Swim the Channel?
Discussion
Anyone ever been tempted, or anyone done it? Whenever I watch those James Cracknell shows on Discovery where he does some insane endurance event I always think about doing something like that. Just the drive to train for and attempt something at the absolute limit of my ability.
I am not a natural sports person, quite s
t at most if I am honest. I am quite good a swimming though and do enjoy that. I also have a swimmers type body, actually very similar body size (height and arm length, feet size) to MP. That is where the similarity ends.
Anyway, was looking at the website for a channel swim. Looks it will cost between £2.5K and £3K and you have to book 3 years in advance. On top of that there will probably be some fees for trainers too.
Probably a pipe dream, I think also if I said to the wife I was going to do it she would probably divorce me.
I am not a natural sports person, quite s
t at most if I am honest. I am quite good a swimming though and do enjoy that. I also have a swimmers type body, actually very similar body size (height and arm length, feet size) to MP. That is where the similarity ends.Anyway, was looking at the website for a channel swim. Looks it will cost between £2.5K and £3K and you have to book 3 years in advance. On top of that there will probably be some fees for trainers too.
Probably a pipe dream, I think also if I said to the wife I was going to do it she would probably divorce me.
I have nothing to say about swimming the Channel 
But, what's life without a little challenge?
For years I wanted to do a particular event. And for years I put it off Then I got a bit annoyed with myself, got online and had a chat with the organiser and booked myself in. Training had to be done, and cash had to be found, but short of quitting before even starting there was no (real) option. Nine months later I was running a marathon about 1000km from the South Pole. It wasn't the furthest anyone has run (obviously!), it wasn't the coldest, it wasn't even particularly difficult terrain, but it was my challenge. It was also an utterly joyous experience. Apart from losing all my toenails.
So if you want to swim the Channel, do it. Stop fannying about and sign up
What's the worst that can happen?
But, what's life without a little challenge?
For years I wanted to do a particular event. And for years I put it off
Then I got a bit annoyed with myself, got online and had a chat with the organiser and booked myself in. Training had to be done, and cash had to be found, but short of quitting before even starting there was no (real) option. Nine months later I was running a marathon about 1000km from the South Pole. It wasn't the furthest anyone has run (obviously!), it wasn't the coldest, it wasn't even particularly difficult terrain, but it was my challenge. It was also an utterly joyous experience. Apart from losing all my toenails.So if you want to swim the Channel, do it. Stop fannying about and sign up
What's the worst that can happen?
I have swam it as part of a relay, also won national open water masters medals and completed a 24 mile swim (1 mile every hour for 24 hours). It might be something for me for the future, but I've not had time to commit to the distance needed in training and to be honest I'd find it pretty boring and prefer pool-based competition for my club.
The 24 mile swim was the hardest thing I've ever done. I wasn't as fit as I am now, but it was a mental challenge just to keep going. Having said that, it also wrecked my shoulder for 6 months.
I guess if you have costed it up, you are aware of the two federations. Do it, set yourself a series of goals, some of the BLDSA events are really good and the Champions of Champions in Dover (5 miles, 3 miles, 1 mile in the same day) is a good event training event. Stuff like the full length of Windemere are good too, and considered as one of the necessary trial events before you can do the Channel.
Don't start off swimming in a wetsuit, keep it trunks only all the way. Don't limit yourself - I know two people who have swam the Channel who really wouldn't call themselves quick swimmers, but they committed themselves completely, got plenty of advice from people who've done it before and trained bloody hard. They both said after a certain stage it becomes mental, you just keep going and going, but get the tides wrong or not make a critical point by a critical time and you can start getting further away from France! There are a few forums out there with people who've done the Channel who are a mine of good advice.
I would think about joining a club (even a tri club's sessions would do as they'll probably go for distance) for some of the training, training solo for the Channel would become really boring.
In fact, try and do what one bloke did - a double crossing swimming butterfly
It is an amazing achievement, someone told me more people have climbed Everest than swam the Channel.
The 24 mile swim was the hardest thing I've ever done. I wasn't as fit as I am now, but it was a mental challenge just to keep going. Having said that, it also wrecked my shoulder for 6 months.
I guess if you have costed it up, you are aware of the two federations. Do it, set yourself a series of goals, some of the BLDSA events are really good and the Champions of Champions in Dover (5 miles, 3 miles, 1 mile in the same day) is a good event training event. Stuff like the full length of Windemere are good too, and considered as one of the necessary trial events before you can do the Channel.
Don't start off swimming in a wetsuit, keep it trunks only all the way. Don't limit yourself - I know two people who have swam the Channel who really wouldn't call themselves quick swimmers, but they committed themselves completely, got plenty of advice from people who've done it before and trained bloody hard. They both said after a certain stage it becomes mental, you just keep going and going, but get the tides wrong or not make a critical point by a critical time and you can start getting further away from France! There are a few forums out there with people who've done the Channel who are a mine of good advice.
I would think about joining a club (even a tri club's sessions would do as they'll probably go for distance) for some of the training, training solo for the Channel would become really boring.
In fact, try and do what one bloke did - a double crossing swimming butterfly
It is an amazing achievement, someone told me more people have climbed Everest than swam the Channel.Edited by Highway Star on Saturday 22 February 18:01
Highway Star said:
someone told me more people have climbed Everest than swam the Channel.
