Cooling off at Hill head

Oh my God, it is so hot...it's boiling and there is no let up!! So the sea calls all day..beach, beach, beach is all I can think about as I work in the relentless heat in the van. It's so uncomfortable at times..

So i arrived at the Shack and swam with Shona, Claire and Jeannie...we went out to the 500m buoy and back again. It took about 35 to 40 minutes. Finally...cooled down :)

Unfortunately my Zoggs predator goggles decided to leak and I came away with a very swollen eye!

its 28 degrees and rising!

After last nights 5k event, I didn't intend to swim this eveniing...but the heat in the van just laft me boiling and so the thought of coling off in the sea became ever more appealing as the day went on....I'm glad it did as there was a quite a few of us swimming at the shack today...!

This is the route we followed:

This was kindly supplied by Giles who was amongst the swimmers.

5k at Fordingbridge!!!

I haven't been swimming since Saturday and at work today in the boiling heat, I just needed a swim so badly. Cooking in a small van is really no fun in this heat!! I dream of jumping into a cold pool and cooling right down! Today was no different, except the pool is totally unappealing and for some reason I didn't fancy the sea.

In the back of my mind is the thought that September is just around the corner...and with it comes the 5k at Eton Dorney. And I still feel ill prepared. So the thought of doing a 5k in the lake at Fordingbridge started to mount in my mind...an 80 mile round trip for a swim? Yes, definitely worth it...!! So the idea kept springing to mind as I carried on through my day and I justified the travel and the time...and decided at 2:30pm that I would do it...

Rushed home from work and put on the coffee machine (new gadget!) and filled up my sports bottle and put some fruit in my cool lunch bag...filled up the flask with coffee and hey presto...I'm ready to go!!

Off i went and joined the mad exodus leaving Gosport at this time...the beginnings of rush hour, not a good time to go...but the time i had to leave to reach the New Forest for the start! Th traffic was horrendous and I ggot caught up in even more traffic at Ringwood...at last I turned into the lakes and felt a bit nervous...I had never been here on my own before...and suddenly doing 5k in a big lake on my own wasn't so appealing!!

But like a lamb to the slaughter I signed in, paid my money and got changed...the first upheaval was that we were going to swim in the wake board lake which is "500m approximately" according to Ben from try tri. Down in the changing room it was the main topic of conversation, nobody seemed very happy and for some reason my only worry was..where do we enter the water. Thinking back in all of my events this has been a worry...how to get into the water!! I don't understand why, but I remember when the Great London Swim changed venue just two days before the event...I immediately stressed myself out worrying about how I was going to get into the water!! I messaged the organisers, asked the question on facebook...but never got an answer...then on arrival in London...my first priority was to see a wave set off and see people finish...just so I knew how to get in and out of the water..LOL...must be my "thing"!! I digress...but in the changing room I never got my aanswer becaue nobody knew the answer, having never done it before!

With the wetsuit on my body temperature rose and I had to get out of the changing room and get in that water as quickly as possible! But there was a gathering on the bank and I was told that the swim was back in the big lake and the buoys were being put out...I walked to the end of the pontoon just dying to immerse myself in the lake...I was so hot...Couldn't wait for the buoys to go out...and everybody else felt the same...we all got in!!

As I swam to the first buoy, I did wonder whether I should go ahead with this...it was hot, I felt as though I couldn't be bothered with any more added stress....but I know what I am like and I know I would have regretted it...so I set the pink watch and began the first stroke of my very own 5k event.

I started fairly slow and gradually increased pace as I warmed up...I felt quite strong and the conditions were good...there didn't seem to be a lot of weed this time and I was careful turning at the bouy as I didn't want to set off any cramp.. As I was coming up to the end of the first lap I decided I wouldn't stop...and only stop every two laps...but I would check the time on the watch..My first lap was 13mins something. I am saying something because I didn't have my contact lenses in so I could 't read the seconds on the pink watch! I immediately started the second lap and in my head I am hoping that the next lap will be the same pace so I am looking at a time of 26 something or 27 something...again this lap went well and I didn't feel the need to stop, so in my head I am telling myself...stop at halfway...at Eton Dorney that's what you do...stop after the first lap which is half way..so on the final leg of the second lap I decided not to stop but keep going and see how I get on. As I passed the buoy at the end of the second lap, I checked the watch and it said 26 something. That gave me an enormous boost!! I carried on an my brain was then working out the goal for the end of the next lap...I seemed to be averaging 13minutes something per lap, but didn't know how much the something was! it must have been below 30 though....so the next lap shoud be 39or 40 minutes....it was 40 at three laps down! I was going well and felt fine and strong, no cramp so all was going well. The next lap was the fourth and as I started I had in my mind to have a short rest at the end of it, just as if I was at Eton Dorney...but when I completed it and saw my time was 53 minutes, i decided I would rest after the next one.

