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‘I savour every time I swim’ – inspiring Swim Serpentine stories
- Updated: September 23, 2016
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Swimmers prepare for Swim Serpentine
The first Swim Serpentine – a two-day event in London’s Hyde Park – takes place this weekend.
The festival starts on Saturday with a mass-participation one-mile open water swim across the famous lake, with 4,500 people expected to take part.
Then, on Sunday, the British Open Water Swimming Championships take place, including an elite invitation race.
Joining the swimming on both days will be Rio 2016 Olympian Jack Burnell and BBC Breakfast’s Louise Minchin.
Get Inspired takes a look at the journey of four of the first-timers.
‘It was a long time ago but you never forget’
Swim motivation: It may have been 40 years ago but Carol Carter has never forgotten the joy and terror of giving birth to her son Mark, who was born 13 weeks premature.
He weighed just 1lb 13oz, and staff at West Middlesex Hospital didn’t think he would survive.
Now, nearly four decades, later Mark is a healthy father and grandfather. He is also the inspiration for Carol to take on the Swim Serpentine and raise money for the charity that helped her.
Carol says: “It was a long time ago but it’s not something you forget. I don’t know why he came so early and he was just so small when he was born.
“I remember him being wrapped up in silver foil and whisked away. It was hard because I couldn’t hold him or touch him and he was in hospital for three months. But the doctors and nurses saved his life and I’ll be forever grateful. That’s why I’m happy to be swimming for Tommy’s.
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“I was quite a good swimmer when I was younger but after I got married and had children I didn’t swim for quite a long time. Then, two years ago, I joined a gym and started building up the lengths in the outdoor swimming pool.
“Open-water swimming really is special. I don’t think once you have done it you go back to an indoor pool. The …
