As for Saturday... how shall we sum this up guys???? Cyclone Saturday? Salmon swimming training? Sea sickness Saturday? Slime on face Saturday? Sunburn Saturday?
I guess you get the picture. It was eventful. Toughest water conditions have ever swum in which was both scary and exhausting. Felt like one stroke forward and 2 metres back! We estimate the waves were 2 metres high at points. We had trouble with breathing (waves seemed to hit me straight in the face everytime I needed air) and seeing (looking left, right or ahead all I could see was a wall of water). We we absolutely amazing troopers though and did 80 mins followed by 75 mins. Well done us!
See some of you on Sunday! I really hope it is calmer!
Monday, 30 June 2008
Wednesday, 25 June 2008
I managed to work this blog thing!!
Wow,
So my technologically backward brain has finally managed to work out this blog! How exciting! I don't have much to say other than I think I need to get my speed up as I don't fancy the idea of four one hour swims on the day! To do this I am planning at least two morning lido sessions a week of about half an hour at high speed, will be asking Gerry for help with the programme and keeping up with the evening Lido/ Dover swims too! Ah- what fun!
At the moment the teams main problem appears to be balancing work and swimming, along with trying to get the time off to do the swim- difficult when the tides mean that we don't really know exactly when it is! I have been negotiating today and think I have achieved my goal!
Our team meeting on Wed was an amusing affair- with the Chairman (Mike) desperately trying to keep order- I think he did well considering the number of pints etc that were consumed!!
Anyway- I will be contributing more from now on if this works so I will try to think of witty things to say!
So my technologically backward brain has finally managed to work out this blog! How exciting! I don't have much to say other than I think I need to get my speed up as I don't fancy the idea of four one hour swims on the day! To do this I am planning at least two morning lido sessions a week of about half an hour at high speed, will be asking Gerry for help with the programme and keeping up with the evening Lido/ Dover swims too! Ah- what fun!
At the moment the teams main problem appears to be balancing work and swimming, along with trying to get the time off to do the swim- difficult when the tides mean that we don't really know exactly when it is! I have been negotiating today and think I have achieved my goal!
Our team meeting on Wed was an amusing affair- with the Chairman (Mike) desperately trying to keep order- I think he did well considering the number of pints etc that were consumed!!
Anyway- I will be contributing more from now on if this works so I will try to think of witty things to say!
Friday, 20 June 2008
Killer Stingray!
While reading "The London Lite" on the tube to the lido I was horrified to see that a killer stingray has been sighted off the English coast. Thankfully not the south coast but these things can swim so we need to keep our eyes peeled!
Tuesday, 17 June 2008
Kerry's View - Fourth Dip at Dover
This time it was a 5.30am start to get the 7am train to Dover! Ooowww!
5 of us headed down this weekend being myself, Jen, Tom, Tony and Mike. I in particular was not in the mood for this at all (maybe as I'd just got back from a 2 week holiday in Cuba where I'd got used to swimming in the Caribbean).
We arrived at the beach just after 9 to interrupt Freda's first cuppa of the day (we were not in the good books). We were instructed to swim for an hour. I was very worried after having to get out early two weeks earlier due to what I can only describe as "feeling like someone might like to start mining for salt in my mouth". The nausea this caused for painful and I didn't want the same to happen this week.
We managed our swim but conditions were tough (very rough and windy very salty although the temperature was bearable at around 14 degrees) and there were some casualties on the way. Dizziness from Jen which forced an early departure. And vomiting from Tom which caused a stir on the beach. These two casualties only highlighted the still ever challenging task we were up against and the difficulties our bodies had to overcome. In true fighter style the two casualties were back in the water for a second swim just 90 minutes later and both excelled in doing the full challenge set by Freda.
It takes quite some guts to get back into water that has caused dizziness, nausea and vomiting so good job guys! I'm sure it's this kind of perseverance that pays off in the end.
Tony had an excellent swim as well doing 2 one hour swims (a big jump up from his previous 40 minute swim). Mike did a good 1 hour swim to start with and then was excused by Freda for a second swim who sent him off to "have fun" at Clare Foster's wedding. Mike we hate you for leaving us alone for our second swim. But Freda is God to us so if she says it's ok then it is!
So what we learnt this week: - How to dodge waves. - That Freda is always right and we must do exactly as she says! - That we're a pretty hard core team. - That Freda will send crying swimmers back into the ocean (we saw it happen to a solo swimmer with our own eyes). Mental note - no excuse will get past this woman!
With just 10 weeks to go training is going to pick up. Big team meeting on Wednesday to discuss! We'll keep you all posted!
Ciao for now. Kerry xxxxxxx
5 of us headed down this weekend being myself, Jen, Tom, Tony and Mike. I in particular was not in the mood for this at all (maybe as I'd just got back from a 2 week holiday in Cuba where I'd got used to swimming in the Caribbean).
