Shifting sands, shifting energy

 We had a busy night shift last night.  12 hours is a long shift, but on nights it can be particularly knackering- and a run of nights can be rather brutal if they’re all busy.  One of the joys of working for the Ambulance Service is the lack of predictability: you never know what each shift or each moment is going to bring.  But it can also be the tiring part of it, and a ‘between nights’ day often feels energy-drained and flat.  

And so it was today… after a few hours sleep but feeling weary and a little cold, I headed to Rosemarkie to meet up with my friend Jill for an open water swim.  6 degree water, 7 degree air and a stiff breeze: I didn’t think I’d last long.

How wrong I was.  I’ve come to a little routine when I first get in cold water in a wetsuit, that slowly acclimatises my body & head to the cold.  It took a little longer than normal, but within a few minutes I was swimming, enjoying the feel of the salt water waves against the back of my head as I took each breath.  And afterwards, my energy had returned. 

And that, it seems to me, is the art of being an amateur athlete: finding the energy where there appears to be none; dealing with the ups and downs; and finding a way through.  

When I look back at this… feel tired, or a bit low? Get outside, go for a swim, bike, run, paddle… gather some energy from the water, the sun or the wind.