girlontheriver.com

Swimming in the river is one of the most life-affirming, exhilarating things you can do – and all the more so when it’s cold (there’s science behind this, but I won’t bore you with it – just take my word for it). Admittedly, fellow swimmer Cath Pendleton, who’s represented GB in ice swimming, probably found it pleasantly warm, but to normal human beings it was parky as hell, so we were kitted out in (borrowed, in my case) wetsuits and hats, with some of the others in booties and gloves as well Well, safety in wild swimming is paramount so our coach, Angela Jones, gave us a talk on where and how to swim safely, what to look out for in health and river terms, and swimming technique (it’s slightly different for outdoor swimming). Warming up quickly after cold water swimming is essential so we after a quick survivors’ photo we got swiftly dressed in warm clothes, had hot drinks and got moving to ensure our body temperature rose again (Angela took our temperature and we were all on the low side,

Pack more layers than you think you’ll need, and if you’re not a local, ask a cox at your host club what they’re planning to wear. You’ll almost certainly need wellies or flipflops for boating and think about what you’ll wear on your feet in the boat (not wellies, obviously). Because I’m nice like that, I brought flapjacks for the crew and Prosecco for afterwards (a bit of a club tradition), which filled another bag (partly because, being a perfectionist, I also brought picnic fizz glasses) but I guess that’s not essential. And being brave enough to cox the race and take responsibility for a boat and a crew on such a challenging course is reason alone to celebrate, whether your line was perfect or a zig-zaggy muddle.

Back in the game – Girl on the River is back When I last wrote, my chemo had just come to an end only that it felt like the longest 750m I’d ever done, and that I needed help to get off the water! Since then I haven’t had as much time on the water as I’d have liked. I’d love to say that I’d found a new serenity, that I could rise above the stresses and angst of racing.

When the results of the biopsy came back it transpired that I did have some invasive cancer after all, and a pretty aggressive kind (mercifully not in my lymph nodes), so my medical team recommended four months of chemo, followed by a year of immunotherapy injections. The brilliant NHS provided physio, starting nine days after my op, and with the physiotherapist’s guidance I managed to get back on the erg (very, very gently! ) and even back on the river (again, gently) by early April. I did lots of walking and felt like my fitness was starting to return by the time I started chemo. I’ve had messages and even gifts from people I’ve never met, and more than ever before have felt the amazing strength of our fabulous network of rowers.