Final days
I can’t really believe I have got to this point. This has been my aim throughout the past year but it has always seemed quite far away, whereas now it is very real.
With less than a week to go, I am feeling increasingly focused and excited about the challenge ahead. I am tapering down and doing very little swimming as I rest my arms ready for the big day. I have been having twinges in my shoulder which is not good, but I have religiously been doing shoulder exercises and on the day I will just keep swimming whatever they feel like.
The logistics are worrying me most; will I have everything I need with me, how will my family/support crew get down to Dover for a swim starting at 3 or 4 o’clock in the morning, what will we do once the swim is over etc.?
But for now I am just hoping for calm weather and warm seas :-).
The island and back......
This was the swim I thought would never happen! I wanted to swim the Solent to the Isle of Wight because in a small way it mimics the conditions of the Channel: open, cold water in a busy shipping lane. However, a couple of weeks before I was due to swim the boat that would accompany me was stolen. It was a bit of a blow for my training. Anyway, thanks to a very generous offer from Dad’s colleagues Jon, who offered to bring his RIB all the way from Gloucestershire, and Bob (whose boat had been stolen), who shared his expert knowledge of the Solent waters and acted as crew, the swim was finally back on.
The day before I had been interviewed by a local radio journalist and on the car journey to Calshot it was funny to listen to myself talk on the news about the Solent crossing I was about to attempt.
Although the winds had died down from the previous days, the weather was still breezy making the water quite choppy. We motored round on the RIB to just beyond Lepe and I jumped out as close to the shore as we could get without running the boat aground!
At times the waves were about 6ft and this meant it was hard to know whether I was going in the right direction all the time. The choppiness also messed up my goggles. To begin with, waves hitting me in the face were nudging my goggles and causing them to fill up with water. After about 10 minutes of this and multiple stops to empty them, I tugged hard on the straps to tighten them and decided I didn’t care if they dug in a bit more. Apart from this, the waves didn’t particularly bother me and I only ended up with a couple of mouthfuls of water when I had mistimed my breathing!
The experience of swimming towards land was interesting and that feeling that I was never getting closer will, I am sure, be the same in August. This time I did not feel cold and wasn’t shivering at all. The water was about 16°C and I felt very comfortable, so I am hoping that as much as possible of the channel will have heated to this temperature by the time of my swim.
The tide was sweeping into the Solent. So as I swam, I also drifted east towards Calshot. Therefore once I had swum to the Isle of Wight and back it seemed a good idea to carry on along the coast and swim as much of the way back as possible.
Massive thanks to my support team: Jon, Bob and my Dad who tolerated a very wet and bumpy ride on my behalf. They all gave up a day of their precious weekend and it was great experience for me to swim alongside them.
Jellyfish Stings and Still Cold - but more determined than ever!
At the weekend I went to Dover for what is known as a back to back swim. I swam for 7 hours on Saturday and then another 6 hours on Sunday.
In the days leading up to the swim I was apprehensive. I hadn't enjoyed my last Dover swim - the cold had been dreadful. And now I wondered how my shoulders would cope with two long swims close together? But the anticipation was much worse than the reality! The warm morning sunshine lifted my spirits at the start, and overall it went well.
In retrospect the time passed quickly despite the cold feelings I experienced. I know I definitely feel the cold more than most other swimmers and if I stop swimming my legs just get the shakes. However I have learned not to be worried by this as it is just my body's way of warming itself up. Despite feeling chilly, I was able to focus my mind on other things - and I was absolutely certain that there was no way I was getting out before my time was up. Saturday also provided my first encounter with jellyfish! Although the water was not clear enough to see them, there must have been a lot around as I was stung around 15 times throughout the swim. They were mostly down my arms: I suppose I must have disturbed them as my arms cut through the water but the stings did not really worry me and it's another potential trial that I've overcome. That night I went to bed early ready for Sunday's swim.
Next morning I had very stiff arms for the first 15 minutes - and could certainly feel the previous day's swim in them. However, they loosened up and I was surprised by how easily I was then able to continue swimming. I passed the time by singing many songs to myself and boosting myself with the fact I was doing one hour less today! With just one and half hours left to go my arms turned to lead and it felt like I was trying to swim with an elephant on my back! It also didn't help that the wind had got up so one end of the harbour had become very choppy. I decided to spend my last hour swimming at the calmer end of the harbour - after 12 hours of swimming I thought a degree of wimping out was justified.
