A New Year, A new challenge.
As 2014 fast approaches, we have to start
looking forward to what it has in store for us. Earlier on this year I applied
to the ballot for the 2014 - 27th Self-Transcendence Marathon swim. which takes
place on 10th August 2014 . This Swim takes place in Lake Zurich. It is a
26.4Km fresh water swim along most
of the Length of Lake Zurich.Starting in
the picturesque town of Rapperswil to Zurich. This swim is one that I have
wanted to do for a while but, because it is a ballot and you have to be
selected, it has taken me two years to get selected. I am very happy to say that, On
15TH December 2013, I received the much anticipated email that I had been
hoping to receive. So, at 7am on the 10th August, 46 Individual swimmers, 21 of
us will be dressed only in our budgie smugglers, while the rest will be taking
the slightly more wimpish approach of rubberising themselves. There will also
be a number of Relay teams that will take the plunge into the frigid waters of
the Glacial fed Lake Zurich. It is a very international affair with swimmers
from all over the world. This year I will be the only one that hails from the
African continent.
I am estatic at the opportunity to be doing this Swim. It is Switzerlands largest open water
swim and no doubt will be organised with the typical Swiss attention to detail. I have met quite a few fellow swimmers that have done this swim and they
all say that it is a great swim. They also say that it is not a swim to be
underestimated.
So, it seems I have my work cut out for
me. I have already gotten off to a decent start in that I went to the pool a
couple of days ago and I did a 3km set that was purely designed to benchmark my
capabilities. This was done as I have been out of the pool for about 3-4 weeks
and needed to get an idea of my fitness and my speed. Since the latter part of
the summer, I have not done any meaningful training, don't get me wrong, I have been keeping up my
swimming, but a mixture of an absolutely torrid year on the home front and
mixed in with a complete breakdown of focus, my training has been a bit
erratic!! - to put it in words that are deemed not to be too offensive.
I Am glad to see a new year on the
horizon and, I am very sad to admit this, but, I will not be too sad to see the
back of 2013. So, let sleeping dogs lie! It is now time to focus on the
future - and boy am I grateful for this Swim and something to get my focus
back.This last year I have used my swimming not only as a means to keep fit and train for what I was hoping would be a Double Windermere, I have also used it as a place of solitude for me to go and clear my mind and put my life into perspective.
Sadly, there are not too many lakes
around that are open at this time of the year so I will be focusing on my
technique and my speed in the pool. On that front I will be enlisting the help
of some very good open water Swimmers who may be able to help me and push me a
bit. I will also be trying, again, for about the 5th season, to try and get some improvement in my
speed. It is one thing that I have had issues with this for a while. Maybe this year will be the year that I can change that.
Other planned swims for 2014
I will be entering this year with the anticipation to be fit enough to be able to do about 15km buy the time the summer arrives then I can concentrate on the open water swims more than the pool training. I will be doing some of the same swims that I did last year and maybe a few others along the way.
I will be looking to focus on the bigger lake and river swims - 10 - 15km swims rather than then shorter - 3-5kms swims. The ones that spring to mind so far are
1 - Jubilee river swim 10km 8th June
2 - Henley Bridge to Bridge 14.1km TBC Funds permitting
3 - Eton 10 km 10km 26th may
4 - Hampton court 3.65km 20th July
Above are the swims that I will do with other swims that I will be looking at in the near future.
Another Swm that I would like to do this year and I have been giving it some SERIOUS consideration is a Loch Lomond Swim. The reason It is only under consideration is that it is 14 days after my Zurich Swim and there are amny aspects that affect this decision.
Will I have have recovered enough to do a 21 mile swim?
Will I be able to get that much leave in the same month?
Will I have the finances available to do both of them?
All things being equal, I think the Finances is the biggest issue as The other two I think I might be able to swing in my favour. I will, in the New Year be looking for Sponsors again and I do hope to procure sponsorship at least for the entry fees. The rest I will have to take on anyway.
All that remains is for me to Wish you all a Merry Xmas and an fantabulous festive season, I look forward to meeting up with some of you in the lakes or oceans - I, as always will be the one with the bright Orange Budgie Smugglers
As per usual, I finish with a quote that is very meaningful to me.
Actions prove who someon is,
Words prove who they want to be.
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