English Channel

The injuries on Ron’s neck and shoulders appear to be salt water rubs. Swimming in salt water for extended periods typically rubs raw certain areas of the body where the repetitive motions of the stroke and the associated skin on skin rubbing (with added salt) will rub right through the skin. It looks like Ron missed a couple of spots when he greased up before the race. In his pre-race photos you’ll see he has channel grease under the arms and a little on the neck, but none where he was rubbed raw. Although the fronts of the shoulders seems a bit odd??? It usually takes one big swim (6+ hours) to really find our where you rub. Most people who have done ocean marathons, have 1 or 2 experiences of missing a spot or not keeping a spot properly lubricated. For me, in my first Tampa Bay marathon, I missed a spot on my neck, and after 10 1/2 hours of swimming it was a bloody mess. Fortunately I’ve learned from that 1 bad experience and from the wisdom of others. Lesson 1 – Learn where to apply grease (under arms, between thighs, around neck, …) Lesson 2 – Learn where NOT to apply grease (keep it away from goggles and eyes)

I can see how you could cut up your hands, feet and legs that way, but the front of the shoulders? And they are symetrical.

Maybe go to his website and leave him an email asking him. I met him once and he is a very nice person, so don't be shy. -LBJ

Very interesting. I haven't done that long a salt water swim yet so I don't have experience with this type of repetitive motion injury. I would have never guessed (1) that salt water was that abrassive or (2) that you would rub the front of the shoulder like that. I can see the neck, thighs, armpits because of the skin on skin contact but I would have never guessed the front of the shoulders, LOL and apparently he didn't either.

What caused the injuries to the front of his shoulders?

Probably got cut on barnacles/shells at the end climbing out of the water and onto the rocks.

And Lesson 4 for Jeff – add a few pounds, remembering how cold you were after the swim at San Francisco a couple of years ago, a little extra insulation wouldn’t hurt.

Rob forgot lesson 3: Learn to swim races 100 yards and under :D

“This also happens in fresh water.” George, I’ll take your word on this one. Most of my long races have been salt water swims, only Manhattan Island and a 25K Lake swim have been fresh or near-fresh water. And it may have been that I was properly greased for these two. And since George brought up Lanolin – Lesson 6: Don’t use Lanolin for warm-to-hot water swims, it has a tendency to melt away when it gets warm. I stick with Vaseline in any race over about 70F. Although Lanolin or channel grease (50/50 Lanolin-Vaseline) works best for me in cold water, below 65F.

My friend Tom Bucy used grafite grease, he applied it all over his body, he said when the waves hit him they will just slide off of him. It became hard and solid and heavy. He was pulled out half way through a race it was like tar. The only way they could remove it was with naptha gas he never used it again. All greases are not equal. I only used vaseline on all friction points. George www.swimdownhill.com