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!