The feeling after I had completed the swim was great. A weekend that I had been slightly dreading had actually not been as bad as I had feared. I know that the most likely barrier to succeeding in this venture will be the cold. But I take comfort from the fact that although I was cold - and disliked it intensely - it didn't stop me swimming. Overall I can gain confidence from the weekend. I was able to maintain a good pace without too much difficulty for long periods of time. I'm keeping fingers crossed for warm temperatures over the Channel in the coming month and I'm even more focused and determined than ever (although my family tell me that's impossible!)
Training in Devon
Just back from a week’s holiday with my family in South Devon. We went the day after exams finished so it felt like time to wind down. But of course it was also time to do some training.
My first long swim was at Start Bay – three miles of unbroken shingle beach near Slapton. For the first time since I began this challenge I really didn’t want to get in the water. The stones hurt my feet, the water felt bleak and I had horrid memories of how cold I felt at Dover a week earlier. Mum gave me another hug – I really wanted to relax and forget about swimming. But with less than two months to go that’s not an option so I turned back to face the inevitable sea.
The plan was for me to swim for four hours - south for half an hour before turning back and getting feeds on the hour. I’ve pretty much settled on that feeding routine now and like the incentive of something to look forward to even at the beginning of a swim. Not that I eat much: for swims up to six hours I seem to get by on swigs of Maxim and jelly babies. At Start Bay, I tried eating flapjack which is a bit of a favourite of mine. But when I’m cold it just sticks in my mouth – and I need stuff I can swallow easily! Once I’d got going the swim was OK. My family were taking it in turns to walk along the shore – but their feet suffered from the shingle.
My other long swim this week was up the River Dart. My long-suffering family hired a boat at Dartmouth and joined me on a trip past Dittisham and Stoke Gabriel but not quite to Totnes. Then we turned and came back again! It was lovely having everyone so nearby on the boat. Long distance swimming is such a lonely sport so this felt like a real treat: the brilliant sunshine and company made me feel like a dolphin who wanted to perform for an audience.
To watch Ali swimming in the River Dart, click on the video box above on the right.
Return to Dover
On the day of England’s opening world cup match I went to Dover with my sister Sarah and my Poppa. Having completed my 6 hour swim the weekend before I was feeling fairly confident about managing a good amount of time in Dover harbour. Swimming at Dover is very different, everything is decided for us, so we were all told we would be swimming for 4 and a half hours, and only feed after 2 and 3 hours. I was worried about not feeding until 2 hours, I had previously started stopping after an hour, and wasn’t sure I wanted to wait so much longer!
When I stepped from my shoes into the water, it definitely felt a few degrees colder than the lake had felt up at university and this lower temperature made a real difference. By the time I came in for my first feed after 2 hours, I felt very very cold, and not convinced I would carry on for another 2 and a half hours. My mood wasn’t increased when I was given two green Jelly Babies for my feed; definitely not my favourites! But I also discovered that having my drink slightly warmed definitely helped to alleviate the cold a bit. It was probably my worst swim to date as all I could think about for the whole time was how cold I was, but I pushed through and stayed in for the full 4 and a half hours, which at least shows some strength of mental attitude.
Record breaking 6 hour swim!
On the first Sunday of June I got my first opportunity to do a long open water swim and gain my six hour qualification certificate. The prospect seemed really daunting and especially as it was a weekend right in the middle of exams. However, by the time Sunday came around and I was bored to death of statistics, swimming for six hours seemed like a blessed release from the monotony of revision. When I arrived at Market Bosworth I was introduced to others taking part and also found that Karen from the university was also doing it and the friendly company put my nerves at ease. Once in the water all my fears disappeared. I had a very real sudden realisation that I was swimming: doing something I loved and something I was good at. The first 2 hours were lovely; the sun was out, the water was clear and my stroke felt very strong and smooth. After this the tiredness slowly but surely crept back in, but I was there to swim for six hours and there was no way I was getting out before they were up. It was a great chance to practice my feeding, what I want to eat and drink and how often I want to stop.
