Down to swim tomorrow 8 Sept 2012 at 03h30

Hi there all ... probably my last post till after my swim. I shall not be updating this page during the swim. Facebook and Twitter have made things much easier these days ;-)

I am due to meet the skipper at 02h30 Saturday (tomorrow) morning; with the idea to head off from Shakespeare Beach at about 03h30 ...

My nerves are killing me!!!! Excited, stressed, happy, unbelievable ... all eventually coming true.

The best ways to follow me are the following

Twitter (even if you are not on Twitter yourself, you can follow on the following link):
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Tracking of the boat ... follow link and select the boat "Anastasia"
http://cspf.co.uk/tracking

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Cheers for now ... off for lunch and a snooze :-)

The time has come ...

... tomorrow I am off ...

Some final packing tonight, and off I fly ...

It has been a long and interesting journey to get to this stage. From an impulse decision to enter, through a gradual build-up of training and eight months of specific training program effort.

It has been fun ... especially the eating and putting on weight ;-)

I have had some real boring training sessions; and lots of great sessions ... especially once I got stronger and faster and I really noticed how my swimming improved. I had a noticeably great period about three months ago when I changed my stroke and had amazing improvements in stroke efficiency and speed.

My body has also changed considerably ... besides the weight gain (all for insulation obviously), the broader shoulders, bigger arms and chest ... mmm ... but it does make the clothing choice a little difficult.

So ... off tomorrow ... via Johannesburg. Two days in London, and then off to Dover.

In one week my "window" opens ... lets just pray the weather and sea plays along ... last week no one managed to swim ... eish!

Final longer swim in my Speedo Kit

What an awesome morning! I went out and swam a (PB) Robben Island to Blouberg swim this morning. The day was an absolute beaut. Chilly water, at around 13 degrees Celsius. Flat, clear water. Sunny, blue skies and no wind ... what more could we ask for ...

Thanks again to Speedo South Africa for sponsoring us some kit. Myles and I each received a great Speedo tog bag, a South African cap and briefs, and a handy Speedo windbreaker jacket ... real fab, I must say.

Eight days to go till departure for the UK. Exciting stuff ... nervous, stressed, excited ... all words that come to mind. There is way too much to do still - both work-wise, as well as swim prep, shopping and admin ... and lots of sleep and R&R ...

Keep smiling and see you soon English Channel :-)

Big up to Speedo SA

A busy week that was ...

A close friend's wedding, snow and way too much travelling ... last week was just too busy. I should be relaxing and chilling a lot more. The question is how much to train, when to taper, how much to taper ... besides shopping, packing and final prep for my trip.

Just under three weeks to go till departure date ... well, now probably closer to 2 weeks than 3 weeks ...

Firstly a million thanks extended to WITS University, in Johannesburg ... for letting me use their 50m swimming pool. My intention had been to use it on Tuesday and Wednesday last week already ... but with it snowing on Tuesday, and still being so cold on Wednesday, I opted to pass on that one. A really great 50m, heated, outdoor pool. I went through on Saturday, with all intentions to do a good 20-odd km swim ... well, the week did catch up with me and I managed a sad 13km. I was just too tired, unfocused, de-motivated, stiff and Gatvol ... and still got lekker sun burnt - actually good I didn't do the full 24km.

The week was, besides very busy, actually very good. I touched base wit Janeen - one of my support group for the swim. Worked relatively hard. Enjoyed my very close friends' wedding and then got to catch up with numerous well travelled, other very close friends.

A decent (but at this stage not enough) 25km for the week was all the more noticeable in that my body felt it all the more at "altitude" ... about 1500m, compared to my normal sea level training.

Well, well, well ... with a little under 3 weeks till departure to the UK I seem to have wrapped up my search for my crew. Janeen, from Pretoria. And then two experienced members from the UK.

So here we go ... shopping lists are completed, to-do lists are ever growing ... and I still seem to be travelling too much.

Time flies when you having fun!! :-)

Time flies ... when you getting stressed ...

Well, I head off in 4 weeks ... window period opens in five weeks ...

OMG ... that sounds scary!!

I just had a great week of training ... 34km in total. 11km COLD water swimming on Saturday and another 12km Sunday in a 25m pool ... just to make sure I practise being totally bored.

Travels are still getting in the way :-( Currently I am in Johannesburg and Pretoria for ten days. Then some more travels next week.

