Very exciting, open water swimming has started! The first dip was in the Albert Dock, Liverpool, the water temperature was just under 10 degrees, I stayed in for 12 minutes. I have built this up slowly and have now reached an hour @ 13 degrees. So the distances are picking up again and my body is getting used to the cold. Of course it's really cold and as soon as your head goes under, you get a headache! but it's very stimulating and really rewarding when you've finished. The pain of the cold fades away as you get more & more numb! I did about 3km on the last swim and felt good. The jelly fish are around, in their large shoals but of course they are still very small at the beginning of the season. It's very strange how to begin with they were one of my biggest fears, and now they feel like my friends! I say hello every week and talk to them as I swim by, in a strange way it's like having company!
First Dip in the dock!
The slime almost looks like pleasant green grass?!
The boys still aren't convinced that the dock is too cold for them! Soooo....
when we got home we had to replicate the dock... needless to say from their facial expressions, it was COLD!!!
Boundary Water Park, in Knutsford, Cheshire starts up tomorrow which I'm looking forward to. So in a few weeks I should be able to make good use of both these open water sessions and should really get in 4hrs of open water in each week.
My first open water event will be the Albert Dock 4mile on the 23rd May. This will be quite tough mainly because the water will still be really cold.
The next 'gathering' apart from the weekly swims, will be my trip down to Dover at the end of June. This will be for one of the infamous 'training weekends'. I will be heading down with just Mark as his very kind parents are having the boys for the weekend! I am really grateful for this as it will give me time to concentrate on my swimming (while Mark nips to France & collects some 'provisions'!
Beginning of July I intend to swim a 2/3 way Coniston. This is about 5.5miles long so I need to do at least a two way for my 6hr qualifier.
18/19th July I will head down to Dover again for a training weekend. This time Mark AND the boys will be with me! So that will be fun.
The following weekend is the final trip down to Dover..... we have two weeks accomodation booked and I hope that my swim will fall inside those two weeks. Of course, as I have mentioned before, this is so weather dependent so I just have to keep my fingers crossed for a good summer!
Thanks again for ALL your support..... & I will keep this updated more now the swimming is 'heating' up!
Cheers,
Jacqui
when we got home we had to replicate the dock... needless to say from their facial expressions, it was COLD!!!Boundary Water Park, in Knutsford, Cheshire starts up tomorrow which I'm looking forward to. So in a few weeks I should be able to make good use of both these open water sessions and should really get in 4hrs of open water in each week.
My first open water event will be the Albert Dock 4mile on the 23rd May. This will be quite tough mainly because the water will still be really cold.
The next 'gathering' apart from the weekly swims, will be my trip down to Dover at the end of June. This will be for one of the infamous 'training weekends'. I will be heading down with just Mark as his very kind parents are having the boys for the weekend! I am really grateful for this as it will give me time to concentrate on my swimming (while Mark nips to France & collects some 'provisions'!
Beginning of July I intend to swim a 2/3 way Coniston. This is about 5.5miles long so I need to do at least a two way for my 6hr qualifier.
18/19th July I will head down to Dover again for a training weekend. This time Mark AND the boys will be with me! So that will be fun.
The following weekend is the final trip down to Dover..... we have two weeks accomodation booked and I hope that my swim will fall inside those two weeks. Of course, as I have mentioned before, this is so weather dependent so I just have to keep my fingers crossed for a good summer!
Thanks again for ALL your support..... & I will keep this updated more now the swimming is 'heating' up!
Cheers,
Jacqui
