What a place to train ... Silvermine Dam

After a period of de-motivation, laziness and not 100% health I feel I am back into a rhythm of sorts. My body definitely feels as if it has had too much rhythm of sorts!

Silvermine Dam ... one of the most beautiful places in the world. A freshwater dam up in the mountains around Cape Town, and the location for a lekker 13km (4.5hour) swim this morning. My weekly mileage coming up to 23km this week. Tomorrow a little run and a gym session ... strict instructions from the chiropractor to do a land based activity to "open up" some of the tight mechanical chains I am developing through my swimming.

We try to fit in one 10km swim every weekend; in the dam. Currently a comfortable 18 degrees. It offers a great 600m too and fro swim ... which can be a little mind numbing when you do 15 to 20 reps ...

I am quite chuffed to have plodded through this swim today ... although totally knackered now ... mentally it was very good to have paddled around for close to 5 hours (about 4h20 swimming ... and a bit of chit chat to get through the lot).

Now for another DVD ... and lots of food ... ;-)

A bit of fun before resuming some serious training

Well ... I recon I have had a far too long a break now! Tapering to race week. Then a failed race. Then a week of holiday. Then no swimming for a week due to a nasty upper respiratory infection ... that adds up to four weeks of being lazy. It is now high time I dig deep and up my training to a good 25 km per week.

The Plan ...

- Three mornings a week at 5 to 6km swimming (squad training most sessions)

- One long weekend swim, preferably open water (10km)

- Two (or three) gym sessions

- And when time allows, and training has been good ... some cycling or running as a reward

And on a lighter note I didn't laze around totally while sick ... it might not have been ideal, but I still went out to enjoy the annual Argus Cycle Tour ... this time purely for fun and laughs ...

Two different days off Perth

The sea conditions for the Rottnest Swim on the Saturday of the race ... and the tranquility of City Beach, Perth (just up the coast) three days later ...

Rottnest Swim failure ... but a great holiday

Well rested, recharged and ready to get going once again. I have just spent a good two weeks in Perth, Australia. Baby sitting, sleeping, a little swimming, eating, shopping, more sleep ... really just relaxing :-)

Unfortunately the Rottnest Channel Swim did NOT pan out as planned. I had to pull out after 2h45 ... probably about 9km of the 20km completed. I started of very well - fit, strong, energised and happy with the conditions ... but then slowly became extremely nauseous :-( The conditions were not great, yet also not terrible. There was a constant chop and irritating swell that battered us the whole time. After about 90 minutes of swimming I progressively felt more and more nauseous and tired. Eventually I had to stop and relax/breathe every ten strokes or so.

It was probably the toughest decision in a sporting situation I have had to make - hundreds of thoughts going through my mind about battling on, digging deep, taking it bit-by-bit ... but ultimately I was feeling horrible and really didn't have the energy and stomach to carry on for another four to five hours like this. I am also very pragmatic about the whole thing - we have to take what we get dished out; things didn't pan out this time ... and I basically need to work towards the next one ;-)

My dear paddler (Russi) was actually over the moon that I pulled out ... he had been hurling his guts out (unbeknown to me) for the last hour already ... and was quite happy to get out of there too ... thanks a mill mate ;-)

Many, many thanks ...!!!

I need to extend an amazing thanks to several persons with regards to my Rottnest attempt. First and foremost to Lynn and Rowan Matthews for offering their boat and skipper services ... you were amazing, extremely hospitable and helpful in every regard. Further thanks to John Turner for your support and options to do my final training sessions in Perth. Furthermore, many thanks to my good friends Russi and Vivian (and family), as well as Tania, for support, accommodation and a fabulous holiday.

It was a great trip. Very relaxing. Slightly disappointing. And a good learning curve.

Thanks to all ... and now for the next SIX MONTHS ...