Hi Everyone,
It has been a busy few weeks of training and preparation for my big swims this year (and I finished my Bachelor of Arts degree too!), sorry that I have been uncharacteristically quiet!
(From Left) Steph, Paul, Chloe and Bel before Paul's English Channel swim Sept '09!
I have been increasing my training in the last few weeks in preparation for the New York Manhattan Island Marathon Swim (48km) and the English Channel Double Crossing (68-100km). I am really excited about both of these swims. I have never competed in the Manhattan race before, nor have I been to New York so I am really excited about the new swim course and discovering this famous American city. The English Channel holds a special place in my heart and I am eager to go back and complete a double crossing which I was so close to finishing last September!! Although I wished to swim the Catalina Channel as I mentioned in my last blog I don’t think this will be possible this year 
As part of my preparation I have put together a training plan specifically focused on the Manhattan race and the English Channel double crossing. It has been a very delicate process balancing the need to increase my strength (through pull buoy, band and stretch cords work), increase weekly kilometres (including a few big weeks of 100km) and maintain speed for the Manhattan race all whilst preventing injury and putting on weight (and balancing all of this with two jobs, securing sponsorship, securing a graduate job, my personal life and recovery).
Putting on body weight is very important for both the Manhattan race and the English Channel (this was a challenge last year). Both swims feature cold water, Manhattan is 17 – 19 degrees and the English Channel is 15 – 19 degrees. The weight acts as insulation especially for the body’s internal organs to protect against the cold water which often causes hypothermia (which can be deadly).
This is probably my biggest challenge because of my large energy expenditure from my swimming training (cold water also accelerates energy loss!!) and the challenge of doing it in a way that is healthy and doesn’t rely on simple carbohydrates, saturated fats or meat. If anyone has any ideas please email them through as I will be doing research before my next blog and I will share with you my findings!
I started at 62kgs in April 2009 and reached 80kg by the time of my English Channel swim last September so this year I am aiming to reach 80kg by the Manhattan race (June 12th) and put on another 10kg by the time I swim the English Channel mid to late July (Don’t try this at home Kids!!). I don’t want to carry too much weight in the Manhattan race as it is a fairly short race so I don’t need too much insulation and the extra weight slows my speed.
Another way to prevent and/or delay hypothermia is to train in cold water which I will be doing in Lysterfield Lake, Port Phillip Bay and the ocean. We call this “cold water acclimatisation”. There is plenty of research to support the belief that cold water swimming is good for your health but these two topics need an entire blog dedicated to cold water as there is extensive research and opinions to cover.
I have been training in the bay over summer. At the moment the water temperature is 20 degrees which is much cooler than the average swimming pool which is 29 degrees but isn’t really cool enough for cold water acclimatisation. Two days ago two sharks (or one shark depending on who you ask!) were spotted where I regularly go for my bay swims so I am relocating to Lysterfield Lake for next few warmer months. The lake is a bit of a drive away but there are no sharks or jelly fish (I am allergic to Blue Bottles which are sometimes found in the bay), the water is 1 – 2 degrees cooler than the bay and the water is “heavier” water too. By heavier I mean that there is less buoyancy so my body (and especially my shoulders) need to work harder!
As for a brief look at other aspects of my training I have been using the intensive injury treatment branded “Sportsmed” which in basic terms is a small portable machine which uses electric nerve stimulation to accelerate injury recovery (you may have heard of TENS), and I have found this to be very effective.
Another aspect of my training is the recent addition to my swim programme of some medium distance sessions with Ollie Wilkinson and Peter Thompson. They are both very accomplished masters distance swimmers with Pete having recorded some excellent Rottnest Island Swim finishes, and Ollie swimming the English Channel last year in a very fast time. They train in a 50m pool which is better suited to open water swimming with less turns than a 25m pool.
I have enjoyed rambling on and I haven’t been able to talk about Goal Setting which I would have liked but I will feature it next time….
Safe swimming! 
Chloe
