For the past few years, while doing Ironman Training, I have only been swimming once or twice a week. I have been shifting that in the past few months, now I’m swimming 5-6 times a week. I am getting faster which is a good thing, because now my long swim pace is getting faster but doesn’t feel harder. I love that.
I swam in a 2.4 mile race last Saturday at Lake Travis. I didn’t really know what to expect in terms of time or who else would be there. I knew that Carrie would be there, because she is getting ready to do a 4 mile swim in Lake Austin. How cool is that, a woman who used to be last out of the water in triathlon (as she describes it) to training to do a 4 mile swim. Her husband was there too, Ali, John, Tammy, Christine, Alissa, I had no idea so many friends were swimming it too…..YAY! Dina came to support Tammy so that was fun to chat with here pre and post race and good on her for getting in post race to test the waters.
While we were waiting for race time, I notice that Jennifer….a really strong swimmer was at the race. Yay! I have not kept up with her in long races in the past, but figured I had been swimming a lot so would just wait and see.
After our morning chit chat and pics, we meandered to the downright balmy 86 degree water. Not my favorite, but it is what it is. Did a little warm-up and swam to the start. The course is a two loop course that includes a swim around the cove for the last quarter mile or so. Horn went off and I found myself on the feet of some guy. We were a little too far to the right of the buoys, but I liked his draft. Finally, we moved over and we were on course, but were now swimming next to each other. As we neared the buoy for the turn around to get back to the cove, I noticed some tapping on my feet, so I did breast stroke around the buoy and let the tapper pass me, it was Jennifer. At this point, we were now in a pack of four; two dudes, Jennifer and I were splitting up the drafting. As we turned into the Cove, I lost my draft….poop! At the half way point, I looked at my watch and saw 27:30. I thought, NICE! Off to catch them, midway to the turn around I was back with the pack and hanging on. Back to the cove, and we are getting close, half way around the Cove, and Jennifer starts moving really fast, CRAP…..guess I will too, we turn out of the cove and I try to sneak by her on the right…damn she saw me, edged into the rocks nowhere to go. Damn she’s smart! Ok, so we all think the finish is a run on land so the three of us (we dropped one of our pack), jump up to run out of the water, but officials are yelling at us to swim through the start buoy. Crap, she dove towards the finish with the other guy and I right on her feet. Did I mention that some kid beat us all by over four minutes. The race was so much fun, it’s always more fun to win, but I had so much fun pushing the limits and figuring out the drafting in the water. Our times were around 52:30. I forgot to stop my watch right away.
After the race, breakfast with the Carrie, Shawn,and Christine! Perfect Morning and then home to nap….the week had caught up with me and I was planning a long swim in Barton Springs for Sunday morning.
Saturday, July 24, 2010
I don't know what I'm doing!
I’m not really sure how this all works. There really aren’t a lot of coaches for English Channel swimmers, but there are people that have done it before and that is how I plan to learn more. I have found two mentors, both women, who knocked the crap out of the English Channel. Both of them swam across in less than 10 hours. WOW!
Every time I mention swimming the English Channel in Austin, invariably someone will either say, you need to talk to Lynne Smith or Julie Galloway. Lucky me, I’m talking to both of them and I am grateful for every bit of wisdom that they are passing on to me. From sharing training partners to ideas about ramping up my distances in the water, these two ladies are the real deal. They inspire me.
This whole English Channel thing is a whole new world to me. Who knew you have to pick a tide? And Neap Tides are apparently better than Spring Tides, but more people are attempting Spring Tides than have in the past. Who knew you have to book a boat pilot two to four years in advance? Yeah, they don’t just shut down the channel so that people can attempt to swim across it. I love seeing the pictures of swimmers not more than a few hundred meters from these enormous vessels.
So, I’m making the contacts to consult on the ability of the tide. Each pilot has a queue of 4 swimmers for each tide. You book your position with the tide. Then you go to Dover, England a few days before your tide and don’t book a flight until a few days after, then you hope that the swimming gods have looked out for you and that you get to make your attempt to swim the channel. I am trying to book a tide for 2012 , but I don’t really want to be there in the middle of the Olympics that are in London that year. There is a tide from August 25-29, 2012 and I am looking at trying to book a pilot for that period. These pilots aren’t free either. You get to drop quite a few pounds to do your swim (I’m talking money here of course, since I will probably have to add a few pounds of insulation to my body). No, you do not wear a wet suit…just a regular every day bathing suit. Brrrr! They say skinny girls need not apply to swim the channel. I read that somewhere and it cracked me up. Thank God, I’ve never been accused of being the skinny girl.
Talking about insulation, this whole acclimation to the cold water should be interesting. They say the water warms up to 63-64 degree in August, half a day or more in that cold of water takes some adjustment. I don’t really have a clue to go about this, but Lynne’s blogs gives some hints. Anyone from Austin may remember reading about her in the Statesman, she used to take ice baths fully submerged breathing through a snorkel. I thought she was crazy when I read about that, but I secretly admired her for being such a bad ass.