I swam further than I expected to, covering a distance of 15 miles in the six hours and setting the new women’s course record (previously 12 miles) and was only half a mile off the overall record!
Surprisingly, the next day my shoulders felt fine with very little aching so in the afternoon I jumped in the pool for a half hour ‘paddle’. However, I could very much feel my arms. The first 200m they were very sore and even once they had loosened up they didn’t particularly feel very strong or powerful.
It feels very good to have my qualification swim ‘under my belt’ so to say and now there is absolutely nothing stopping me from swimming the channel.
May daysAs the weather has improved, the water temperature has also risen making my outdoor swims easier and with less shivering afterwards! I have been doing about two outdoor swims a week and continued with some pool sessions as well.
We're in the middle of exams at uni so in some ways I have found swimming a great release and an excuse to get away from revision. But as emotions run high the pressure of juggling academic and training commitments can sometimes seem very lonely and just "too much." I've also developed some sort of skin allergy to some of the organisms in the lake. My skin goes very bumpy - but usually goes down just in time for the next session!
Next week-end I'm doing my first six hour swim - it'll be a chance to start feeding as I swim. But I'm a bit worried about what those mites in the lake will do to my skin!
Longest lake swim to date…
Back to Market Bosworth – and this time the lake had cooled to around 11°C. Because the lake is quite shallow it responds to small variations in air temperature and the warmth of the early spring had given way to some much colder weather. But I’d been hardened by my visit to Dover and wanted to push myself through the cold feelings. I stayed in for 1 hour 20 minutes and swam about five and half km.
Afterwards I was the coldest I had ever been – and there was no one around to help fit my shaking limbs into clothing. My legs and feet were so numb it was hard to control my walking and numb lips made my speaking interesting as well! However, when you’re cold there’s only one thing to do and that’s let your body warm you up naturally. After an hour of shaking/shivering and a hot chocolate I began to feel more normal.
First trip to Dover
The May bank holiday week-end was the start of training in Dover. Every week-end between now and September would-be channel swimmers are put through their paces by an amazing team of volunteers who set up camp by Dover Harbour. The group are led by Freda Streeter who began training her daughter Alison (now “Queen of the Channel” with 43 crossings to her credit) and is now a legend in the world of Channel swimming.
I went to Dover with my Mum and Dad – none of us knew what to expect but everyone was really friendly and welcoming. The rain and wind on the beach were ghastly but at the same time it was great to be surrounded by so many other people who have either already conquered the Channel or are planning swims in the next couple of years. We were given red hats for those planning a solo swim and yellow for those taking part in relays and sent off in the direction of the harbour walls…. The water was a chilling 9°C and stepping into the sea really strung my legs. However, no matter how cold it is to start with once I get into a rhythm and start swimming I really feel fine. My first swim was just 20 minutes – then we had to warm up and go back in again two hours later. There was one more swim on bank holiday Monday – this time the wind was making waves bounce off the harbour walls but I felt fine and seemed to maintain a good pace.
Exposing myself to the cold conditions has been really good: I probably won’t get back to Dover until next month when everyone will be building up to longer swims. Freda was lovely and encouraging: “Keep in touch and keep pushing yourself Ali,” she said. And I will.
The final visit of the week-end was to meet Andy King – the pilot who will plot my course and keep me safe during the swim. Andy was working on his boat the Louise Jane – and he’s an old hand at the business of Channel Crossings. Each year he makes about 30 trips – not just with swimmers but with canoes and other craft.
Outdoors in Warwick
Back in Warwick – and it was time to interrupt pool training with some outdoor work. There’s a lake at Market Bosworth which opened over the Easter holidays and is a 45 minute drive from campus. I grabbed a lift with Karen (a fellow channel-swimmer-hopeful who is also a lecturer at the University - see Karen's blog). As we waded into the water without wetsuits there were many comments from other swimmers about our level of sanity. But in fact the water was a mild 14°C – a pleasant contrast to the dark sky and rain which surrounded us on land. It was good to find some open water training that I can do during term time – and nice to have someone to go with. I’ll be back.
Back soon Penguins!
