Swim For Hope Charity Weekend

Today was the Swim For Hope Charity event. Our Monday Tri-Swim Group pledged, collectively, to complete 2,900 laps. Our group initiated this as an interim training event, and also to do our bit and bid for charity. It was also strategised that we would recover some errant and missing swimmers over the weeks.

After watching online the first two hours and last two hours (before the male winner crossed the finish-line) of the Ironman championships in Kona, I was still sleepy and anticipated a challenging 50-lap swim. It was an exciting although relatively windless day in Kona, and Craig ‘Crowie’Alexander and Chrissy Wellington won their third and fourth Ironman triathlon world championship titles, respectively. The salient points were that Crowie broke the world record (previously held by Luc Van Lierde) by 12 seconds, and Chrissy accomplished her task after a bike fall barely a week ago. Their runner-up counterparts – Pete ‘PJ’ Jacobs and last year’s winner Mirinda ‘Rinny’ Carfrae – gave the eventual (and bookies' favourites) winners a run for their money, which is a whopping US$110,000 each for the champion’s purse. Singaporeans Choo Ling Er and Alvin Lee both successfully completed their foray to Kona in enviable times.

Back to our Sunday swimming soiree: About 30 swimmers showed up for the 10.30am flag-off. Clifford Lee (who eventually swam 110 laps of the Olympic-distance pool at SAFRA Tampines) was the first to break the water with the first wave of swimmers. The intention of the event was a fund-raiser for our Paralympians (who did a swim demonstration for us at midday, during our scheduled rest period) to have resources to participate in overseas events. I greeted Adam 'One-Armed Runner' - an accomplished endurance athlete - who is stoked as ever with charity events. 

Each swimmer swam one lap (50m) and switched to the lane on our left, and swam back. Volunteers would wrap two red rubberbands around our wrist; 10 red bands equaled one yellow band, which we exchanged for at a both. Each exchange gave us one coupon, upon which we wrote our contact details and entitled us to a lucky draw, and documented our swim. Many of the older swimmers were reminded of our secondary school days where we participated in the Pesta Sukan Swim, where 30 laps completed earned us the exact number of bands (with soft coloured tags) that was exchanged for a certificate of completion. Who would know decades later that we would do similarly for charity! Today's event raised S$20,000.

We, essentially, found our own private lanes electing to swim in lanes with fewer breast-strokers. Many of use found mild frustration swimming behind breast-strokers, which meant uncomfortable touching of other people’s feet. We learnt to switch lanes, and find our space and complete our commitment. We also found our graciousness to share space and accommodate those who reached fatigue, or were experiencing their first long-distance swim.

My supportive team-mates encouraged me to do another 10 laps over my 50 laps. I did do another 500m and completed 3K in what can be described as a fun, frothy, fruitful and friendly day; the Angry Birds head-gear were kind of suspect. There were no fruit during lunch, except chicken rice and Jo Lene's cheese-cake (which was polished off gratefully without preamble). Thanks everyone for making this a charitable day, and day of charity! Big shout out to Richard Leong and Dennis Quek (for his many underwater shots) for capturing the valuable pictorial moments.

Leadership Lessons: When was the last time you got into the deep end? How do you respond to a call for assistance? How far are you willing to stretch yourself physically, mentally and with your values? How often do you connect with the values of care, consideration, generosity of spirit, and a sense of community?

Photo-credit: Dennis Quek & Richard Leong

Stuffed Toys & Bird Caps: Leow Jo Lene

Angry Birds Models: Andy Foo & Jo Lene

Tomorrow: The Kona Experience for Spectator and Competitor