the last tall bouy, and the yellow bumpers for the finish line.

About 2,500m in my watch ticked off 49 mins or so, and with 250m taking about 5 minutes, I’d maybe be up against it to get in under the hour, so that was another motivator to get my arms and stroke going strong.

At the finish I attempted to stand a little too early, but eventually saw the sand and stood up to run the short distance into the finish mats and stop my watch. My watch has recorded it as just under 58 minutes. The fixing my goggles twice has maybe added a wee bit of time on, but I seemed to stay on course, and had done just over 2,900m according to my Garmin.

I finished and felt good, certainly very exhilarated. I picked up my red medal and my third for this year – the full set! I dropped my chip in the bin and went to chill out a bit. Not long after Cherie came out and she met some other swimmers she knew. I chatted to some others too, but knew the race was on for me (and us) to get changed and warmed up.

I could tell Cherie was cold and tried to steer her towards the changing tend. She was talking 100mph and chittering a bit. The changing room and drop bag station wasn’t too far away and before I knew it I was trying to get my hands to work to get my wetsuit off and myself dried and same clothes on.

After that I exchanged numbers with Cherie and got another photo. I got back to the car and noticed some messages from Nina Na Judith – they saw the results and it seemed I was 6th… but some queried results (probably only one lap) meant that I ended up coming in third (again like last year!)

3rd female out of 58, 3rd female vet out of 23, and 8th out of 80! Pretty cool. (part of it would have been the lower number of entrants and the distance from larger cities / further to travel I expect)… but I’m taking it. (The top swimmer apparently only did one lap, and the results will be updated).

It was a bit of a challenge for me to do all three in 6 weeks, but I did it. I was careful when my health gave me a bit of a fright, an I was clear to myself that if I wasn’t up for the third swim, there would be no harm in not doing it. But my blood pressure was back to normal, I’d had good rest and felt good.

I’m pleased to have all three medals, and even treated myself to a go swim hoodie. The different conditions this year certainly made it a bit different compared to the ideal conditions at Loch Lomond and Loch Morlich last year, but I guess that’s what makes each swim a challenge.

I’m going to take a proper break now and get a reset, before I start my training for autumn / winter. What a good sense of achievement to have done all three and had such a good time doing them.