Ruth Sannes

Keep on swimming

1 month in

A month into the training and I am really enjoying it. The pool sessions are good for fitness and more varied that I thought they could be. The ocean swims are challenging. Waves that make you nauseous, no line on the sand to keep you swimming straight, sooo much salt water to swallow and I met the local wildlife on Saturday. It left me with a nice mark on my arm. A jimble (type of jellyfish) decided to hitch a ride. The lifeguard had to peel away its tentacles. My arm was on fire for a couple of hours. See picture below. Last Tuesday we had a 500m time benchmark. That I can swim 500m is so exciting, even though there is definitely room for improvement as I swam it in 14min10sec. 

I've started

Admission. When I signed up to this program I ticked the box that I could swim 200m, which technically I can while swimming breast stroke but at the time I could not swim 50m freestyle. The last two months I have been swimming/practicing with help from Kate and Carla (thank you) and I can now tick that box. I can swim 200m freestyle!

This week was the first week of the program. On Tuesday I met my swimming pod (a great bunch of ladies) and had a pool session. On Saturday was our first ocean practise. We practised going in, past the waves and back to the beach. Who knew you could get seasick while swimming in the ocean? Also, 300m out from the beach seems really far.

A new goal

It has been two years since I started my last fundraising campaign. It is time for a new goal and raise money for those in need.

This time I have chosen the CanSwim program from the Can Too Foundation. The Can Too Foundation provides a professionally coached training program for participants of any fitness level to run, swim and cycle their way to a healthier lifestyle and a cancer-free world. So this program sees me swimming a 1km ocean swims by February. And while I definitely enjoy being in and on the water (pool lake river or waves) and can competently swim breaststroke. Swimming free style in the ocean (which is so big, eeek) is something I have not mastered yet.

The Can Too Foundation raises funds to better prevent, diagnose and treat cancer of all kinds. 1 in 3 women and 1 in 2 men will be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. The odds are high we all know someone with cancer, someone who left us too early because of it and those who fought it and won. Some of those are closer to our hearts than other, but all need support/hope/a chance and could benefit from the extra funds the Can Too Foundation puts into cancer research and prevention. Since 2005, Can Too Foundation has trained over 18,000 participants and raised over $25,000,000 to invest in over 200 one-year cancer research grants.

I would be grateful for any donation you could spare to sponsor me. If you feel inspired join me in the program or for a couple laps in the pool!