It’s time to go back to Uni – which means I’ve had my last training session of the holidays with Winchester Penguins. It’s the club I’ve trained with since I was eight years old and I always like coming back The training is different too. Penguins do less sprints and longer sets than we do at uni and it’s good to be faced with different challenges. On one of my first mornings back Kev, the Head Coach, told me I’d become a "distance monster". Great thanks! Last week Stuart one of the other coaches let me do freestyle during a breast stroke session so that makes him something of a star! Still, the encouragement of everyone has been great. One of the Mums has mentioned that the Club is going to arrange a fundraising event with younger swimmers jointly covering a distance equivalent to the Channel. Watch this space for more details…..
Northern Ireland experience
Swimming immediately after Bournemouth was impossible due to my sore neck. I could hardly turn my neck and when I did it was very painful. It needed time to heal out of the water so I tried doing more running and cycling instead.
The following weekend my family and I flew to Belfast to stay with some close friends. We were staying in their house which had a back garden going down to the edge of Strangford Lough, as well as the beautiful views this also provided a perfect chance for more open water swimming. The first day we went out on their boat all around the lough which is massive. I enquired how long it was and when I heard about 20 miles I exclaimed ‘about Channel distance then!’ This bought reality back to me as we zoomed on at about 35 knots and still seemed to be in the midst of the water for a long time, I tried to compare this with the mere 4 km/hr (2.2 knots) I will be trying to maintain.
The next day I waded from the garden out to the water. I was armed with wetsuit once again but with lots of taping and protection over my cut neck. I was escorted around in the lough by Ellie and Chrissie in their kayak and it was great to experience for the first time having a boat alongside me as I swam – I even had my first practice feed as I was passed my bottle and I drank while treading water!
On Sunday I once again took to the water, however this time I went out on the rib and was dropped off to swim back to the shore. This time I was also just in my swimming costume! As I dangled my feet into the water from the boat I was regretting the no wetsuit idea but I didn’t want to have to worry about my neck anymore and sometimes find the wetsuit restrictive around my shoulders. The cold hit me and momentarily messed with my breathing, at this point it was either a choice of climbing straight back onto the boat or getting on with it. Once the initial feeling of thousands of knives piercing my skin passed I started feeling good and the serenity and freedom of swimming outdoors is definitely turning me into an open water fan. The distance I swam wasn’t massive but knowing I was able to swim at so low temperatures in just my costume is reassuring.
Towels were wrapped round me as I emerged from the water, yet inevitably 5 minutes later my body had the shivers as uncontrollable muscle spasms took over to try to warm me up. See me swimming in Strangford Lough by clicking on the box above right.
Beside the Seaside, Beside the Sea
On Easter Monday we took a family trip to Bournemouth as a family friend and I decided on a sea dip. On approaching Bournemouth pier the wind was up and the waves uninviting, but the mental boost of having someone else to walk into the water with was great. I was wearing my wetsuit as I decided if I wanted to be able to swim a decent distance I would need help protecting me from the sea which was still only 7°C. The aim was to swim from Bournemouth pier to Boscombe pier - about 1.4 miles down the coast. With the knowledge that the most I had managed in open water so far this season was 5 minutes and a glance at the water, I warned my gathered family that I didn’t see myself making it the whole way.
My previous dips outdoors definitely paid off as I entered the sea with very little difficulty and moved myself out to beyond where the waves were breaking. With my family walking alongside down the beach I made steady progress and was already using the mental battles I know will be so important in the Channel: ‘I’ll just get to the next groyne and then see how I feel’ and then when my hands started aching from being so cold and squeezing them together made little difference it dropped to ‘can I do 10 more strokes? Yes. Can I do 10 more?’. The final push as I was about to go in came from the lifeguard, who we had told about our swim, who arrived on his jet ski, asked if I had come from the pier and wished me luck. After this there was no way I could get out without reaching Boscombe. The lifeguard stayed nearby, I think he was highly amused on an otherwise empty beach.
The pier came closer quickly and I think I benefitted from having the tide in my favour, but as I passed the final groin I slowly started heading inland. As I touched the sand I was filled with energy and started jumping into the breaking waves not wanting to get out. Contrary to all my earlier thoughts I had managed the distance and 30 minutes in such cold water.
