Training has been very varied over the last few weeks but the great thing is I haven’t had to resort to an indoor pool yet. Work has been busy so I have been trying to fit it in around which has result in me swimming in some new places recently.
Brighton in the sea along the coast towards Hove at 6.30 one morning before a conference an early start but was a great way to start the day and I was lucky enough to be joined by Kate whom I had met in Dover a few weeks before. Next stop was in Manchester, I had swam in the Commonweath games pool a few times previously when I have been up there but did a bit of research this time before and found an outdoor swimming venue in Salford Quays so managed a good 4.5km – it was much chillier than the lakes near London so was great training for me.
My usual training venues in London have been Brockwell Park Lido although now Tooting Bec has opened I have moved there as it is colder (strange to want to find colder water I know!) and on Monday & Wednesday nights over to Shepperton Lake where I am usually joined by Vicky who has her solo channel attempt in 4 weeks and Graeme who is currently training for Zurich and has previously done the channel – great people to be surrounded by.
I had planned a trip down to Dover last Sunday but when I woke up at 6 my body just said ‘NO’. I had been suffering from a stomach bug since the Wednesday, I couldn’t work out if it was from swallowing some water from the Quay or something I ate but either way it was taking it all out of me. Tom and I had done a short swim at Tooting Bec Lido on Saturday and I kept suffering from stomach pains and was worried that I might get them in the middle of Dover harbour which would be as you can imagine far from ideal, so I took the day off and slept and watched the tennis. I think I would make a great couch potato 🙂
On Monday evening I decided to head to Shepperton to see how I got on and after the first lap (750m) I was sick but thought it was something I am likely to have to deal with in the channel especially in my solo so just to get on with it – which I did. Tom was swimming too and wasn’t enjoying it that much so after 2 laps I swam with him to check he was okay. All in all swam a slow but good 4.5km. When I got home I realised I had been bitten all over my body which hasn’t been fun and not something I have experienced before – I am pretending they are jellyfish stings and dealing with it as it is again something I am likely to have to deal with both this year in the relay and the solo. So currently training with bites and a stomach bug is testing me!
The plan is to head down to Dover on Sunday and hopefully get a 4 hour swim in as I build up my hours this year. I still really want to get my solo qualifier done this year which is a 6 hours swim in under 16 degree water (a year in advance) as I think psychologically it will be a great stepping stone for me.
My Swimming Tales 