With four laps completed in 53 mins and something, I was feeling spurred on...it was now all count down...I was past the half way mark. I started to work out what my final time may look like and if I completed it in the same time of 53 minutes...then it would be 1 hour 46 minutes. I would be thrilled with that!! My first bout of cramp happened on this lap as I went around the third buoy. I had changed to breaststroke to negotiate it and the change of kick caused the cramp to start. I managed to carry on swimming with just my arms and tried at the same time to stretch my foot,..it seemed to have worked and I took extra care around the next buoy so it wouldn't happen again. The time on the pink watch was 1hr 6 mins something when I finished the lap and again I didn't stop, only momentarily to check the watch..three laps to go I thought...it's not too far now. I just kept going and the cramo set in again, but again I managed to stretch it out. This lap was completed and the watch said 1hr 19mins and something.

I was now starting the penultimate lap and I felt good as I told each buoy as I passed it that i would only be passing it again one more time...again I got cramp on this lap, and again I managed to stretch it out...the pink watch showed the seventh lap completed in 1 hour 33 mins.

At last the final lap...could I possibly do this in 1 hour 45 mins and something??  I desperately wanted to and tried to up my pace on the final lap. It wore me out and as I passed the last buoy on the home straight I looked at the pink watch and it said 1 hour 41 mins...and something...I looked a the finish and tried to do reach it in double quick time...the cramp was becoming unbearable..but it was sheer determination that got me to the finiah, where I could see that I had done it in 1 hour 46mins and 38 seconds...i wanted to cry..I was quite overcome, I had done it in a time that I would never have dreamed of!!

I still had to get out and the 20 or so meters to the pontoon were the hardest of all...rhythm now broken, myself exhausted...amazing...!!

I sat in tha car once I had changed and drank a couple of cups of coffee and also a cold drink...and felt as though I had finally accomplished something. I had to be better than average now!!

Gutted!!!

Just been checking the information on my Pink Watch...and my efficiency is 59...wasn't quite sure what that meant so checked it out on the website...it means average...I am average..!! I don't want to be average!!!

AVERAGE!!!!

Sea Swim v Pool Swim

This week I have done more swimming in the sea and only been to the pool on Friday to train with Bayside Tri...I have to admit that when standing on top of hot ovens at work, the idea of a sea swim is far more appealing than getting into a crowded pool full of lane rage. It just has a feeling you cannot match in the pool and that is the freedom. Come and go as you please, plenty of space...beautiful view...what more can you ask for? The only thing is, I just swim, I don't practice anything I have been taught as my stroke depends on the state of the sea...sometimes the waves crash over your head and bilateral breathing goes out of the window as you can only breathe on one side, unless you want a mouthful of sea water each time. The benefit of the pool is that you can train in a controlled environment, albeit constrained into one length roped off..walls each end..lol. I think they both have benefits and I have always believed that I should learn it in the pool and then bring it outdoors to the sea, lake or river.

Today I intended to go for a sea swim, but my Grandson decided he didn't want to go at the last minute...but there was time to get to the pool for the final session...so that's what I did. Fortunately there wasn't many there and I got a whole lane to myself! Brilliant..! Only wish my stats were as brilliant though! :(

Linda has completed a 1650m swim at Gosport Leisure Centre with SWIMTAG

Swim Time: 41min 45sec | Ave Pace: 151.8sec/100m | Ave Stroke Rate: 27strokes/min | Calories: 433 kcal | Ave DPS: 1.43m/stroke

I just can't see any improvement in my swimming at all..the only thing I have improved on is the distance I can swim now...ie the two 5k swims I have done, but other than that, I haven't improved my times at all. Perhaps I am just feeling a bit demoralised with the way I have everything recorded, times, strokes, DPS, and it's taken all the enjoyment out of it...perhaps I'm being negative!!