For those of you that have access to Twitter or Facebook ... you can now also follow me on these media ...

Twitter: @Adventure_Pat

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/SwimPatrick

Getting VERY Nervous

Six weeks to go ... eish! My nerves are rather shod at the moment ... and I am nowhere close to the UK yet ;-)

It doesn't help having come down with a real nasty bout of flu and having missed two weeks of training. I also have to travel for work during three consecutive weeks ... and the work load is not letting up with the departure of my manager and various projects coming together at the same time.

But that is life ... and surviving in the real life can only help prepare for the sport challenges we choose.

I did my first 2km swim today - since coming down with the flu ... it was nice to glide through the water again. I have a gym session this evening, a massage and hopefully a good night's rest.

Tomorrow a 5km loosener and then two days on the road and lecturing delegates. Another three hard weeks of swimming lie ahead; and then 3 weeks tapering and time to do all the smaller admin duties.

I spent a great evening yesterday, with some great help, building my feeding rigs and prepping the bottles and plastic containers to fit ropes and all the necessary contraptions.

These prep sessions and ever increasing lists of things to do and buy are fuelling the excitement and nerves ...

... the trick is to find a way to switch off at night and find that much needed sleep!!

Tragedy for English Channel Swimmer

It is very sad that we receive news of a death of someone busy swimming the English Channel this last weekend.

"Páraic Casey from Cork, Ireland began his swim at 9.13am on Saturday morning and was just 1km from the coast of France at around 1:30 this morning when he took ill."

Mr Casey unfortunately passed away, even with all the efforts of the crew and emergency medical care flown in from France.

Just two weeks ago there was a lady from the UK who was pulled out of the water delirious and unconscious; and had to be admitted to ICU on her return to the mainland.

The Channel Crossing is always noted as the Everest of swimming. But also immediately backed up by us (swimmers) saying we don't have the same deaths and bodily harm as they do on those mountains. Unfortunately we do need to remember that there are risks even in swimming.

My condolences and feelings go out to the family of Mr Casey, his fellow swimmers from Ireland and all those involved in this tragic event.

For those that are wondering - I believe this is the eighth recorded English Channel death ever. And on Everest they had six this year alone (as far as i remember).

Heads up to all, good luck, and don't forget what we are getting ourselves into ...

Seven weeks to go

Eish ... Yawn ... Feeling very tired this week. Two hard swims and a weekend bachelor party do take it out of one ... last weekend's hard work has left me a little flat ...

Somehow I am not really getting into it this week. Thursday afternoon and only done one gym session and a 3km swim. Admittedly I do have an indoor 50m marathon pool session planned ... 25km this Saturday ... if I am feeling strong enough ;-)

So Seven Weeks to go! Nearly around the corner!

Regular cold water swims, several open water swims and one or two long swims left on the card. Finalisation of my swim feeding rigs; and reading through all the notes I have made over the last 18 months.

And still looking for a little more help on the boat, for my swim ...

If anyone knows someone who is keen to help out on my swim; to actually escort me and two mates (as well as the skipper and swim official) on the boat ... please let me know soon. I am looking for one more volunteer - probably from London or Dover or thereabout - to be on standby for the day, night, hours, 34km ...

Six Hour English Channel Qualifier

Now that was long and tough ... and that was just half of what I need to do in September. Last Saturday I spent six hours swimming from-and-around Kraalbaai, Langebaan Lagoon (about an hour and a bit north of Cape Town). 14 degree water. 19km. Some rain and cold weather ... but also some very pleasant sun.

I felt strong. I was well insulated. Not exactly mentally prepared ... but then maybe that played a little to my advantage ... as I was not overly stressed or serious about the whole thing.

A huge thanks goes to Belinda and Alex from the Big Bay Lifesaving Club for paddling along as escorts and food and drink suppliers. Also to Myles for being around for the weekend swimming :-)

Mentally it is really great to have completed it. Physically I am also real happy to have done it two months before my beeeeeg swim ... it really does take it out of one. I have lost weight in even those six hours. And I am noticeably tired these days.

I think a good party is in order this weekend (nothing like a good friend's bachelor party to confuse this body of mine a little bit) ... although I do still have to fit in 26km spread over Thursday, Friday and Sunday ...

Cheers for now - keep warm and keep smiling ...