That's completely true . . . I don't know the figures, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that for every 10 on the summit of Everest, 1 has completed the channel swim.I very nearly succumbed to the challenge 3 years ago (as part of a relay as well), but the coordinaters said I had to put on 2 stone
end of conversation for me.Never say never though! If you want to dream something, make it a biggie
dangerousB said:
Just read your post again . . . holy st! Most people consider 400 fly a punishment 
As someone who swam competitively from the age of about 9-15, I'd say 50m butterfly was a bloody achievement! t! Most people consider 400 fly a punishment Possibly due to my lack of upper body strength, but sod doing a length of it let alone 60miles or whatever a double crossing would be!
Don't think I will be doing fly.
The length of Windermere looks like a good event. Much more accessible at just under two hundred quid with support boat. Might aim for that as start and go from there.
There is a Lake swim series near me who do various distances and have added a 10k. The Lake is quite shadow and wetsuits are often optional. Last time though I was freezing with a suit.
I think that will be the hardest part for me. Getting used to the cold.
The length of Windermere looks like a good event. Much more accessible at just under two hundred quid with support boat. Might aim for that as start and go from there.
There is a Lake swim series near me who do various distances and have added a 10k. The Lake is quite shadow and wetsuits are often optional. Last time though I was freezing with a suit.
I think that will be the hardest part for me. Getting used to the cold.
Highway Star said:
Apologies, just looked it up, there hasn't been a double crossing on butterfly, only a few singles. Still, 21miles of fly!
Still amazing!Actually, I've just checked and although it's difficult to get definitive figures, it looks like I was a little out with my predictions . . . from what I've quickly read, approx 3,100 people have successfully scaled Everest and 1245 have successfully completed a Channel swim (as of 2011/12ish anyway)
From:-
http://dailynews.openwaterswimming.com/2012/01/ast...
http://www.wisegeek.org/how-many-people-have-climb...
How about one of these two OP ? not done them myself but a mate I do tri's with has done both, you are 'seeded' & set off in groups for both. I think you have 4 walks on the bridge to bridge around locks to give you a little break & the Dart 10k is one hit. One thing about the Dart once you get to the 4k (ish) mark you (or organisers) make a decision to bail or carry on, as once past that point the finish is the next opportunity to get out of the river due to the steep banks.
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=...
http://www.henleyswim.com/bridge-to-bridge/
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=...
http://www.henleyswim.com/bridge-to-bridge/
Roger645 said:
Halb said:
brickwall said:
Put on 3 stone (go from 13 to nearer 16)
How come?Of all the challenges in doing this I won't struggle to put on a few stone. Probably fat enough already
baxb said:
How about one of these two OP ? not done them myself but a mate I do tri's with has done both, you are 'seeded' & set off in groups for both. I think you have 4 walks on the bridge to bridge around locks to give you a little break & the Dart 10k is one hit. One thing about the Dart once you get to the 4k (ish) mark you (or organisers) make a decision to bail or carry on, as once past that point the finish is the next opportunity to get out of the river due to the steep banks.
http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=...
http://www.henleyswim.com/bridge-to-bridge/
Thanks. The dart swim looks good but is a long way to travel to. Henley on the other hand is just down the road. Might think seriously about that. http://www.outdoorswimmingsociety.com/index.php?p=...
http://www.henleyswim.com/bridge-to-bridge/
dangerousB said:
Highway Star said:
In fact, try and do what one bloke did - a double crossing swimming butterfly
Just read your post again . . . holy st! Most people consider 400 fly a punishment I used to see her in the pool regularly. As we'd get in she'd be pacing up and down doing fly. When we got out a couple of hours later, yep there she was, still pacing up and down doing fly. Crazy endurance. Wikipedia reckons on her being only the 2nd person to do it all fly. If the first guy was a bloke, then she's the only lady!
944fan said:
Could be for buoyancy add fast is buoyant. I think if it's more for having plenty of energy reserves.
Of all the challenges in doing this I won't struggle to put on a few stone. Probably fat enough already
Nope. Its to keep warm. Plain and simple. Athletes with 5/6% body fat would get very cold very quickly (So I'm told). I can believe the theory as I've been scuba diving in UK waters for 10 years and I cope better with the cold than some of the very thin people, Of all the challenges in doing this I won't struggle to put on a few stone. Probably fat enough already
If you are looking at cost, then I'd say that £3k is roughly half what you would end up spending to swim the channel.
Yes, the boat fee is £3k, but when I looked at it in detail, I estimated that it would cost roughly £5k, as you had to allow many trips to open water lakes to train and several training swims in the sea with a club/escort or similar.
The channel swim is on my list for the ultimate achievement and it put it up there next to half ironman or similar.
Below is just a brief list that I discovered from my research:
There are several boats who are authorized to accompany you and the good ones get booked up in advance by three years or more. As you can imagine, some boats are nicer than others. There is no way, I'd want an escort boat to be a RIB!!
You have to be able to breathe both sides so you can still see the boat when it has to change sides to protect you from other traffic (This is a serious issue for me)
Some boats will ask you to do a swim test in open sea to make sure you can hold the required pace for them to complete the swim in daylight hours. People do complete the swim in darkness, but as you can imagine its far from ideal.
As others have said, its mental endurance. I spoke to dive skipper who has assistance with a few big sea swims and he has watched some super athletes struggle.
You aren't allowed to touch the boat at any time. You are fed using a fishing net ect. ect.
I'm 40 in 7 years time and I hve an unofficial target to have a crack at it then. It would also be my last big charity event too. My aim would be simple. To complete the swim and raise £k for a charity of my choice. I was never a club swimmer, but I'm a strong swimmer and I think I could achieve it.
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