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| Cuskinny |
"
Nothing great is easy". That's what they say about swimming The Channel. How right they are. Since the sea training schedule started on the 1st May I have struggled to keep up. I've
always kept up. In the pool I spent hours and hours ploughing up and down doing the training program that coach Eilís has mapped out for her channel aspirants - 142km in February, 165km in March, 146km in April.
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| Sandycove the day I swam 4:20 hrs - before the rain. |
Then May arrived and I swam twice a day to keep up the mileage - 6:30am in
Inniscarra lake, 45 minutes in 11C water, 6pm in
Sandycove, 45 minutes on an overcast, windy day. Sunday 1 hour at Inniscarra ploughing through chop, Monday at
Myrtleville, 31 minutes swimming through jellyfish of all description, Wednesday 7am at
Cuskinny for 64 minutes in fresh, cold water. Every day trying to increase the time in the water, every day feeling the cold, the cold, the cold, getting cramps in the water and afterwards shivering and coping with muscle spasms. A 45 minute swim would mean 30 minutes of shivering before I could drive home or to work.
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| Garrettstown |
With a lot of effort, Maxim and the help of Riana and friends I pushed out my times to 1 hour 25 minutes, 2 hours, 4:20, 4:40. That's about 14km, but it took everything out of me physically, mentally and emotionally, and it wasn't enough - the qualification time to be allowed to swim The Channel is 6 hours. I was exhausted and battered, took a break and contemplated giving up, but with the help of coach, Riana and friends, came up with a decision - I would still do the swim, but I would wear a
wetsuit. I contacted my pilot and CS&PF and they are ok with that - it just won't count as a Channel swim - it will be an '
unorthodox' swim, so no qualification swim, no observer, and no certificate at the end. But swimming in a wetsuit allows me to swim without the cold stopping me, and for that I am grateful and actually
excited about the swim again.
Onwards and upwards from here...
Hi Paraig, I've been meaning to comment all week. I went in to the Federal Diner last Friday week and was talking to Brona. She said it was getting to the tough end of the piece. So we've been thinking about you over this way, under here, whatever. I wish you all the very best with your swim, only 3 weeks away now?? Ish? If wet suit required, then do the wet suit. The lake is currently 8C and I can't comprehend getting in there without a wet suit! On the positive - or not - I now swim 45 minutes in a suit in that temp without getting the shakes when I get out. 4 years ago I could barely manage 20 minutes, with the suit. I couldn't get the car door open my hands were so cold. Why am I telling you this?? It may be annoying but perhaps you just need another year of cold water to get your resistance up. Maybe once in a suit will be enough..... Whatever happens, I have no ambition to swim the channel. I can't imagine wanting to, thankfully! But I can imagine it is going to be so exciting for you, what an achievement. I hope you enjoy every stroke. And I look forward to having a swim with you over your way sometime. Claire
ReplyDeleteSounds like the right decision for you Paraic and great it has you re-energized. For the record, I think you're an inspiration. Enjoying the blog and tracking your progress, D :)
ReplyDeleteHi P,
ReplyDeleteOne person's unorthodox is another person's bohemian! It is absolutely the right decision and will make you look forward to the swim. The wetsuit won't do the swim for you so it is still an unbelievable challenge that I can't get my head around. It seems a bit weird not to get a certificate in a wetsuit but to get one if you have 4mm of a fat layer - discrimination against skinnies!!
Ev x
Go Mr P...!
ReplyDeleteThat now is one hell of a decision there Paraic oul stock. Fair play t'ye. I realize how much the 'trappings' of a Channel Swim mean to those that do it, so knowingly making a choice that will deny you the officialdom of the swim must've been a monumental wrestle with yourself. But y'know what? Wetsuit or not, you'll know, and we'll know, that you'll have conquered the Channel. And when you stand on French sand we'll be popping champagne bottles (or 7Up, depending on the Lotto results!) in celebration of your achievement.
Well done fella. I'd take a wetsuited success than a hypothermic disaster any day of the week - and stuff the purists! Maith fearr Paraic biy, maithú.
Agus mar a deireann na Sasnaigh, "Leann ar aghaigh agus bí cúin."