At the time of writing we have officially entered Winter having just left behind the vibrant and wonderful colours of Autumn.
I am probably one of the few that enjoy the long nights and short days which give us such refreshing cold winters.
Did you know that the earth is actually farthest from the sun in July and is closest to the sun at the beginning of January, so there's absolutely no reason not to continue swimming in the sea....is there?
I especially like Hythe as it allows me to swim safely by the shore amongst the breaking water, some how I believe this is giving me the opportunity to experience and navigate the swells that I will encounter in the channel...plus its bloody good fun!
St.Margaret's at Cliffe is interesting as you can only really swim at
high tide due to the chalk rocks and swimming here past the old haunts and home of Ian Fleming perhaps gives you an insight into where Fleming drew his inspiration from for James Bond...although I very much doubt you would have had the famous sight of Ursula Andress or Daniel Craig emerging from the shallows if he had seen me in my speedo's first?
Despite everything, the sea always appears warmer than the land and sometimes I feel like staying in longer!
In addition to my sea swimming I am training hard in the pool, preferring to opt for Hythe pool and more recently Dover.
I am swimming twice a week. These sessions range between 1-2 hrs where I work on improving the efficiency of my stroke and speed.
I also meet with my swim coach, Tanya Harding, once every two weeks at St.Margaret's at Cliffe Holiday Park to measure my development and work on my technique and stamina.
As my swim date draws closer we are just starting to discuss crewing, feeds and contracts to secure observers and boats...we are now at the business end!
I am currently working on consistently achieving 32-34 lengths within 15 minute intervals, either using front crawl or breast stroke (strangely I am nearly as quick using my breaststroke!)
In addition, I am also following a training schedule provided by my fellow Channel aspirant, Sophie Tills;
1 HOUR SESSIONS
Warm up
400m Free
200m Kick
100m Free – building every length, so the last one is the fastest
Main Set
8 x 50m – max effort @ 1 min or a set time
4 x 25 m – IM order + 15 secs
4 x 50m – odds – Free, Evens – Back
6 x 100m – Free + 20 secs rest in between
Swim down
200m or until session ends
1 ½ hr Sessions
Warm up
400m easy - Free
4 x 100m - evens – kick, Odds – pull
8 x 25m – Free – fast + 15
Main
8 x 50m IM order + 30 secs
4 x 200m – as 100m IM
100m Free on a set time of 5 mins??
2600m
200m – Kick
Swim down
200m
Total 2600m
Please remember, whilst I am swimming the English Channel on the 28th August next year this is the
first of many challenges that I will be undertaking to raise over £1m to help
the UK’s four leading cancer centre’s & to support children and young
people with terminal illness and conditions.
Please would you be kind enough to support me by donating, following and sharing my journey and adventure
@letsraiseamillion
facebook.com/letsraiseamilliontogether
www.letsraiseamilliontogether.blogspot.com
Please donate... WHATEVER'S COMFORTABLE
Finally in October's blog I wrote about the amazing Fearless Felix and now we have the real Danny Ocean who is making Ocean's 7.......
Ocean's Seven is a group of 7 long distance swims scattered across the globe: Irish Channel, the Cook Strait, the Molokai Channel, the English Channel, the Catalina Channel, the Tsugaru Strait and the Strait of Gibraltar. It has only been completed by one person ever: on Saturday July 14th 2012, Mr Redmond from Ballydehob, Co. Cork, Ireland became the first person to complete the Ocean 7's Challenge when he successfully crossed the Tsugaru Strait in Japan. Adam Walker will be the next...
I urge you to follow Indesit National Account Manager....Adam Walker...and just check out the jelly fish sting?
Well done Adam
