Giles's Swim for Charity

[hectic]

@Giles:

Can you swim?  Can you teach?

I'm happy to help you if I can Giles. I have quite a lot of swim experience, have taught a bit too. Have you looked into this yet: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Total_Immersion - its the technique du jour, I find it quite frustrating as it is quite measured and slow but it might suit you well (i.e.: long distance). I come from water polo roots so I have a more brutalist style.

[madmonday]

great goal & cause G$.

now when you are sweet talking the lady you can really say & mean you would swim across the _______  for her love 

[Giles]

I went for my first lesson today.  Cost me £18 to be told I was crap…..I knew that anyway......I have some drills to do now, at least I can focus on technique/stamina improvement now.....

[Chris]

@Giles:

Cost me £18 to be told I was crap…..

That doesn't seem very cost effective.  Paula probably tells you that daily for free.

[Giles]

To keep me warm and to build up my kicking muscles….

[Finn666]

fitpics?

[Giles]

I don't want to put anyone off their lunch…..

[Giles]

I await a call from Alex, when it happens I will meet him at a local marina and float around in my new wetsuit - step one in cold acclimatisation.  For obvious reasons people are not allowed into the water in our marinas. But, if I go as "part" of the dive team who have permission, I'm OK

[Alex]

[Giles]

And I have to say, I am a fan of this suit, boy was it toastie….

[Snowy]

so you discovered the 'wettie warmer' did you? 

(and now I'm back on a 'trusted' net connection, donation made)

[Giles]

Useful advice from a recent benefactor…...
"If you see a giant green statue with a torch in her hand, you've gone too far"

[DougNg]

Swim with your passport just in case, we'd love to have you over

[Giles]

Went down the pool tonight to do a mile.  It shut 35 mins earlier than advertised, so I only got a 1/2 mile in - Damn.

On Friday night I am going to the beach to give this open water stuff a go….

[rocket]

proud of you….

[simonc]

Remember the mind is much weaker than the body, always keep going.

[Snowy]

@Giles:

On Friday night I am going to the beach to give this open water stuff a go….

I'm sure someone has told you, but open water is a fair fair bit harder. Currents, chop, timing, breathing etc all go out the window. Also when there's no line on the bottom it's really difficult to swim straight. I used to be a life saver and always struggled to swim in the ocean but would do laps for a few hours a week in the pool. Be easy on yourself, it's really difficult in short

[Giles]

Yeah, I know.  But the good news is that I'll be wearing a wet suit and obviously saline water is more buoyant, so at least I can't sink when I panic…..On the swim itself, I'll be shadowed by Kayaks, so I just need to sight them rather than the destination, so hopefully I'll be able to sight on the breathe stroke.  But to sum - I'm shit scared.....

[Snowy]

That's probably a healthy respect of the sea. A Kayak will still be difficult to sight if you're swimming with your head down. Imagine you'll probably work out a routine to look up after every 10th stroke or so, so you'll never be too far off course. Try swim eyes closed in the pool and see where you drift after a few strokes, it helps work out that when you do stick your head up you should be looking to the <insert direction="">for kayak. You'll be fine, just don't poop in the wet suit :D</insert>

[Seul]

Peeing in it will help you get in and out of it though…