Giles's Swim for Charity

[apba1166]

Sighting ruins me in the ocean. If I can do 20 strokes to a spot it's an achievement. Many times I am looking up every eight. What are the tips to do this well?  I sometimes try to fix it in some weird mental mind space. I can see how vital it is in the type of point to point you are training for….

[Giles]

It may or may not be, we will have a load of Kayakers out there, so as long as they are going in the right direction, that will make it easier….I'm thinking of bribing one of them to station himself 6 feet off my right bow 

[apba1166]

Wouldn't be surprised if they have some sonar earpiece thing on the market that beeps left and right to keep you on-track. Or the calm British gps voice saying "A bit more to your left if you would, Sir…"

[Giles]

I have been saying more or less exactly
@apba1166:

thing on the market that beeps left and right to keep you on-track.

[Giles]

I get a mention here…..

http://h2openmagazine.com/features/what-kind-swimmer-do-you-need-be-cross-solent/#sthash.gUfNBiGv.K7skVnDJ.dpbs

[simonc]

Win win G!

[Giles]

Righty Ho.

I have my GPS thingy working.

This was a walk from the office to home.

Next track should all be in water…....

[Giles]

Did a 60 min swim this morning, which has to be a mile plus.  I'm hoping that the GPS thing worked.  and I will get some real data when I hook it up to the Mac in the office.  For some reason my MacBookAir does not recognise the unit.

[simonc]

That's what I like to see.

[Giles]

Just found this on the web.

There is only one person in this photo with absolutely no intention of swimming…..

[Finn666]

brilliant!

[Giles]

Went out again tonight.  This time is was from a place called Hillhead and the group who swim from there are called the Shack Sharks (yes there is a shack that serves food there). Four of us swam tonight..It was significantly rougher than I have swum in before, so good experience.  Did 30 mins…..

[Snowy]

Keep it up fella!

[Giles]

Last night the weather was beautiful, so I dragged Paula down to the beach after her (hopefully) last CAT scan…

My (feckin) GPS thingy crapped out on me. But I reckon I did a mile in 40 mins….

I'm really beginning to enjoy this and miss it when I can't get out there.....

[Giles]

I did not feel good about this, but I was told to smash it up so they could send me a replacement quickly…...

[Giles]

Yesterday morning, I did about 1.4 miles, tonight I did 1.25.  I may not be elegant or particularly efficient, but I am pleased, proud and excited that I am putting miles on the clock…..

[Giles]

Just back from a 2Km swim - feeling good.  I'll crank up the volume this Sunday…...

[Giles]

I double dipped yesterday.  The evening was so beautiful, I went out again and did another 40 mins…..

[patch]

Go G !!

[Giles]

Did 80 minutes this morning and was given some really good advice.

The last few times when I have got out of the sea, my legs have been hardly able to support my weight.  It is not a good look when you cruise up to the beach, surprise the sun worshippers who do not know where you have come from and them promptly collapse in front of them…....

I do not (like many open water swimmers) use my legs much.  That,in combination with the wetsuit compressing the large muscle in the legs, means that blood is driven out of them and into the muscles that are actually doing the work (chest arm, diaphragm etc).  If you just get out after the swim, the leg muscles are too weak to suppoort your weight.

So, for the last 200yards, kick like hell and that gets the blood into them and you can them stroll up the beach "nonchalant grace".