Training...

Its been a while since I last wrote but much has been happening in the world of my swimming. I'm still aiming at a big swim this Summer, but due to relocation, house move and change of jobs also during the Summer, I don't think I'll manage my original goal. But I will keep trying.

I was sold something on Facebook. Facebook is very very clever. It reads my mind. It knows what I need or what I think I might need.

In the pool I was still carrying out my drills, swimming was getting more comfortable and my shoulders and elbow were hurting less, but I was not getting faster. I decided to find out why so went for a few sessions to @sportstest in Cannock. Essentially I got into a tank with a tidal current. You know the ones - a controlled current comes at you and you can work out how fast you swim. On top of this, there are cameras everywhere. AND..... the amazing Amaro Viloria, the Venezuelan swim coach and national distance swimmer. Through a series of drills repeated and filmed, then analysed on the spot (oh yes, you are also connected to a headset so that he can speak to you without you needing to stop), most of which felt like I was about to drown, I managed to reduce my swim time over 100m by over a minute over the course of 4 weeks.

I have said in the past that this process has just taught me that I can't swim. Well this process confirmed it. I look nothing like in the water what I think I look like. My legs are more horizontal than vertical. My head is in the wrong position. My arms are all wrong and even my toes are not doing what they are supposed to. Amaro fixed this. It was my turn now to make this second nature.

My next challenge to myself (which I did during my training with Sport Test), was to swim 35km over the course of a month. Working full time it is really difficult to maintain any regularity, but if I give myself a challenge, I tend to keep to it, especially if it is for a short time. I needed to swim over 1km per day to keep to it, or longer swims fewer times per week. I did this in March. I could not do it in open water so to the chlorine pit I went. Most days. This gave me the chance to really get to grips with the drills, using paddles and kick boards, I really felt like I was starting to get somewhere.

I kept myself acclimatised through the winter months with regular open water swims, but nothing of any distance. Too cold to put head in for long periods of time. The odd 40 minutes here and there but nothing to shout about.

The Big Bala Swim was my first

big goal of the season. 4.5km swim of the length of Lake Bala. A stunning spot up in Wales. I have swum in the lake before but in the height of Summer. I hadn't swum more than a mile in open water in months, and no more than two miles in the pool. And then not much as life has been too hectic and lack of brain space have stopped me training properly. I have even let my strength go a bit. So Bala was a bit of a shock. I knew that it would be, but it was a real lesson in not taking my fitness for granted. My brain told me I could do it, but it was a real boot up the neoprene covered backside.

I got to the third kilometer and hit a wall. I was cold. I'd decided not to use gloves as they can get heavy over time. I was

watching other competitors being pulled out. I got cramp. Then I had a proper word with myself. Just remember the technique, get your head down and keep swimming. I was tired. It is the first event that I have not really trained for. Mostly I felt my core being weak. My arms were tired and my legs (new technique required much more kicking). But I did it. It just took me way longer than it should have done. I'm a bit ashamed of how long it did take me but I came 105th out of 148 which isn't really that bad. It is well within the field. I'm just cross as I've worked hard to get better.

This is a really amazing swim organised by Love Swimrun. It was quite a big event but really well set up and marshalled with extremely friendly people running it. There were three distances: 1.5km, 4.5km and 9km. I chose to 4.5km and got to take the steam train to the start of the race. What a treat.

I have about four weeks now until I swim Coniston for the second time. 5.25 miles (8.45 km). My sighting is better now so I won't turn it into a 9+ km fest as I did last year. Time for some serious core training. Watch this space. I'm also trying to find a marathon swim for this summer. The only one I can find I can't make due to family commitments and I probably need to run a hill race or something.

#sportstest @sportstest #bigbalaswim @loveswimrun #scotland #openwaterswimming #wales #wildswimmingwales #bala #wildswimming #coldwatertherapy