Demelza visit

Emma, Paul, Lizzie, Rod & Kate

Hello again, well Paul, Lizzie and me(Rod) visited Demelza house today. we met some of the team there and a couple of kids. They do amazing unparralled work with the kids and their families they are amazing. We were all encouraged to keep doing what we are doing to raise money for them to keep helping the kids.  Bring on the channel.

A thank you card from Demelza painted by on of the kids

Dover

 

Well a 2week gap since the last post but things have been busy. Paul and I did 2 laps of Leybourne. I did a big session in the pool today. Feeling really good about the team for our channel swim. Caravan site booked and we are all ready. Doing a Dover swim to the harbour wall on Saturday. Looking forward to it. Definitely feel the benefit of all the training inthe freezing water in winter. Bring it on

Eton 10km -practice for the channel

Well the post is a little late but here it is: On Sunday 27th May Rodney, Paul, Alan and Megan had an early start and headed to Eton for the Humanrace Speedo swim 10km. Although all a little apprehensive we just wanted to get going. We were the first to arrive, asi said very eager, and registered.unfortunately Lizzie was unable to join us due to a recent injury to her shoulder. It would have been brilliant to have her there but unfortunately live throughs curved balls st us. The swim was fantastic and the water temp was not as cold as they were expecting, we all finished the ic swim with Paul leading the group with a 3hr 14, Rod 3hr 22, Alan 3hr 28 and Megan 3hr 50. I don't think that Alan and Megan enjoyed the swim as much as Paul and Me but it was a good achievement for everyone. A swim coach who was assessing our swim told us that we all will not have a problem in the channel and was confident that we are prepared. So withh confidence high we enter the last weeks to the channel swim.

Lake swim

Rodney, Paul and Megan had a very good swim in the cold wage run the lake at Leybourne today. They said 15 degrees but I think that, that was in he shower as the general concensus was it was more like 12 degrees. We all did 2 laps (about 2.7km. The cold wasn't too bad but I am not looking forward to Eton next week which is going to be 3.5 - 4 hrs and 10kms. I think we are all going to get really cold and I just hope that we all finish. It is going to be a big day and then six weeks later we will be in the channel. Well all for now

First dip into the cold!

Well Tuesday came and went and I'd still not taken the dip into the open water and took the soft option of a pool swimming all week. Thought about it again on Thursday and still couldn't muster the interest in getting into sub 14 degree water.

I had to have a word with myself and finally made it into the water at Datchet Liquid Leisure this morning, much to the amusement and bewilderment of other swimmers teetering on the edge of the pontoon debating whether to get into the lake whilst wearing wetsuits, inoculating gloves and boots. I did feel tough as i strode towards the ladder into the lake and then proceeded to have the most uncomfortable experience since having a route canal. I've swam in the cold before but it seemed to be far worse today. I stood there thinking "I need to get out of this its just stupid" but i was buggered if i was going to climb out in front of all those people watching with my hair still bone dry.

After standing waist deep for 5 mins i took the plunge and swam a lap. It was OK once I got going and  the sting seemed to make me feel warmer than standing up with the cold wind blowing over me. After a while  I could feel my arms getting heavy had to give up after 23 mins. I tried swimming backwards and forwards along the shore line so they didn't have to come to far to fish me out but I had to give up. How those swimmers do the ice swims is a mystery to me.

Well I'm glad that's out the way and hopefully the next planned swim on Thursday wont seem so bad. Not quite sure how we're going to do the 3hrs plus at Dorney in a few weeks but hopefully the water will warm up a bit.............well hopefully warm up quite a lot if I'm honest.

I'm not up to the cold water time the others have put in but this should fend off the abuse Paul's been dishing out to me ............for about a day or two. - Alan.

New Starter

Hello all. I'm Pauls brother Alan and I'm now officially in the team to swim after initially joining as a reserve so i could sit in very warm clothing taking pictures and offering support from the comfort of the pilot boat while filling my face with as much warm food and liquid that they'd allow us to take on board.  What a school boy error that was believing my brother Paul when he told me not to worry about being the reserve as it was so unlikely someone would have to pull out that all I'd have to do was a medical and a swim for a couple of hours before the event.

Well I'd planned to do my first open water swim this weekend without the use of my wetsuit but the powers that be at my local lakes have decided that it's too chilly for mere mortals to be swimming and have not opened. Well that's what i thought on Friday night and in the end was not entirely true. I found out  later that two were open so my initial excuse for not being able to go submerse myself in 12 degree water fell flat on it's face and i now continue to hold team wimp status as my lunatic brother  and the other members of the team seem to  take any opportunity to submerse their bodies in cold water.

Paul seems to have taken cold water training to the next level as over last couple of months he's bin dropping himself into ridiculously cold water at every opportunity ranging from 5 degrees in a fountain while on a skiing holiday, water skiing at centre parks without a wetsuit, much to the amusement of the staff and the half dozen Chinese students who were there at the same time. I offered support by wearing a 5mm wetsuit as he went round and a round the laps enhancing the cold water effect with the wind chill from getting dragged around a lake on a cable. He then found that the chalet we were staying in had an outside shower and took one at 9 in the evening cos it would be funny. He's not wired right but i think that can only help with this challenge.

I did manage to swim 4.2k yesterday in the comfort of my local pool and they left a side door open so there was a nasty draft, which is my version of breaking me in gently. Unfortunately for  me the excuses have all run out, the lakes are open and the Eton 10k is fast approaching.

I'll be at the lake in Datchet this Tuesday morning with the intention of pootling around for as long as i can stand it. Time to man up and get going. I'm looking forward to the challenge and will ask the lads at the lake if they can launch some old junk and oil to swim through and if they have time to try and scare the life out me by buzzing around me in the a boat while dropping jelly fish in front like stinging mines.

I'll let you know how long I last
Alan.