You get to do a six hour swim in 60 degree water prior to attempting the Channel. This swim can take place anywhere you want as long as the water is cold enough. This is a requirement and has to be observed by someone then you send in official paperwork. You also have to have medical clearance. You send in paperwork for that too (the year of your swim). Lots of planning just to get a slot.
I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m figuring it out. I think that is what makes this so exciting….I really get to chart so many new waters so to speak. It’s about the journey!
Every time I mention swimming the English Channel in Austin, invariably someone will either say, you need to talk to Lynne Smith or Julie Galloway. Lucky me, I’m talking to both of them and I am grateful for every bit of wisdom that they are passing on to me. From sharing training partners to ideas about ramping up my distances in the water, these two ladies are the real deal. They inspire me.
This whole English Channel thing is a whole new world to me. Who knew you have to pick a tide? And Neap Tides are apparently better than Spring Tides, but more people are attempting Spring Tides than have in the past. Who knew you have to book a boat pilot two to four years in advance? Yeah, they don’t just shut down the channel so that people can attempt to swim across it. I love seeing the pictures of swimmers not more than a few hundred meters from these enormous vessels.
So, I’m making the contacts to consult on the ability of the tide. Each pilot has a queue of 4 swimmers for each tide. You book your position with the tide. Then you go to Dover, England a few days before your tide and don’t book a flight until a few days after, then you hope that the swimming gods have looked out for you and that you get to make your attempt to swim the channel. I am trying to book a tide for 2012 , but I don’t really want to be there in the middle of the Olympics that are in London that year. There is a tide from August 25-29, 2012 and I am looking at trying to book a pilot for that period. These pilots aren’t free either. You get to drop quite a few pounds to do your swim (I’m talking money here of course, since I will probably have to add a few pounds of insulation to my body). No, you do not wear a wet suit…just a regular every day bathing suit. Brrrr! They say skinny girls need not apply to swim the channel. I read that somewhere and it cracked me up. Thank God, I’ve never been accused of being the skinny girl.
Talking about insulation, this whole acclimation to the cold water should be interesting. They say the water warms up to 63-64 degree in August, half a day or more in that cold of water takes some adjustment. I don’t really have a clue to go about this, but Lynne’s blogs gives some hints. Anyone from Austin may remember reading about her in the Statesman, she used to take ice baths fully submerged breathing through a snorkel. I thought she was crazy when I read about that, but I secretly admired her for being such a bad ass.
You get to do a six hour swim in 60 degree water prior to attempting the Channel. This swim can take place anywhere you want as long as the water is cold enough. This is a requirement and has to be observed by someone then you send in official paperwork. You also have to have medical clearance. You send in paperwork for that too (the year of your swim). Lots of planning just to get a slot.
I don’t know what I’m doing, but I’m figuring it out. I think that is what makes this so exciting….I really get to chart so many new waters so to speak. It’s about the journey!
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
I'm saying it out loud!
That's right, I'm saying it aloud. The thought of swimming the English Channel has run its cycle in my thoughts off and on for many years. My friend Carrie reminded me recently of a bike ride in 2007, we were training for our first Ironman, and I said then, when this is over, I'm gonna train to swim the English Channel. She said, of course you will and she meant it. That is exactly the kind of friends I have, they don't question my sanity when I propose a big dream. I chose to do another Ironman instead. That first Ironman wasn't fun. It was 95 degrees on the run and I was miserable. I had to do another one. I did and I did it right...I had fun on the journey and the day of the race for my second Ironman. I will continue to remind myself of that joy as I embark on this journey. I told Carrie a couple of months ago that I continue to think about the English Channel....she told me: "I know you can do this". I am so grateful that others believe in my ability before I do. I said it again, but it wasn't quite real in my mind yet, I let it marinate a little more, then I started making little hints on Facebook, and now I say it out loud every day. I believe I can do it, but for the love of God, there are so many factors to being successful in crossing the English Channel. Some fun statistics:
* Less than 50% that attempt a solo crossing are successful.
* More people have climbed Mount Everest than completed a solo English Channel crossing.
* Approximately 40 swims a year never get started because the conditions are not favorable to start the swim.
These statistics put great fear into me, but they also excite me. They also remind me that this really is about the journey, not the destination. That may sound cliche, but it is so true in this instance. I'm saying it out loud, My Journey has begun.
* Less than 50% that attempt a solo crossing are successful.
* More people have climbed Mount Everest than completed a solo English Channel crossing.
* Approximately 40 swims a year never get started because the conditions are not favorable to start the swim.
These statistics put great fear into me, but they also excite me. They also remind me that this really is about the journey, not the destination. That may sound cliche, but it is so true in this instance. I'm saying it out loud, My Journey has begun.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)