Wednesday 28 May 2008

Birthday - postponed due to Training

21 again however celebrations were kept to a minimun - chocolate cake at the office . Have to keep my eye on the job in hand , only one chance to swim to France - plenty of time to have a late birthday party .
I am feeling really tired this week , after effects of last week. I will train but I will also listen to my body and take it steady , really want to have some good swims at the weekend, Dover on Saturday and Heron Lake on Sunday
Rest is the key word this week

Monday 26 May 2008

54K -Wow what a week

The end to my week was on Sunday I swam at Heron Lake - near to Heathrow . The water was lovely and I managed a very steady even paced swim 8 laps each lap 15 mins covering 8k. This took my weeks total distance to 54k, I have decided that Monday- tomorrow is going to be day of complete rest and lots of sleep...Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Recovering on the beach


Style doesn't matter at Dover !!!


Collecting my shoes - yes bright pink croc fakes - needed on Dover beach , see all the pebbles !!!

The trials of training in Dover

Last minute team talk

Another Bank Holiday Weekend

Saturday at Dover was bright and sunny with a stiff breeze blowing across the harbour. I had the luxury of being driven down this week by Ian - it was a shock to his system to be up so early on a Saturday

My swim started off fairly steady and Pim was too fast for me - he spead off after only about 20 mins .......typical eh . I swam at a steady pace for the rest of my swim . I did seven full lengths plus the two extra bits totally about 9 1/2 kilometres. The wind picked up during my swim till at the end there were white caps .........again I felt as if I had been in a washing machine
We all had to stop after two hours to be fed on the waters edge - interesting trying to stand and drink as the waves are battering you , then swim back out for two more laps .

This week I managed to avoid getting any rub marks - plenty of vaseline at the start did the trick . My old faithful cozzie - black adidas will be the one I'll be wearing to France.

After my swim I was tired and was so happy to just sit in the car back home - Ian you are a star












Sunday 18 May 2008

Swimming with a young Dutchman in a washing machine .....can it get any better !!!

Another weekend spent at Dover , many positives , many negatives ............
I am now the proud owner of essential items to get me across to France - very posh lights - ones that run on batteries and last for up to 50 hours - hopefully I wont take THAT long !!!!!
Another new item I have purchased is a changing towel / tent , yes the ones children use on the beach - I have an adult one blue with spots on. How joyous was I after emerging from the sea managing to get changed without revealing myself to all......yes the otherswimmers seem happy too
The swimming this weekend was challenging. On Saturday it was raining and dull , the temp was about 11 with none of the hot and cold spots that we had last week - just all cold !!!! I swam just one swim of 90 mins and managed to find myself a new training partner - Pim a young Dutchman with similar pace to myself.
On Sunday there was no rain however there was a stiff wind which meant the harbour was kinda bumpy.......two hours in what felt like a washing machine..Yuk !!!! I swam with Pim again and we managed a fair distance despite the waves - approx 5.3 k but that is approx as at times we were being thrown all over the place so a straight course was out of the question .......
All in all a good weekend of swimming , despite still feeling like I am on a boat ..........really wish my bed would keep still !!!!!!

Monday 12 May 2008

My new training haunt.......A calm Dover harbour




Saturday 10th May - No seals this week

Once again the weather was brilliant for my latest trip to Dover , we swam at 10am for 45mins - 3K approx then the second swim was at 12:15 this time we did a 90 min swim -just under 6K .
The temperature was around 11 degrees with some nice warmer patches and as the tide was coming in there were some very cold patches - when swimming through those bits it certainly woke you up and made you get a move on ........
All in all the training seems to be going to plan , I have been recovering quickly once out of the water must be all the extra pounds keeping me toasty warm.
Next weekend I am down in Dover Saturday and Sunday so lets all pray for good weather and that I can cope with the next gradual increases Freda AKA The General places upon us !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thursday 8 May 2008

Training in Loughborough !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I find myself in Loughborough -work related and can't get any swimming done , the pool was full of the Olympic swimmers - how frustrating .........didn't think I could keep up so I had a bath at my hotel instead - I did make it a cool bath ..............
Can't wait to get back to my lido later today .........

Tuesday 6 May 2008

Bank Holiday Monday

Returned to the Lido for a steady 60 min swim - lengths !!!!!!
The chlorinated water felt really heavy today and always looking for rougue width swimmers made my swim feel harder than in Dover.
A few concerns are now spinning in my head - my supplier of goggles cant source that particular type anymore - I will have to do some seacrhing for new make . I do have spares but I need spare spares really just in case .
The pool will be my haunt for the next few days , Friday the Lido I think then Dover again next Saturday - hope the sun keeps shinning

4th May 08 Dover - Training

Sunday training at Dover again so so lucky blue skies and gentle wind with the sun shinning down on us . The swims today went well we did a 45 min swim then about an hour later we did a 4 K swim - well I did a slight detour and Chris was too cold to argue with me ..........All good stuff , Chris swam next to me and we had a really steady pace extablished .
After two days of driving down to Dover swimming two swims per day and then driving home I became very weary - afternoon nap was required .
We both recovered well and only lasting complaints was slight rub marks and furry tongues

Saturday 3 May 2008

Wldlife at Dover - a good Omen ?


Just about the start my first swim at Dover inner harbour , a very nosey seal came to have a look at us all as we were about to enter his domain - you can just see his head !!! Regular swimmers today said that they have NEVER seen a seal in the harbour ....a good omen perhaps
The two swims were great with the temperature about 11/12 degrees and the sun was shinning brightly.
The training in the Lido has been great as the sea felt rather warm and I found it fairly easy to get into my stroke - nuala pace !!!
Back again tomorrow for more training , managed to catch the sun on my face and also had a slight cozzie rub - so a few things I need to get sorted for tomorrow ....note to self sun block and vaseline

Thursday 1 May 2008

The Lido

This morning a break from routine I went to Hampstead Lido - usually its my weekend haunt ......11 degrees and I did 45 mins ...wow very happy . However I realised what a commotion there is brewing up there 60m x 27m open air unheated Lido beautiful except no lane ropes. Some swim widths some swim lengths, this hasn't been a problem during the winter months when the numbers are very low .....this morn one of the regulars tells me that the Lido ' Forum ' have decided that 7-7.30am you MUST swim widths .........such hassle so early in the morning.......there will be trouble ahead