Seeing that George is back from Mexico and long distance swims are once again part of the board's consciousness i thought I'd ask about long swim nutrition.
I've found lots of reports of channel swims that indicate feeding once every 30 minutes is a common way to go.
On the other hand Penny Lee Dean in an article on the cataline channel swim website says that 8 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes is a good way to go, bearing in mind that stops should be less than 10 seconds.
I've tried that method and seem to have fair results with it. 8 ounces per hour was not enough though at 5.5 hours I got really loopy someone asked me a question and it took forever to think the answer through. I upped it to 10 to 12 ounces per 15 minutes or for the scientifically minded ad libitum at each stop. But 10 to 12 ounces is three gulps, rather than one or two. Meaning that my stops in practice have been up around 20 to 30 seconds. When I tried doing them faster I swallowed a lot of air, didn't swallow properly etc.
At any rate, I still have a month before the Tampa Bay Swim and am open to hearing what works for you.
15 - 20 knot headwinds. 2 to 2.5 foot chop dead into our faces. Before the race, the director mentioned that 9 miles would be considered an official finish, if we wanted to go farther we could.
Things got progressively worse as we headed more and more into the wind rounding PInellas Point. When we finally got it full bore I knew I would be stopping at the 9 mile mark.
Got swamped a lot, never found a rhythm in the big waves, got seasick toward the end. All that meant I took the opportunity to get out at 9 miles.
I was disappointed until i saw Dave Parcells, the race director and double channel crosser standing on the beach looking like he had only been there a few minutes. I figured if he got out at 9 miles, I was in good company.
Nutrition went OK, except for at the end when I stopped eating due to seasickness. I knew i was close to the end anyway.
It was rough enoughthat one powerboat capsized. Most teams took their kayakers out for a while too.
Thank You for all the help. I'm not sure when I'll take another crack at a big swim again. I obviously have some work to do to be fully prepared.
15 - 20 knot headwinds. 2 to 2.5 foot chop dead into our faces. Before the race, the director mentioned that 9 miles would be considered an official finish, if we wanted to go farther we could.
Things got progressively worse as we headed more and more into the wind rounding PInellas Point. When we finally got it full bore I knew I would be stopping at the 9 mile mark.
Got swamped a lot, never found a rhythm in the big waves, got seasick toward the end. All that meant I took the opportunity to get out at 9 miles.
I was disappointed until i saw Dave Parcells, the race director and double channel crosser standing on the beach looking like he had only been there a few minutes. I figured if he got out at 9 miles, I was in good company.
Nutrition went OK, except for at the end when I stopped eating due to seasickness. I knew i was close to the end anyway.
It was rough enoughthat one powerboat capsized. Most teams took their kayakers out for a while too.
Thank You for all the help. I'm not sure when I'll take another crack at a big swim again. I obviously have some work to do to be fully prepared.