This evening I went for a walk along Stokes Bay...very pleasant, had my friends dog and he went running up to a young lady who came out of the toilet block..she had just been swimming, but I hadn't noticed her earlier as I walked from one end of the beach to the other...but anyway, we had quite a conversation in the short time I was talking to her....she was lovely to talk to, I gave her a lift home as she was staying just around the corner from my friends house. Hopefully I meet her again, her name was Anne. 

Which brings me to the other side of swimming...I had always felt fairly lonely swimming, particularly as I was doing it mostly at the pool and any interaction ended at the nods and hellos from the regular swimmers. This year I have changed that and joining Bayside Tri was the beginning..training with like minded people is so much fun...we all have the same goal..to get better, faster and win medals..lol...moving on from that came The Shack Sharks at Hillhead and then came the lovely people at Shore Road..it doesn't have to be lonely at all..thankfully! 

Friday's Double Dip

My first swim today was at Hill Head. I met up with Oliver and  we decided to swim to the furthest bouy, which Oliver had been told was 500m away..the tide was high, but going out. We were both in skins and set off towing our floats behind us. It took about 14 minutes to reach the bouy and we chatted for a short while upon reaching our destination. I noticed we were drifting quite fast and it was going to be a hard swim back...so we set off...after a few minutes I stopped and noticed a boat coming out of the sunlight. I was a little nervous as I hadn't been out this far before, preferring instead the safety of parallel to the beach swimming. I signalled to Oliver to look out for the boat and carried on swimming. After a short while I stopped and looked back, to check Oliver and where the boat was...it was directly behind Oliver and was a Police launch...one of the occupants waved, so I waved back and then all three waved..lol...Oliver was not far behind me so I carried on heading for shore. The launch stayed behind for a while and then moved passed the jet ski area and into shore, where it stayed until we both reached shore. It was a hard swim back but it was completed in about 18 minutes...We both laughed as we imagined we had contraband inside our floats...but actually I had my beach shoes :)

As you can see from the picture it was a cloudy day...but it was still fairly warm in the sea

My second swim was at Gosport Leisure Centre with Bayside Tri. Incidentally, I am now the proud owner of a Bayside Tri hoodie :)

The swim was quite tiring with lots of drills, and as always I was last in the intermediate lane...but although I will never be as fast as my lane buddies..they do make sure I push myself and never let me feel that I am holding them up...cheers chaps!! I think they all have events this wekend so Good Luck to them all...!

I had a mental block in the pool with the Pink Watch and couldn't remember how to set it!! So I've relied on swimtag for this session:

My stats in the pool:

Linda has completed a 1725m swim at Gosport Leisure Centre with SWIMTAG

Swim Time: 44min 36sec | Ave Pace: 155.2sec/100m | Ave Stroke Rate: 23strokes/min | Calories: 457 kcal | Ave DPS: 1.62m/stroke

Reflecting on my first open water swim Great London 2012

I remember vividly where it all began...I was working for British Gas and had become a "swim champion"...not quite as grand as the title suggests, but my passion for swimming meant that I and others, were champions for British Gas while they sponsored British Swimming. We worked with local clubs and schools and held galas, in particular for those clubs that would never reach national levels, but were still dedicated swimmers. We would regularly meet weekly to discss upcoming events. It was during one of these meetings that the subject of the Great London Swim came up. British Gas was having it's own wave and we as employees would get a discount for ourselves and a friend in that wave.

The idea appealed to me, not only because I was more than capapble of swimming a mile, but also because it was outdoors. I fancied taking the challenge....so I entered...without a friend..lol It gave me the incentive to keep swimming, but little did I know what I was letting myself in for...!

Here is an account of that day....it's actually an email to a friend who replied saying he had tears in his eyes reading it..he was so impressed with my achievement...!

"It was a memorable experience.....and I did it in 57mins 11secs...the water was warm, the wind was high and the whole thing was tough from start to finish....but it was a very emotional and proud moment when I swam under the gantry...only equalled when I phoned my Dad and told him I had done it....it must have been the toughest physical challenge I have ever done...it was frightening and lonely....but I was determined to finish.... I just kept thinking of all those hours in the pool, all the training, and I think that is what gave me the guts to complete it...I did it and I feel incredibly proud.

