8 weeks to go and the sun has arrived

What a fantastic weekend. Even though the water was still only 11degrees - the sun certainly made it easier to warm up after the swim. The water in the harbour is actually blue for once (check out the pics).


We are only doing one swim each day now. On Saturday I did a 2 hour swim followed by a 2 hour 15 min swim on the Sunday. From next weekend the time in the water will start ramping up. I am now working 3 days a week so that I am able to concentrate more on the challenge. Just having the opportunity to rest really helps.

Thanks to Scooba Steve (pictured) for the photos of the weekend.

9 weeks to go - it's nippy in Dover

I can't believe that the number of weeks until my tide is now in single figures. The last two weeks have involved two weekends training in Dover. Last weekend the water was a balmy 9.5 degrees C and I don't think it was much warmer this weekend.

Last weekend (8th and 9th May 2010) the weather was overcast and I did 2 one hour swims on the Saturday and a one hour and a one hour 20 minute swim on the Sunday.

This weekend (15th and 16th May 2010) the weather was sunny with blue skies and I did 4 swims of approx 1hour 20 mins each. I also stayed down for the weekend which is so much nicer than having to get up early and make the drive from London each morning. Andrea, my girlfriend, came down to watch - she found it amusing watching me trying to drink tea after my swim with the shivers as I managed to pour most of the tea over myself. Also check out the picture of me coming out of the water - what a face! - I look like a hillbilly - all you need is duelling banjos playing in the background.

Next week we will only be doing one swim per day, which has the advantage that you don't have to try getting warm before you go in again but the disadvantage that the one swim will be a longer one.

11 weeks to go - Dover training has started

Had a good week in the pool (approx 16k) and then this weekend went down to Dover to start acclimatisation and sea swimming.

Sat 1 May 2010

There were about 113 swimmers who turned up for the first day of Dover training. Given it was a bank holiday weekend the weather was holding out - it was mostly overcast but the sun popped out every now and then to remind us it is almost summer. We did 2 swims on Saturday a short swim of about 23 mins and a longer one of about 38 mins. It was a nice day and although the water, at 9 degrees, was about 1 degree colder than the same time the year before it was a fun swim. I travelled down with Don and his wife, Helen. Helen has been videoing the proceedings and is promising to keep a video of the whole season which I am looking forward to seeing sometime in the future. Got back home around 4pm after a KFC and had a lazy evening before getting ready for day 2.

Sun 2 May 2010

The second day of training involved the same 2 swims - the only difference being the weather. It was absolutely chucking it down and it was really difficult to get warm after the swims as no sooner had you put on your dry clothes they were wet. The swims were fine, the water temperature was the same - it was just the apres swim that was not so much fun (although I did have a very nice fry up between swims). We didn't hang around much after the second swim and headed back home and I was back by 3pm. A nice warm bath and a lazy day to follow.