We arrived at the beach just after 9 to interrupt Freda's first cuppa of the day (we were not in the good books). We were instructed to swim for an hour. I was very worried after having to get out early two weeks earlier due to what I can only describe as "feeling like someone might like to start mining for salt in my mouth". The nausea this caused for painful and I didn't want the same to happen this week.
We managed our swim but conditions were tough (very rough and windy very salty although the temperature was bearable at around 14 degrees) and there were some casualties on the way. Dizziness from Jen which forced an early departure. And vomiting from Tom which caused a stir on the beach. These two casualties only highlighted the still ever challenging task we were up against and the difficulties our bodies had to overcome. In true fighter style the two casualties were back in the water for a second swim just 90 minutes later and both excelled in doing the full challenge set by Freda.
It takes quite some guts to get back into water that has caused dizziness, nausea and vomiting so good job guys! I'm sure it's this kind of perseverance that pays off in the end.
Tony had an excellent swim as well doing 2 one hour swims (a big jump up from his previous 40 minute swim). Mike did a good 1 hour swim to start with and then was excused by Freda for a second swim who sent him off to "have fun" at Clare Foster's wedding. Mike we hate you for leaving us alone for our second swim. But Freda is God to us so if she says it's ok then it is!
So what we learnt this week: - How to dodge waves. - That Freda is always right and we must do exactly as she says! - That we're a pretty hard core team. - That Freda will send crying swimmers back into the ocean (we saw it happen to a solo swimmer with our own eyes). Mental note - no excuse will get past this woman!
With just 10 weeks to go training is going to pick up. Big team meeting on Wednesday to discuss! We'll keep you all posted!
Ciao for now. Kerry xxxxxxx
Wednesday, 11 June 2008
Third Trip to Dover
For the third trip to Dover, only four of us could make it. Chris was away and I was on holiday too. So Tom, Michael, Kerry and Jen braved the cold.
Gerry (Kerry's Dad and a proper swimming coach) came along to, so I'll leave him to explain how it went. As for him never having seen people shake so much - Gerry's yet to see me in action!
"Four of the swimmers ( Mike, Tom, Jen and Kerry)attended the Dover training session on Saturday 31 May. They were joined by Kerry's Mum and Dad, Diana and Gerry) who offered encouragement, hot drinks and took some photos and videos.
The swimmers were set the challenge of swimming two one hour sessions, by Freda The Dover Channel Swimming Coach. The air temperature was about 20'but the water temperature was only 13'. The first session was good with Jen and Kerry managing to do the full hour and Mike and Tom managing about 55 minutes. The hard part is getting warm when you get out and the challenge of getting clothes on and having a hot drink is almost beyond the swimmers. It really does make sense to have someone there to help with the dressing process and to pour hot drinks. However, very little of the hot drinks actually get swallowed and I have never seen people shake so much that most of the drink ends up on the floor. The Mars bars did go down well and it is important to both eat and drink before getting back into the water.The next challenge was getting back into the water and all 4 swimmers managed about 30 minutes. This is good for this stage of training.
Gerry had an interesting experience when the first person he met on the beach was someone from his home town in Northern Ireland. Jim Boucher has swum the channel twice, once as part of a team and once in a solo swim.He managed a 3 hour training session. He was pink when he got in the water and blue when he got out. Something for the team to look forward to.
Overall the team of Tom, Mike, Jen and Kerry were very impressive in technique, endurance and perseverance. This bodes well for a successful swim."
Gerry (Kerry's Dad and a proper swimming coach) came along to, so I'll leave him to explain how it went. As for him never having seen people shake so much - Gerry's yet to see me in action!
"Four of the swimmers ( Mike, Tom, Jen and Kerry)attended the Dover training session on Saturday 31 May. They were joined by Kerry's Mum and Dad, Diana and Gerry) who offered encouragement, hot drinks and took some photos and videos.
The swimmers were set the challenge of swimming two one hour sessions, by Freda The Dover Channel Swimming Coach. The air temperature was about 20'but the water temperature was only 13'. The first session was good with Jen and Kerry managing to do the full hour and Mike and Tom managing about 55 minutes. The hard part is getting warm when you get out and the challenge of getting clothes on and having a hot drink is almost beyond the swimmers. It really does make sense to have someone there to help with the dressing process and to pour hot drinks. However, very little of the hot drinks actually get swallowed and I have never seen people shake so much that most of the drink ends up on the floor. The Mars bars did go down well and it is important to both eat and drink before getting back into the water.The next challenge was getting back into the water and all 4 swimmers managed about 30 minutes. This is good for this stage of training.
Gerry had an interesting experience when the first person he met on the beach was someone from his home town in Northern Ireland. Jim Boucher has swum the channel twice, once as part of a team and once in a solo swim.He managed a 3 hour training session. He was pink when he got in the water and blue when he got out. Something for the team to look forward to.
Overall the team of Tom, Mike, Jen and Kerry were very impressive in technique, endurance and perseverance. This bodes well for a successful swim."
Gerry also took pics of the team in hats and hoods:
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