Another two weekends have passed, which of course have been filled with more cold water training. It's safe to say that whilst the camaraderie and support is fantastic on the beach in Dover, the actual swims themselves are nowhere near fun. Training for the Channel is not really blood, sweat and tears - it's far less exciting than that. It's all cramping hands, numb toes, salt-swollen mouth and bone-chilling cold for a long, long, long, long time.
Saturday 2nd June was an incredibly beautiful day. There wasn't a cloud in the sky but the water was still only 13.6 degrees Centigrade. I got to the beach expecting to be told to do 4 hours, given the most I had done up to that point was 3 hours 10 mins...but instead Freda was giving orders for a 5 hour swim. There was nothing to be done but to get on with it. With my Mum and Dad on the beach looking after Bug, I bashed up and down the harbour, swimming on my own for the most part. We fed (warm maxim and fruit juice) at 2 hours, 3 hours and 4 hours. My feet began to thaw out after 2 and a half hours which made things a little easier, but it was still an exercise in mental discipline - staying in there when all you want to do is climb out and get warm is very tough. Eventually, the watch said my time was up and I was able to climb out feeling a little cheered that I had made the target. The intention had originally been to come back on the Sunday for another session, but without anyone to drive me back, I decided that it wouldn't be the safest thing to do and gave it a miss. I swam with Wandsworth Masters instead and was pleasantly surprised that after an initial period of swimming like a brick, I returned to usual form and was cranking out a reasonable pace despite the exertions of the previous day.
During the week, I am now just ticking over - 3 sessions, with no particular concern as to how much distance I cover. It's a nice feeling to get in a pool and just enjoy swimming!
Saturday 9th June was another glorious day. With the water temperature up a little more (14.0 degrees) I entered for a 6 hour swim, which is the bare minimum one needs to complete in order to be allowed to attempt the Channel. We fed (warm maxim and bananas) at 2 hours, 3 hours and 5 hours. Again, after two and a half hours my feet started to come back to life, and actually, between 3 and 5 hours I was fairly comfortable (despite four jellyfish stings). The last hour was a bit of a struggle but I think that was because I knew I was nearly done and just wanted it to be over. I was very pleased with myself, and was definitely starting to feel that this crossing malarky might just be successful after all. So of course it all had to go wrong...
Sunday 9th June was also a lovely day but it didn't get to being nice until about 10.30am - so I spent the first 90mins of an intended 6 hour swim in fog and rain. I was feeling okay in terms of my stroke - I wasn't stiff or tired at all, but I was really feeling the cold, despite the fact that it was the same temperature as the previous day. I had had an upset tummy the previous night and early morning and food wasn't settling well with me. At the feed at 2 hours I wasn't really interested in eating much, and what I did eat just about all came back up. I was very cold and shivering in the water and it was an immense struggle to make myself go back in after the feed. Eventually I lost the battle and came in at 2 and a half hours - as before, my feet were just starting to warm up but the rest of me was breaking out into shivers. I'm not sure if the upset tummy was the culprit or if there was something else - in any case, Sunday was not my day. I have to admit to being very disappointed and worried about it: I feel like I should have completed the second 6 hours swim - after all, a lot of other people managed, so why not me? Doubts have moved well past the "creeping in" stage and are currently running rampage through my brain.
Still, progress has been made, and there is still two more weekends earmarked for back-to-back swims. I think a successful completion of long back-to-back swims will reverse the decline in confidence. Plus Freda said I shouldn't be disappointed (she said that after an upset tummy, anyone would feel the cold - an unusually sympathetic comment from the General!) so if Freda isn't concerned I probably shouldn't be either!
Next weekend is the Champion of Champions race on Saturday, which I am really looking forward to. Not that I think I will do well - I will be very low down on the pecking order - but it will make a nice change from bashing up and down from wall to wall.
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