Almost Easter and 16 Weeks to Go

Since my last post, when training was going very well, I had a little set back when I injured my shoulder, which kept me out of the water for a couple of weeks. I have been having regular physiotherapy on the shoulder and thanks to Anna Preston Thomas and Gill Banks of Weybridge and Walton Physiotherapy I am now back training again.


I attended the CS&PF annual dinner in Dover on Sat 13 Mar 2010, where I got to meet up with Rob and Don, my relay team mates from last year (pictured - looking very warm) and a load of other channel swimmers. It was an excellent evening and on the Sunday we ventured into Dover harbour for a quick dip. Compared to last year the water seemed much colder and I didn't make it as far as I would have liked.

Since Christmas I have swum a few times in the Serpentine, but with the cold Winter the water has taken ages to rise much above freezing. Last week it finally seems as if Spring has sprung as I managed 400m on Monday and 600m on Wednesday - as the water temperature has finally started to rise.

So, swimming is back on track and I am off on a Swim Trek holiday to Gozo in 3 weeks where I will attempt my 6 hour qualifying swim. I am going with Don, my training partner, who is also attempting the Channel this year. He has already done the Robben Island swim in South Africa this year, so he is slightly ahead of me in training. Time is going fast now and it won't be long until weekend training starts in Dover. Also, my contract with John Lewis ends soon and, although I will miss all the people I work with there, I am looking forward to taking a couple of months off from work to really focus on the swim.