Scilly Isles Challenge 2014 (undoutedly long!)

[birdyman]

Christ, Didds what a report. Your race report from the 70.3 in Austria a few years back was one of the first that I read on the forum and was a great inspiration to me. This is up there mate. Chapeau. Don't know what else to say. Just f**king brilliant.

[didds]

I really need to add who incredibly proud I am of Tracey (Mrs Didds).

Its somewhat of a cliche but she is my rock, my best friend, my soul mate. She is as hard as nauils and as soft as ... well... a very soft thing. She has the heart of a Lion and of the most caring person i know. When i mentioned I was thinking about doing this, she said "that sounds nice - I'll do it too". i hadn;t actually apparently at that time mentioned the distances (tho i am sure i bloody did).

When she found out the distnaces she was ... pertubed... then just said "better get training then". So she did. snhe is a fantastic xwimmer, if lacking power. But she really Rocks. Truly rocks.

She's brilliant. I would like to say I want her to have my babies. But she already has


I asked her afterwards how the physical effort and fortitude compared to giving birth. She looked at me, quietly, directl;, for what seemed an eternity. "Its up there" she replied.

She also said if i ever suggested we do it again she would divorce me

I could wrire reams more on the whole weekend. it was just an incredible expereince. We had a evening meal/BBQ at a dead posh restauarnt on St Martins with speaches and spot prizes. much to me complete surprise I got one! I think it is so the small orginaser could shopw off that he'd broken this big bloke's nose! Then because we were all "stuck" on St mary's for the rest of the weekend afterwards we got time to spend time with others wimmers and the dafety crews - normally you don;t get the chance to hang with the kayakers at swimming events but we were able to spend time chatting to them, finding out their stories and viewpoints. They were so in awe of what we were doing - I was bloody in awe of their ability to sit ina kayak for 8+ hours! let alone support us all.

Oh - that current I mentioned?

6 knots apparently....

didds

[SickBoy]

Sounds like a real adventure, great report and hats off to you, that is a *lot* of swimming.

[didds]

Jack - yes ... it really was nice up to Samson... the last two swims were much tougher, as if someone has flicked a switch! But I suppose iof it had all been like the first four swims it wouldn't have been much of a challenge

didds

[Worrying Will]

Cracking didds

[flavadave]

Well done mate both to you and the missus. A cracking report, can't believe you broke your nose and carried on! WTF?

It sounds amazing, something I'd love to do, but I'm not sure my wife would be so supportive what with the little 'un. Maybe in a few years time.

Ya Scilly b##tard. Awesome work fella!

[didds]

The truth with the nose is that i broke it years ago playuing rugby - probably in my mid 20s or so.

Being a nose it never really "healed" and it doens;t take much to break it again. I reckon I've probably broken it around 20 times or so!

I seem to be lucky that i don;t get panda eyes, or heavy bleeds... its just cracks and leans to one side for a while until it knits itself. i usually get a big bruise across the bridge and get a bit constricted with it at the same time.

The funny thing is I hadn;t actually realised that i had EVER broken my nose until about a decade ago... i'd come home after rugby and had mentioned to T. that a friend had broken his nose - again! - and it was huge and squashed melon like in appearance. I followed that up with "thankfully i've never broken mine", to which T. guffawed and said "You've never looked in the mirror then!".


didds

[didds]

Here's a picture of that bloody yellow pole!!!

[Jack Hughes]

Here's a picture of that bloody yellow pole!!!

Sure it's not a video?

[didds]

If it was a video it would be one where the perspective of the photogrpaher/videoer and the pole did not change for a very long time!

didds