My Bournemouth swim left me with renewed confidence that I can do the Channel. Although I know it’s still early in the season and there’s more work to come, I feel I am on the right track. It also left me with bad rubbing on my neck from my wetsuit, which I couldn’t feel until I had warmed up, but as my swimming coach said to me ‘You’ll learn not to do that again!’. I have, so next time there will be tape and a lot of Vaseline used!
Barcelona City Break
The first week of the Easter holidays saw me in Barcelona with the Swimming and Water Polo Club. It was a welcome break from the training regime and gave me a chance to enjoy myself without constantly worrying about how much I should be doing. For this one week I was living a proper student life, with not getting to bed until times I would previously been getting up for training and drinking more in a week then in most of the last term put together!
The support from within the club has been amazing and their belief that I can do it has been a massive driving force spurring me on. The weekend prior to tour was the annual "old boys" dinner, where I was given the Presidents' award for my involvement in the club in both swimming as well as water polo, and along with this the club has sponsored my channel swim using money left from the club budget. This has meant loads to me and to everyone in WUFF I would like to say a huge thank you!
As much as I loved tour, I was ready to come home as I am not sure I could have survived another night out. My body was also craving exercise and proper meals once more. My first swim after a week off was amazing and I loved using my muscles again. I got in and bombed out 1km: I felt strong, powerful and like I could swim forever. I returned to my sister with a grin before setting off again, I relished the feeling of my heart and lungs working hard and then continuing to push them even harder.
Tour slowly fades and with it my last alcohol until after August. I have started training back at home with renewed enthusiasm even if the freshness has quickly worn off!
Beware the (T)Ides of March!
The second half of term came and went very quickly, however the continued need to swim long distances was at times trying and a struggle. I swam 30 to 35 km each week and a large majority of this was by myself, meaning a constant high level of self motivation was required. At times I have become frustrated that some people just don’t get it, but other times I have been overwhelmed by the huge support and interest people have shown. Other swimmers at uni have found my long distances highly amusing and seem amazed at my high boredom threshold!
I have also met with Karen Throsby (a lecturer at uni) who is also training for a solo swim this summer and her experience and knowledge after doing a relay last year has been really helpful. It was reassuring to know that my worries and insecurities about it all were shared as we both go about preparations for the summer.
With no glandular fever this time, I was looking forward to coming home and continuing swimming. There is a definite need for a change in training regime which I will hopefully get back in Winchester; I know otherwise my swimming will become stale and I will begin to dread it rather than love it as I have up until now. This Easter I also hope to start my open water build up so I plan to be jumping in rivers, lakes and the sea at any chance.
Briefly outdoors!
I came back to Winchester in February for a week-end near my birthday. To make a break from heated swimming pools, I surprised some local dog-walkers and a lone fisherman and had a dip in the River Itchen at Shawford. Yes, it was cold - but it was also a bit shallow. Next time I'll go a bit further upstream.....
Start of spring term
The return to uni in January also marked the return to proper training after my glandular fever setback. The conflict between wanting to work hard and not wanting to overdo it and make myself ill again really tested my patience. After the first week of reduced swimming I flung myself fully in and I am now swimming almost a “channel a week.” This term has so far been easier as everyone now knows my plans and I have very much established a routine. I have become a lot more accepting of my early morning alarm and therefore no longer spend the first 30 minutes out of bed in a bad mood. As the distance I am swimming in each session has increased I can also see the benefits of “getting them over with” at the beginning of the day.
Despite easing gradually back into uni life and trying to not tire myself too much, inevitably sometimes it can become quite hectic. I looked back this week and realised one day I had done just under two hours swimming in the morning, an hour of circuit training followed by an hour and half of water polo; to top the day off I had a club social at the union. This was of course followed by another just under two hour swim the following morning!
Looking forward, I am getting excited about being able to get outdoors to do some open water swimming. With the amount I am training I can sometimes find the pool too hot, a bit claustrophobic and very monotonous.
1st January 2010 - New Year, New Challenge
At noon on New Year’s Day, whilst most of my friends were still in bed nursing the first hangover of 2010, I was standing in my swimming costume on a pebbled beach staring at the icy cold sea. 1st January 2010 not only marked the beginning of a new decade, but for me it marked the start of cold open water training ready for my Channel swim this August. I was not however alone in this part of my training as I joined a small group of hardy Hayling Islanders. United in our madness we took to the sea.
