I am not going to lie, since my failed attempt at Cowichan Lake I have struggled. My struggles have been both physical and mental often leaving me feeling exhausted and hopeless. Today is the day I am changing that.
I’ve hesitated to set a swim goal for myself this year. Some of it has been because of burn-out, some because of the time commitment and some because of the financial commitment. But I know myself well, and I know that without a swim goal I have no purpose, and with no purpose I loose interest. This is a dangerous proposition for me as swimming is what keeps me both happy and healthy. It’s the number one way I mange Multiple Sclerosis (MS).
Last year’s back to back 25km swims in the Great Bear Sea (Inside Passage) were both spectacular and seemingly easy for me. Lake Cowichan on the other hand was a struggle – at least the last 5 hours of it. I do not know why, but when I swim that lake it almost always ends in tummy troubles. It may be the temperature (warmer), the water conditions, or that I am swimming at night. I really don’t know. What I do know is that I need a break from the 105km attempt.
I would like to return to Great Bear again this year but am not sure if I will be able to. It is an expensive adventure. I would also like to do something in my own community, where I am surrounded by those who continue to support me and are often willing to jump in for a portion of the swim. After a lot of thinking, and a bit of help from the Coast Guard, I have decided to swim across the Juan de Fuca Strait in August of this year. It will be long, bumpy and cold; it should also be a blast. And I think it is just what I need to get me on track.