No rest for the wicked!
With SCAR well and Truly behind me, I think there is one thing that I omitted. Not that I am too bothered by it, but for some, there might be a need to find out how I did overall. Not once have I posted any of my times or placings so I think now is as good a time as any.
My overall time for all of the swims was 19 Hrs 45 mins 24 seconds. This was 3 hrs 32 min 29 seconds behind the leader to put me in 10th place overall. below is a break down of my individual swims and placings
1 – Saguarro lake Position = 8th Overall time = 3hrs.43min.24sec.6 Difference = +27.48.2
2 – Canyon lake Position = 10th Overall time = 3hrs.46min.09sec.2 Difference = +42.55.1
3 – Apache Lake Position = 8th Overall time = 8hrs.49min.37sec.5 Difference = +1.44.36.1
4 – Roosevelt lake Position = 9th Circuit Overall time = 3hrs.26min.13sec.2 Difference = +38.27.6
So Overall not a bad showing. Of the british contingent, I was first on all the swims. If you want to take a look and see the overall results for the whole event, please use the following links SCAR 2015 Results
The SCAR SERIES is a tally of total time for all four lakes. 27 people (out of a field of 47 = 57%) completed the SCAR SERIES . 16 males and 11 females. An additional 9 swimmers had only Apache to add to their list to complete the SCAR SERIES. It should be noted that the “slowest” series swimmer, Liz Fry, swam a double at each of the four lakes resulting in a total time of 37.05.50.
So what is next?
Suffice to say, after such an amazing experience, swimming in the most stunning locations and meeting some pretty dam Amazing people, Topping this swim is going to be a huge task that I fear will be a long time in coming, so in the interim, I have to take what is available to me, at a decent cost so as to keep my fitness up. Also it might be a good time to actually do some serious swimming and post some good times. The times above were A LOT slower than I can do but there were a few factors which stopped me from swimming at my best. Mostly the Stunning scenery that you are obliged to swim past on every leg of this event. It would be rude to travel half way round the world and just put your head down and swim and miss out on all of that. Also the Wind in Apache lake hindered our ability to move forward at times. I am not worried about any of that, The experience alone exceeded even my wildest dreams.
In 5 days time there will be a 10Km race at Dorney lake which is part of a series that I sometimes do. I will book onto that and just see how it goes. I have not swum since Roosevelt swim 10 days ago but I will try and get in a swim or two before then. I think the biggest challenge for me is to jump into 15 degree water after wallowing about in Arizona. One thing I can say about Dorney lake is it is a pretty boring swim 4 x 2.5 km laps at the location of the Olympic 2012 Rowing venue so the scenery will be positively bland after SCAR. A good reason to put my head down and swim. On the plus side, my Kayaker will at least have an easy deal feeding me from the bank and walking along the edge chatting to other spectators. I think, After the immense effort that Audra put in to fly out to Arizona and support me, I think she not only deserves a break but a medal as well – for putting up with me.
I will also take this opportunity to introduce Harry hippo to the European open water swimming society and also unleash these bad boys this side of the pond
Over and above this, I will probably do the Jubilee River 10Km and am looking toward a swim in Italy at the end of the season. This is not however a comprehensive list of the swims that I will do. Funds permitting, there are a lot I would like to do but these are the ones on my target list this year
Fund Raising and photos
As many of you are aware, I am not only doing this to keep myself in shape. I can think of many other ways to do that, albeit not as fun. I am doing this to help the Charity SANE raise vital funds. If you have any spare change at all, please throw it in their direction and I am certain they will be put to good use. My Page for Fundraising is
As for Photos of my last trip, I have a couple of thousand. I have posted some on my Facebook page but need to sift through all of them and I will put some up here in the very near Future.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog. I have been overwhelmed at the response that this site has got over the last couple of days and I did not really think, for one moment that my mutterings would be so widly read and appreciated.
Hi Honey your times were amazing I have followed your blog all the way . will talk to you one on one when you are back in the UK