Hi Again!
It’s been a while since my last blog post so I have much news to share with you! The few weeks following my last blog post I was starting to building up some excellent speed and great distance sessions. I completed a 6 hour swim in both Lysterfield Lake (approximately an hour east of Melbourne CBD) and in the bay (at the Baths in Brighton which is part of Port Phillip Bay). I had also been very busy researching different healthy ways to put on weight and experimenting with my ideas. I have also been reducing my paid work load to accommodate the time and energy needed to invest in physical preparation and logistics for my two big swims this year (for those of you who are new to this blog they are – Manhattan Island Marathon swim and an English Channel double crossing).
I have been putting many hours and energy into my bay swims and speed work in the pool. Unfortunately, I have had a few health challenges related to the water in the bay but I have overcome these 
. I have reached a maximum of 80km per week in my training but had wished to reach 100km, now I hope to reach this during one of the weeks after Manhattan and before the English Channel. I am hoping to stay overseas for four weeks (water temperature 14-16 degrees Celsius) with Paul (my partner) after the Manhattan Race and before the English Channel because the water in Melbourne will be 10 degrees and lower after I return from Manhattan and will keep dropping making it very difficult to do long swim sessions. My other alternative would be to come back to Australia but relocate interstate, probably to Sydney where the water is 16-17 degrees, but even this temperature is a little too warm.
My research into weight gain has built on the research I conducted while trying to gain weight before last years English Channel swim. For those who are new to the crazy world of English Channel swimming it is advisable to put on some weight to provide insulation against the cold water which can cause hypothermia. Hypothermia is one of the main – if not the main – cause of swimmers to be unsuccessful in their English Channel attempts (I would say the mental challenge would come a close second). So basically, the healthiest way (from my research, not medical fact) to put on weight is to increase polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and avoid saturated fats and especially trans fats. The first two types of fats are healthy and the second two are not healthy. Also, you can gain weight by increasing wholemeal carbohydrates (e.g. brown bread and brown pasta) and simple carbohydrates (e.g. white bread and sugary foods). If you want to explore the science of this in more detail I would suggest you see a nutritionist. Here are some of the healthier foods I have been increasing/adding to my diet:
Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to put on weight via only healthy means when you are exercising frequently. I have added some well known treats to my healthy food basket:
Many other English Channel swimmers wishing to put on weight eat/drink fried fatty foods such as chips and McDonalds, high kilojoule/calorie beer, meat, lollies etc.
Over the next three weeks I will be very busy finalising sponsorships and packing for my trip but I will try and get a another blog out before I head to New York.
I believe I have bounced back very well from the recent health challenges and I am feeling strong, fit and fast in the water. I am very excited to be competing in just 19 days :) !!!
I hope this has been an interesting read and provided some ideas for those readers who are aspiring English Channel swimmers.
Happy swimming
This is me at 80kg training in Dover before the English Channel last year. I am currently only 72kg! Time to eat more!!
