It's been two days since I swam 6.5km from Pulau Kapas to the Trenganu mainland. Two days for me to ruminate and analyse how I felt about my performance at the Kapas-Marang Int'l Swimathon 2012.
This year, the organisers have procured and secured buoys to mark the swim route. For most swimmers, having huge coloured buoys to lead the way to the finish line was a boon. For me, it was a bane. I was so stressed trying to make out tiny globes 300-400m away. It didn't help that there were so much activity in the water... kayaks etc...
About midway, at the point when I almost gave up, I suddenly remembered how I did it last year. I felt the sense of panic abate. I stopped to get my bearings, using the Trenganu shoreline and treeline in the distance. I estimated where the end point would be and just swam in that direction. Towards the end, I bumped into (literally) two other swimmers. From that point, it became an enjoyable, leisurely swim and we finished the race as a companionable, comfortable threesome.
It was a tough experience,plus a hard but good lesson to learn. Much as I hate to admit it, macular degeneration has handicapped me somewhat this time round.
I emerged from the South China Sea a mass of confused emotions. I was relieved and elated to have completed the swim in safety, but I was also disheartened by the difficulty I faced during the swim. My mind was racing... how do I make sure that I would not be caught in the same situation again? Do I stick to long distance races where I have to engage a support craft, so I only do races with lane ropes? Do I just stick to local swims where the landmarks are familiar? Or do I tell Alex I would like to switch to his open water classes so that I can experiment with tools and techniques unique to those with low vision?
I haven't quite decided. But I know I need to do it soon so that I will not place myself in that position in Bali!
