I am doing the English channel next Sept 2011. I am trying to get a good handle on the cold water thing. So this is what I have been doing but if anyone knows of other tricks I would love to know what they did to prepare for the English channel cold water.
At the moment I take a cold shower every day and 2 times a week sit in a bath full of ice. I live close to lake Michigan and right now the temp has been around 56-64 I have been doing no wet suit. I am up to a 2 hour swim in the cold but have to do a 6 hour cold water swim this Oct. At about two hours my feet lose feeling and my hands too. I can feel my core start to really get cold.
I have used may things to keep warm on being Vaseline did work just got my goggles all messed up, Crisco has done ok. But I am think of getting some Lanolin but dont know if it will be better. Has anyone used it and feel like it has worked far better?
The other thing is my Coach and I are going to set up a floating raft ancoared down and us it for a feeding station. I was thinking of putting a jug of hot water in there to pour over my self. Has anyone tryed this? I want to do hot liquides but my coach said the last guy he trained for the channel had hot tea and he cramped up. Wonder in if that was just him or because the water is so cold with the hot it Shocks your body. My coach told me to not worrie this will all come in time but I have 2 months till my 6 hour swim in 60 or less water temp and it is freeking me out. So any one that knows of some tricks please post them!!!! thanks Aurora :coffee::coffee:
Former Member
Sorry, I have no experience in water below 60 or so, and not planning on a channel crossing any time soon (ever :) ), but I have to say I am just freezing cold now after just reading your post.
Good luck in your channel training! :applaud::applaud:
Former Member
i find that grease is a great lubricant... but not useful for insulation. it can be a somewhat effective windbreaker on those blustery days if applied to upper back, shoulders and neck.
hot feeds are critical for me, and i feed often (20 mins).
i think the 6 hour qualifying swim is a conservative minimum, and have included quite a few 6 - 10 hour training swims... colder = better. while it is possible to over train, i don't think it is possible to over-prepare.
go to dover early... at least a couple of weeks before your scheduled swim and do a couple of long ones in the harbor.
10 or 20 extra pounds won't hurt your speed in a marathon swim, and may very likely increase your cold water comfort level.
ben and jerry are your friends.
I agree, grease, Vaseline, lanolin etc. do not help warm you up once you are in the water. Also, drinking hot liquids do little to raise your core temperature. 16 Ozs of 150 (very hot) degree energy drink will raise your core temp less that 1/10 of a degree.
A found the best way to stay warm is to maintain a high pace. Keep your turn-over up and kick. Burning calories is the best way to keep your core temp up.
The other thing I did to prepare for the channel was put on weight. The fat is a good insulator.
Former Member
My daughter, in preperation for her channel swim went on a really cool diet. Called "All desserts, all the time" in order to add 20 lbs. The channel grease while a good mental pickup, just washed off in most places...not really much help.... Ice baths are the best...but the extra fat, excuse me, insulation, she put on really helped as well.
Former Member
Speaking of "All desserts, all the time," you might find this interview...
channel.srichinmoyraces.org/.../ahelee
...informative. In the interview, Ahelee Sue Osborne, who swam the channel in 2001, talks about how she intentionally gained 40 pounds before the swim.
I not-so-intentionally added 20 pounds before a recent 6-mile in fairly cold water. The extra weight made the swim much easier than it was when I swam it with less insulation.
Former Member
read "Swimming to Antartica"...regardless of your swim, its a great great read...
Former Member
Thanks for everyones help. I am so happy to eat that will be great! Ice cream no problem love it!!!Things have gotten better since the cold ice baths every other day:)
"Dover Solo" by Marcia Cleveland would be another good motivator book for you to read! I am guessing you already know marcia if you live in the Chicago area, if not you should meet her and talk to her!
I agree! I give alot of credit to Marcia in making me prepared for my crossing.
"Dover Solo" by Marcia Cleveland would be another good motivator book for you to read! I am guessing you already know marcia if you live in the Chicago area, if not you should meet her and talk to her!
I have no Channel plans for any time in my life, really, but I'd just like to say that I love being a part of a sport where people discuss the importance of gaining weight. What a switch from my old triathlon days...
