Chilly Willy! Training goes ahead in 8 degree water!

4/13/2013

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Lummy! With Winter still failing to give way to the warmer temps of Spring, there's been a buzz of concern about sea and lake temps, as many Open Water training spots remain closed on grounds of safety. See the email below that I received earlier from Diabetes UK. The challenge is getting and bigger! 

PLEASE sponsor me! I know that there are many worthy events out there but please support me in endeavours to conquer the Channel in the name of Diabetes UK, Metal, swimming and Portly blokes everywhere!

Hi all,

I just wanted to get in touch as I know a couple of you are a bit anxious about the water temperature for the May training weekend. There is no doubt it will be cold but at the moment we fully intend to go ahead with the event. We generally would only cancel the event if there were extreme weather conditions forecast and safety was compromised.

Currently the water temperature in Dover seems to be between 4 and 5 degrees, pretty chilly! However, our training weekend is still five weeks away and it is almost certain the water temperature will increase notably (even a few degrees can make a difference). Whilst we are still planning to go ahead with the event we will be monitoring the water temperature and will adjust the length of the swims accordingly. We still plan to do three swims (two on the Saturday and one on the Sunday) but they will be shorter than those we did in September. I will send a detailed itinerary a couple of weeks before when we have a better idea of how things are looking.

You may be interested to know that the official training season (run by Freda Streeter) will actually start in Dover on 4th May and the solo swimmers will be in the water for much longer than us! Also, we have previously run training events in Dover at this time of year when the water temperature has been around 8 degrees and everyone took part safely.

It will be very important to bring lots of warm layers and you may also like to wear two swimming caps (I will provide you each with a Diabetes UK silicone cap). I have attached a kit list but will also send this again nearer the time. The other important thing is to train hard so you are as fit and strong as possible by the time you get to Dover in May. The more strongly you swim, the easier it will be to keep warm!

I hope this puts your minds at rest but if you have any questions or concerns please do let me know.

Kind regards

Hannah

Hannah Minnery
National Events Manager

Diabetes UK
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March 25th, 2013

3/25/2013

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When did you last go to a public swimming bath in the UK? Was it a bit nippy after a while? The average pool temp in the UK is a balmy 31°C. In May, I'm heading back to Dover for the next Channel Swim training weekend with Diabetes UK. It could all end right there. Me and my fellow swimmers will be challenged with a 2hr endurance swim. why May? Because the water will be less than 15°C. Wetsuits are not allowed in official Channel swims. I was doing a little research, and came across the following at an Open Water swimming site:

Swimming in extremely cold water can be very dangerous and is not advised. People with heart conditions or other ailments, should avoid swimming in water that is too cold. Cold water cools down the human body 25 times faster that cold air does, so swimming in water that is below about 15 degrees Celsius should never be undertaken. This can lead to thermal shock, hypothermia, and eventual death.


Up to 24,000 diabetes-related deaths could be avoided in England each year, if patients and doctors better managed the condition, a Diabetes UK report concludes.
The study estimated that a third of them were dying from causes that could be avoided if their condition were better managed. 


Diabetes UK is the leading charity that cares for, connects with and campaigns on behalf of every person affected by or at risk of diabetes. There are currently 3.8 million people in the UK with diabetes, including an estimated 850,000 people who have Type 2 diabetes but do not know it. 

It could be you!

Guys, I'm not sitting in a bath of beans, or eating a stack of pies. (well not this time). Yes, I can swim a bit, but this is a big hairy arsed challenge that I taking on here! 

Please, Please sponsor me!! 
24,000 people a year need your help!

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Channel Relay Team Names ???

3/12/2013

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Soon, the 36 swimmers selected for our Channel Relay Swim for Diabetes UK will be put into six swim teams. We have no influence over who we swim with, but we do get some input into what we name our teams. A couple of weeks ago, we were asked to come up with some ideas. These are listed here (my ideas are in blue). I need to submit my fave 6 by Friday. The ones used will be recorded forever with the Channel Swimming and Piloting Federation

Would you guys help me? Please pick your fave 6 and add them to comments.

Cheers all!!

