Fundraising & Events

Hold your own event

Sporting events

Challenge events

Parachute jump

Other events

Other ways to support us

Fundraising essentials

Blogs and stories

Charity cards

On the morning of the event, I have to get up at 4am in order to eat breakfast before 5am and make the trip to Hayle (Cornwall) to check in. I am nervous, excited and apprehensive at first, but once I register I become quite calm. I set up my bike and look at the swim course. I’m anxious as it looks a lot further when marked out than when I was training.  Need calming thoughts - ‘I’ve swum this distance in open sea many times, I’ll be ok’.

Entering the water my anxiety builds, it is murky and full of seaweed (not my favourite thing!), head in water, swim up to start (100m) I take it steady, do not waste energy now. I become very focused, ignoring the seaweed tangling my arms as I move through to start position. I am relaxed, focused, determined and ready to start.

The swim starts. I find my own space quickly, steady at first then building up pace. I ignore the usual bashing and rough tactics of others. Settling into the swim the water tastes and smells awful, my arms are tangling in the weed but I ignore them and get on with my task. As I swim the last few hundred meters I hear voices from my supporters and seeing their familiar faces, I feel good. I’m delighted when the commentator shouts out my swim time: “Emma Jenkinson 34 mins.”

Now a quick transition, I remove my wetsuit and get straight onto the bike
I start steady, allowing my body to adjust to the bike. A couple of kilometres into the ride I pass others, staying focused and not wanting to push too hard, too soon.  I’m keeping steady despite the driving wind and rain. I feel strong, I feel good.

1 hour 20 minutes into the ride I know I haven’t long to go, I start to think about the run.

Coming into the transition area to swap my bike for my running shoes, I feel excited. I love this! I see my supporters waving and cheering for me. Trainers on, I start to run.  I have Jelly legs at first and my feet are numb. The rain is still pounding and the wind is chilly (and I thought it was summer!) but I quickly recover. At the 5km point, at the top end of a big uphill, my breathing becomes erratic, a little panicky. ‘Calm down’ I keep saying, ‘it’s ok - you can do this’.  I’m halfway through my run and a big stretch downhill gives me time to recover. I pick up the pace as I start to feel strong again. On the last turn before the final 800m, I feel very emotional.  I’m almost crying! I cannot quite believe what I am about to achieve! I calm myself; use that emotion to power into my legs to push me up to the finish. I see familiar faces again cheering me on to the end… I am one proud happy tired girl!!!!!!!

And I finish in 3 hours 18mins!
                                            

Read my next entry: Training and next event

Sponsor Emma here!

Read Emma ’s story in our personal stories section