Not thinking and speed were key to my dip in the sea. Once in up to my legs it would have been easy to turn round and walk out again, but before this could cross my mind I leapt forward to become fully submerged. I wasn’t shocked by the cold (to be so I would have had to have been naïve about the challenges I am facing). However, it did play havoc with my breathing and all I was managing were short gasps for air. Despite this, I completed about seven front crawl strokes and a wave to my family, who had assembled as my support unit, before I decided enough was enough.
The coldest part of me was my feet, numb yet painful as I negotiated the sand, stones and waves climbing out of the water – that was by far the hardest part. I’m learning all the time and one of my fellow swimmers suggested investing in a carpet square to stand on the pebbles. Once out of the water I got the initial warm rush, however I knew this would very quickly turn to the shakes if I did not get wrapped up. Clothes were put on me as I stood feeling surprisingly ok, however I know the ever ready hands dressing me will not be there on every open water swim I complete.
In some ways my moments in the sea seem insignificant compared with the amount of time it will take to swim the Channel. However a well known saying in open water swimming is ‘a minute in January is worth an hour in August’, to me it at least marks the start of eight months of cold acclimatisation and if this is the sea at its worst then I say "bring it on!".
Christmas 2009 – and glandular fever strikes!
I planned to go home for the Christmas holidays and push my exercise regime. With no academic work and the family to support me and cook my meals I was looking forward to spending time at the gym as well as in the pool.
However my body had other ideas! I felt a bit unwell in the last few days of term and this turned to a raging temperature and sore throat on my first week-end home. I was diagnosed with glandular fever and warned to take it easy as tiring myself at the start of the illness could cause it to go on for longer. So instead I rested, relaxed, enjoyed Christmas and the enforced break from training. I wanted to be ready for the New Year and the challenges it would bring.
Starting Uni
In October 2009 I moved north as I started university at Warwick. I quickly became involved with the swimming club and relished the change in training regime. The addition of land weights work meant I quickly noticed an improvement in my strength and therefore swim speed during training.
I found the morning sessions a huge challenge at times, despite it being considerably later than I am used to with my home club (a 7.20 start compared with 6am). However, having an alarm that goes off before seven in student world is equivalent to a five o’clock get up in the real world. Many times I had to tell myself that my Dad would already be up getting for work and it really wasn’t that early!
I also started playing some water polo, which I have really enjoyed and it has given me a nice break from ploughing up and down the pool.
As the term passed and people slowly found out about my plans for the summer, the reactions I received were varied. Some people easily accepted it as they considered that I always seemed to be swimming anyway. Others were more enthused about the whole idea and a few have even told me it is something they want to do themselves. Despite the encouragement, this is the kind of challenge that can leave you feeling very alone at times. My family have been hugely supportive. But a telephone conversation is not the same when what you really want is a hug - and ultimately it is me who needs to do the training.
So my personal end of term report assured me that I was finding my way around and had built up the training – but at the same time I worried whether I was doing enough.
First Steps .... or Strokes!
Summer 2009 marked the start of my preparations for the Channel swim. I did a number of open water events where I quickly learnt that sense of direction was not my forte. Despite this, I was also amazed how quickly I adapted to the different conditions. As a pool swimmer through and through my first open water encounter this year was a shock – the waves seemed massive, current strong and salt water disgusting! However, only a few weeks later and a swim in an equally rough sea hardly bothered me.
I learnt so much about open water swimming this summer (though I am sure I have plenty more still to learn); things such as NEVER attempt serious sea swimming in a bikini and make sure you don’t go anywhere near the sea without a large tub of Vaseline to hand. Most of these swims I have put down to character building and particularly one case where I found myself driving round and round the greater London countryside trying to find a random lake at seven o’clock in the morning. Once immersed in said lake, I was unable to see anything an inch or further away from my head and could feel the mud particles brush past me. I shut my mouth tight and swam. It was once I was out of the lake and trying to get changed that I noticed I was covered in a layer of green slime – not my most attractive look!
Last updated: 30 July 2010