Salty but Nice

Wet Dream Team

Brine Team

Team DB

D.U.K.E.S (Diabetes UK Extreme Swimmers)

Team Wahoo (note that this is the fastest fish in the sea)

O Salti Cod Rave (note that this is an anagram of Dover to Calais)

La Manche Desperrrrrrrados

La Manche Munchers

The Floaters

The Flotsam Warriors

Dangerous When Wet

Coco Channel

The Bluebirds

The Eventual Soloists

It's Not A Race

J's Team

The Recession Ferry

The Swim Team

The Crawlers

The Channelistas

Oceans Six

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Good Sunday Session

3/3/2013

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Good to be back in the pool this morning. It was quite quiet too! 
My friend Amy is training for some summer triathlons. She has a powerful kick and swimming in her churn gives pool sessions just a little bit of an open water feel, just 15 degrees or so warmer than the channel will be. I prefer cooler water.........maybe not that cool though.


2.6 million (2,600,000) people in the UK have diabetes. That's 1 in 24 people.
The money that I am raising by taking on this crazy challenge will be used by Diabetes UK to provide advice and support to those newly diagnosed, as well as for vital research into reducing the prevalence of the disease in years to come. 


Many thanks to my few early sponsors, I really appreciate your support.


I'm no athlete, and may well be the 'porkiest' chap to ever attempt such a swim.  
Spread the word! Let your Facebook friends know what I'm up to. Every penny counts!


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Less than 6 months to go!

3/1/2013

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Training has been rather interrupted this week. Heavy colds all round at 'Castle Pointer'. Even Becks went down with the lurgy and she's superhuman! 

I'm heading back to the pool on Sunday morning to resume. (I should be able to breathe again by then).

We are now into the last six months before the swim. That sounds like a long time but I have a great deal to do. I'm still a good stone over my target channel swimming weight. My current stroke length and rate are both OK. Stamina is still way off mark. I've been swimming within my comfort zones for too long and I need to push hard if I'm to deal with the required two hour swim sessions that we are to be judged on at the next Dover training meet that takes place on May 11th and 12th. I'll have get some lake training in soon. Anyone fancy a chilly dip over at South Cerney? Go on!!!
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My first post

2/25/2013

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I wanted to start this series of blogs with something profound. Since the Solent swim last summer, through my Dover trial and to to my recent medical clearance, a number of important websites have become very familiar to me. For the last hour I've enjoyed inspiring webpages featuring Matthew Webb, Gertrude Ederley, Diabetes UK, Open Water Swimming and of course....David Walliams. I'm just struggling to find the words to explain where my head's at with this at the moment. I know to expect some pain. I've done enough sea swimming now to understand that my tongue will swell, and my stubborn stubble will rub my neck raw as I turn to breath every few strokes. I have yet to face a two hour cold water test back in Dover Bay in 12 degree water. Shoulder aches, leg cramps and earaches.  No profound words yet ... 


The image that I simply can't shake from the forefront of my mind is a view that I first drank in in back in October when I  went to Dover to try out for this challenge with Diabetes UK. On my way home after two big days of sea swimming, curiosity led me to seek out 'Shakespeare Beach' before I made the drive back home to Malmesbury. 
It took a little finding too. First I had to find Aycliffe (a suburb of Dover). The beach is accessed via a footpath which goes through a subway under the A20 before it drops down onto the pebbly beach. This is where our channel bid will start. 


I don't yet know if I'll swim first in my team of six. I don't yet know who the other five are! How seasick will I be? Will I get 'jellyfished'? How long will I have to tread water when a tanker passes? Unknown.....unknowns..... and more unknowns!


Please come on this journey with me. It'll help me heaps!


I'm sure that I'll find those profound words that are currently eluding me. The important subject of diabetes will give rise to a few I'm certain. For now though, may I leave you with a view. The photo below was taken from Shakespeare Beach near Dover. The swimmer is Roger Allsopp who I believe was about to embark on a solo challenge, looking out over the cold waters of the English Channel. It'll will be DARK when we start our swim at the end of August, but I wanted to share this with you anyway. Profound? Prolly not! Ruddy scary?...................................................... yep!

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