One of the things I need to do to swim the channel is to get fit. I've kept a reasonable level of swim fitness but I could be fitter. As I've hinted at in other posts, I've been going to the gym, running and of course swimming.
My aim is to swim in open water at least 2 times a week; the rest of the time I'm in the pool before work which doesn't give me a lot of time. So, to improve my fitness levels I'm having to use training aids. I've just bought myself a rather fetching pair of aqua gloves (now I have webbed fingers!). These aren't as large as my normal hand paddles, which are massive, but they should just add a little bit more resistance allowing me to swim normally while still building up my strength.
I've also just got myself a shiny new road bike on the ride to work scheme. I know, it's a road bike :( but it's 20 odd miles to work and I need to get there quickly. Heart rate training is currently a high priority for me as the lower and longer I can keep it there will help me in my 12+ hour swim across the channel. So to start with I'll be riding home from work attempting to keep a steady 150bpm on my heart rate monitor and then getting a lift in the next day to collect the car. Hopefully it won't take me too long to build up to cycling home one day and back in the next morning.
Let's hope you never forget how to ride a bike as I haven't done it for several years...
My aim is to swim in open water at least 2 times a week; the rest of the time I'm in the pool before work which doesn't give me a lot of time. So, to improve my fitness levels I'm having to use training aids. I've just bought myself a rather fetching pair of aqua gloves (now I have webbed fingers!). These aren't as large as my normal hand paddles, which are massive, but they should just add a little bit more resistance allowing me to swim normally while still building up my strength.
I've also just got myself a shiny new road bike on the ride to work scheme. I know, it's a road bike :( but it's 20 odd miles to work and I need to get there quickly. Heart rate training is currently a high priority for me as the lower and longer I can keep it there will help me in my 12+ hour swim across the channel. So to start with I'll be riding home from work attempting to keep a steady 150bpm on my heart rate monitor and then getting a lift in the next day to collect the car. Hopefully it won't take me too long to build up to cycling home one day and back in the next morning.
Let's hope you never forget how to ride a bike as I haven't done it for several years...