It didn't help that I arrived at the docks at 12:15pm sheduled to swim at 1pm. But I had parked a mile or more away. I walked as quickly as i could in the scorching weather, carrying all my gear to get to the start. I had left Caroline in the carpark getting the ticket. When I was almost at the start, I noticed people walking down to the start area wearing their wet suits. But I hadn't seen anywhere to get changed. I stopped a couple and asked them where the changing area was and they said it's by the finish line and it will take you 15 minutes to get there....I had already passed it!! I told him I was due to swim at one and his wife looked at her watch and said you won't make it, it's 25 to now. I was gutted, out of breath from rushing and just started to walk slowly back. then I saw Caroline and I said to her, if I can change around here somewhere I will be able to make it. So I ended up getting changed behind a van!! So I got to the start area and saw Kathy the other swimmer from Southampton ~there were only two of us doing it ~ Had a couple of puffs of my inhaler as my chest was tight and that was it....into the climatisation pool and off to the start.

For the first 500 meters I was panicking, I was battered by the waves as the wind was so strong, i had swallowed half the Thames and was on the verge of raising my hand for assistance! I tried back stroke, but I was veering way off track, but the 10 minutes or so swimming breastroke diagonally to get back onto the course did help me get into a rythmn. It was hard and I just kept thinking "what the fuck am I doing?" I wanted to cry, because I wanted to give up. I felt helpless basically, like at any moment I could drown, it wasn't like going for a run or for a walk where you can stop, sit down and gather your thoughts and ask for help if necessary. It was just like you had to keep going because your life depended on it and also the kayackers never felt like they were close by. In the end I tried to focus on the canoes and imagined that they were 2/3 pool lengths apart and in my head started counting the lengths as i do in the pool. Each bouy became 10 lengths, although I don't know if they really were!! I continued straight down the dock past the half way bouy and thought it would now get easier, after all i was now on the final leg home. the next bouy meant a turn to the left another 100meters across the dock and then another left turn down to the finish.  While I was swimming across the dock after the first turn, I passed a couple of swimmers in blue hats from a previous wave and that did encourage me. Then came the turn to the final straight to the finish and i thought I could see the finish, but it felt like miles away. I also thought the wind would be with me so I would be pushed along with the wind. This part must have been the most despairing. I swam and swam and swam and didn't seem to be getting anywhere, The wind still felt the same, and I wondered if I was swimming against a tide...I was phyically worn out, I was just so tired. I turned over on my back and started doing back stroke, the sun was beating down, but I did have specially purchased for the occasion swimming goggles on...and I remember looking up to the sky and seeing a plane overhead and I wondered where it was going and if you were in it...although I knew you were probably well on the way to the carribean or possibly already there! I just felt so lonely, there were very few spectators along the side at this point, but I could hear some shouts of encouragement and then I just turned over and started swimming again and just thought oh well, you have to keep going you can see the finish and I just kept thinking of all those long hours in the pool, that it is a lonely sport, you can't chat to people while you are swimming, and I just had to get on with it...so I plodded on and on and then as I got closer to the finish the people in the next wave the green hats, started passing me, they were so fast!!!...and then finally I swam under the gantry and I just thought I've done it....and I felt very emotional and proud, but there was still another 20 feet or so to the exit area and thankfully there were people there to help pull you out of the water, as my legs felt like jelly!! I felt completely disorientated. Would I do it again next year? As I was swimming the course, I thought no there is no way I would ever do this again, but on reflection I think I would. I know what to expect now...I know the fear and the lonliness and the sheer physical exhaustion, so perhaps I could deal with them better on a subsequent swim...don't know...but for the moment I feel really proud of my achievement and I allowed myself a lie in with no swim this morning!!"

Even reading it now makes me feel emotional...but it also shows me how far I have progressed...that was just one mile....just 1600m...I am now aiming for 10km. But each journey starts with a step and I have never forgotten the pride I felt and the emotion inside me, as I swam under the gantry and knew I had done it. Even my time didn't matter...what mattered was that I had finished.

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