On Friday 2nd December 2022, Natalie Hawkrigg was the first female to complete a winter Frog Graham Round.
My name is Natalie Hawkrigg, I identify myself as a fell runner who can swim, I am not a triathlete. I did my first Frog Graham in May 2018 after a calf injury forced me into more swimming, then in August of 2020 I was also the first female (together with friend Clare Regan) to complete the Puddle Buckley Round in Wales.
The idea of a winter Frog Graham was always in the back of my mind. I kept my swimming fitness going into each winter with intention and the hope that a opportunistic moment might present itself. Then days before the start of the 2022 winter season, a friend happened to mention to me that the weather was looking good and the opportunity was mine to grab.
There is something to be said about ‘bloody minded determination!’. Despite the weather turning freezing days before I was set to go, I was focused and blinkered on the challenge. The drop in temperatures did give me some wobbles, but I knew that if I could get across the first lake swim (Bassenthwaite Lake) I was in with a chance of success. I purposely did not swim in the Lakes leading up to the challenge, as I knew there was a strong chance that the water temperatures would put me off starting. The adrenaline and determination to succeed would have to carry me through the cold of the swims.
I begged and borrowed neoprene kit from everyone I knew and in just a few days pulled together a team of support for all the lake swims. Support on the Lakes was crucial to my confidence and chances of success. I live and train in the Lakes, so no reccing of the route was necessary before hand. I would run mostly alone apart from the final run leg, but decided that company on the last run leg in the dark before the final swim would be essential to keep my moral up. I recruited my friend Julie Carter to join me on the last leg.
I set off at 5 am from the Moot Hall in the dark. Despite the weather having been freezing days before, the dawn brought mild temperatures and very little wind. It felt more autumnal than winter. Clare Regan helped me change into my first set of double layer swim gear at Dodd Wood, and I ran hot and sweaty to the lake shore. Rob Kenning and David Regan were waiting on the water with Canadian canoes to support me across. It was dawn now and enough light to see the opposite shore. I did not hesitate and swam straight in. I was prepared for the shock of the cold, but it wasn’t as cold as I had expected. I swam and repeated counting to 100 before allowing myself to check progress. When I emerged from the water at the opposite shore, my hands were still warm under neoprene gloves and I joked with Clare that I was warmer than she was trying to help me get changed. Now the game was on, I could do this, the first swim had been a success.
I put my head down and got on with the next leg. I didn’t want any of my support crew waiting for too long. I was also aware that if I took too long there was a risk that I would need to swim more than one lake in the dark. I had to be on it at all times. So focused was I, that I did not check my phone and messages, so on arriving at Crummock I was shocked to find that it was not my husband waiting for me, but my friend Jess Richardson. She quickly explained that my son Jonty had been taken to the doctors with a burn and she and her husband Paul had agreed to step in at last minute to support my swim on Crummock. This was an unexpected curve ball. Momentary doubts about carrying on, but Jess reassured me my son was fine. I was a bit inefficient here, flummoxed. Crummock was very cold, but I had my most inferior neoprene layers on, saving the best for the last swim. Jess’s partner Paul (having only met me for the first time here) had to help me off with my layers as I was shivering and nearly naked at times.
A few tears going over Melbreak worrying about my son, feeling selfish for carrying on, but by Red Pike I had spoken with him on the phone and he was cheerful, reassuring, and determined to come and see me finish.
A fast descent to Buttermere and a very efficient set up from Andy Fearnley on the lake shore on his SUP, meant that Buttermere (despite choppy water) was soon done. I ran to the car to meet Julie Carter and Mandy Glanvill, and met for the first time their friend Ed Gamble who had come along for the thrill. The sky was pinking into sunset and I enjoyed warm tea and noodles. Julie loaded her rucsac and for the first time in the challenge I would not have to carry my own gear.
I was glad of the company as the dark set in and the banter made the going easier. On High Sty I confessed up to Julie my fear about the final swim. It was going to be very dark, and my longest swim yet. Julie talked me through my fears, we broke it down into segments, just concentrating on each small part.
On the shores at Otterbield Bay, I had no time to be scared. Despite my fears of a windy chop, the water was black and flat. I could see that Mandy and Paul had set up lights on each island. The change into double layer neoprene had us all giggling as white hair conditioner squirted everywhere (helps get the wetsuit on) and Ed Gamble pulling from behind on my wetsuit legs looked like some weird lakeside sex scene unfolding. The laughter broke the fear I felt inside.
There is no doubt that I did panic on Derwentwater. I could not see or hear and it was very cold. The lights on the shores never seemed to get any closer and I kept pulling too far to the left, with Mandy having to shout loudly to get me to change direction constantly. I was hyperventilating, and at one point Mandy said I was talking gibberish. When I clambered out of the water to cross the islands I was shivering and uncoordinated. I remember standing on the opposite side of St Herberts island alone waiting for Mandy on kayak to arrive. I was told to wait for the kayak, but I disobeyed and started swimming and shouting at Mandy to check she could see me. I was willing this swim over.
Finally, I climbed out at Calf Bay point on all fours with my son Jonty and husband Steve and Jess there to support me. I thought I would burst into tears with relief but I was calm. I remember Jess exclaiming how lovely I smelt (it was the hair conditioner that I had used to get the wetsuits on).
A final run with Jess pushing her daughter in the pram along side me and I made it back to the Moot Hall in 15hrs 45 minutes. I was now the first ever female to complete a Frog Graham in winter. I remembered back to after I finished my summer Frog and I wrote a blog. It ended with me expressing ‘the deepest respect to those who had done the Frog in Winter’. I quietly patted myself on the shoulder.