Swimming Diary: Taking up a swim challenge

Former competitive swimmer and Sport360° journalist Kara Martin gets back in the water in preparation for the Zoggs Mina Mile Open Water Swim Series on November 18th. Every week she’ll keep you updated on her training progress...

Those of you who have been following us on Twitter (@Sport_360 and @karamartin360) would’ve witnessed over the past week an intense verbal duel going on between myself and Wild Wadi Waterpark Operations Manager Hayden Smith who thought it would be “fun” to challenge me to a 500-metre swim showdown on his turf (the Wild Wadi wave pool), in the lead up to the Medecins Sans Frontieres iconic 800-metre swim around the Burj Al Arab next weekend. The terms were that I would be allowed a generous 150-metre head start.

Never one to turn down a challenge – even one I was clearly not near prepared for – I accepted and yesterday faced my destiny in the deep end. 

Well, to give you an idea, four laps in and my arms were yawning (and mind you, Hayden was still waiting at the wall then).

Finally, on my sixth slow and painful lap, he torpedoed through the water and only stopped when he realised I had hung up my goggles by lap twelve.

 If it weren’t for a certain someone’s overly proud and supportive mother being there, I would not have even thought of throwing in two more tired laps, but in an attempt to be a good sport, I somehow managed it.

A terrible performance, it may have been, but I’ll have you know that it was only during lunch that Mr. Smith shared that he has competed and placed quite high up in several world swimming, triathlon and kayaking events.

He even came first in the Pink Biathlon held recently at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel – putting last week’s swim diary consultant, Iron Man contender Neil Flanagan, in second. Cheating, anyone?

But really, as I made no effort to do a bit of research on my competitor myself beforehand, that was my fault. Worst journalist ever, anyone? 

Still, it was a great day out and helped me realise just how much more work there is to be done.

So, while I will certainly not be in the water for the Burj swim (albeit out in full support), I encourage and commend anyone who is.

And while you’re there, shake hands with the talented Mr. Smith for me and tell him “I’ll Be Back.”