Hello to you all again

What a HUGE and busy month I’ve had.

As I told you last month – straight after the MND and Me swim I had to pack up and head off to the North Coast for a 2 week training camp. We didn’t go where we usually go on our Sunny Coast training camps this time – we went to the Sunshine Coast University because they have just had a brand new pool put in. It was great. I had as good a time as you can when you are training hard every day.

The French Team were over and were staying with us as well so it was good to see some of the swimmers I have gotten to know over the years again.

The Noosa Triathlon was the next thing I usually go to – but this year I went down to Miami on the Gold Coast along with heaps of other swimmers to help to raise funds for three major charities and attempt to break a World record. The Match Swim was the idea of high school student and cancer patient Jordan Hart, who loves swimming and surf lifesaving.

It was an awesome day and we did really well with the fund raising to help out the Leukaemia Foundation, Make a Wish Foundation and Redkite…AND…we smashed the world record for 100 x 100 freestyle relay by 6 minutes – woohoo.

I zoomed home after the swimming finished because that night we were attending the Leukemia foundation masquerade ball. Everyone looked amazing. We had a great night and raised a lot of money!!!

The next day I washed all of my camp stuff and re-packed my suitcase because the following day we were flying off to Singapore to swim in the World Cup there and then onto the next leg in Beijing.

It was so hot in Singapore and there were heaps of swimmers there too. The French Team who were on the Sunny Coast camp with us stopped into to compete on the last leg of their journey back home, then we flew over to Beijing and it was cold there !!!! Go figure.

Thanks to everyone at home who were sending me messages of support and encouragement. I love knowing you guys are all back home cheering me on – thank you

I was happy with my swims at the world cup – my times were the best I have done since 2009 so it looks like the hard work is paying off. Fingers crossed for more improvement.

On my return to Australia the announcement was made that the Gold Coast won the bid for the Commonwealth Games in 2018. Hmmmmmm – will I keep on swimming until then???????

 I also helped out one of my sponsors Adidas with presenting a couple of schools with cheques for $5000 courtesy of Credit Union Australia for their participation in the Adidas Schools Fun Run.  I had a great time at the two schools that I visited with lots of running around and screaming with the kids.

I have had my birthday this month. Now I am getting too far on the wrong side of 21 and I’m not happy about that.

Well this weekend is the Australian Swimming – Swimmer of the Year Awards in Sydney. I am really looking forward to them. It is great to see everyone. The girls look really gorgeous in their beautiful dresses and the guys all scrubbed up pretty well too.

O well – 25 sleeps til Santa comes…..so be good

I will catch up again after Christmas

                        HAVE A SAFE AND FESTIVE SEASON AND BEST WISHES FOR 2012

   See you      

      Jess