The Luck of the Tide

Do we have to swim in that?



Grease me Up



I've come to realise that open water swimming is 20% training, 30% mental attitude and 50% luck.  You never know what to expect when you set out for a swim or what you are going to find. 

Last week, I went to Dover Harbour for the first time and met Freda Streeter, mother of Alison Streeter who has swum the channel a staggering 43 times.  Freda and friends spend every Saturday and Sunday from May until September at Dover Harbour supporting and helping channel hopefuls to train. 

After introducing myself, I was greased up and told to hurry up and get in.  I had taken my mum with me to try and show her it is not as bad as she thinks as she is quite concerned about my little challenge.  So here we get to the luck bit.  I was told by my swim buddy that she doesn't remember the water being so rough before.  Oh well, I waved to my mum hoping she would not freak and went for it.

Boy was it rough.  I felt like a rag doll being thrown about half the time and took several stinging slaps to the face from being dropped by the waves.  I spent two hours in the water thanks to both my training and keeping my mental attitude positive.  After the agreed two hours I got out and felt really great as if I could have swum and swum.  Once out, I discovered my mum had had a bit of a challenge herself.  She nearly had a punch up with some passer by who was telling his son that the only word for the swimmers he could see was "stupid" to which my mum replied "oh do you mind my daughter is out their swimming".

The other thing an open water swimmer has to have is no inhibitions as you have to get dressed where ever you can.  The most important factor when you complete your swim is getting warm and not, can anyone see my bum?
 

Will it ever be calm

Ok back to the luck.  On Wednesday, Lorraine and me went to Southend on Sea hoping to do 12 x 400m swims at Crowstone.  It was overcast, windy and cold.  It was so rough and getting rougher as we swam, that we only managed to do 6 x 400m.  The times were different at every turn as the sea was getting rougher and rougher. The first swim against the tide was 11 minutes and the last one took 15 minutes and was really hard work, but I was glad I had done it.
 



Lovely and Calm but Ice Cold



Now, I have to say that I do have some good luck when it comes to sea swimming.  Back at Dover Harbour this Saturday attempting to achieve my monthly goal of 4 miles or 3 hours in the water.  It was a lovely morning and when we got to the harbour the water was flat and the sun was shining, although, the water was really cold (must remember to take my thermometer to check the temp).  I completed my 4 miles in just over two hours but Lorraine wanted me to go for the 3 hour challenge.  I had just started to get really cold at the end of the two hour mark and desperately wanted to get out but, with Lorraine beside me, I did the 3 hours and managed 8.4k in that time.  Dead chuffed or what.  When I had thawed out I was really pleased and managed to smile.  I must say, I am really grateful to my poor husband who spent the journey there cold as I did not want to put the heating on travelling there but he was boiling hot on the way home so that Lorraine and me could warm up.  I'll make it up to him one day I'm sure.