SUE WILSON - AMBASSADOR DAY BLOG

Meet one of our brand new Swimathon 2019 Ambassadors - Sue Wilson, and read about her experience at this year's Ambassador Day hosted by Olympic Gold Medalist and Swimathon President Duncan Goodhew!

Ambassador Day - 19th January 2019

Before Christmas I was privileged and extremely lucky to have been selected to participate in the Swimathon Ambassadors Programme.

With great anticipation I awaited the launch day and training session with Olympic legend Duncan Goodhew.

On Saturday 19th Jan the day finally arrived and I set off with rapidly mounting excitement for The Castle Leisure centre at Elephant & Castle. On arrival at the centre I quickly found my fellow Ambassadors and Duncan came over and introduced myself. I was issued with a Swimathon T-shirt and off I went to get changed and get started.

Over a delicious lunch we all had the chance to introduce ourselves to the group and Duncan, plus Arlene from Marie Curie took time to explain how much our fundraising efforts mean to the charity and the work that they do. Duncan spent time talking to us as well, with some useful training tips and a chance to look at, and pose with his impressive Olympic Gold Medal!!

It was great to get to know the group and I was in awe of the distances being swum by the other Ambassadors, and their commitment and efforts further inspired me for my own challenge. During our lunch, we were asked one by one, to come and be professionally filmed and interviewed, standing on poolside. Slightly nerve-wracking, as I’ve never been filmed before, but I was keen to share my story and encourage more people to get involved.

Then it was into our swimming costumes and into the pool. Plenty of swimming up and down, and all under Duncan’s beady eye. Nice to know that we can all swim ok – but that there are still plenty of ways to improve – from a more streamlined push and glide, to a better catch and pull in front crawl, breast stroke timing and better leg technique, plus a taste of some gruelling synchro sculling exercises that had us all sinking and spluttering! No spluttering from Duncan, of course, who effortlessly showed us how it is done!!

Our pool session was over all too soon, I could have stayed in for much longer, indeed we all stayed in longer than we should have anyway!!

We got back together for a final briefing and farewell chat – plus were also presented with a signed coy of Duncan’s motivational book “Fix Your Life NOW” plus brand new Zoggs swimming costume and mirrored goggles – I got a fabulous high neck and very sporty black and white cossie – I’ll feel like I have “go faster stripes” on when I’m next in the pool. It was sad to say goodbye to everyone, but with a promise to stay in touch via WhatsApp & Facebook – great to know the encouragement and support will continue.

Sue Wilson

Swimathon 2019 Ambassador