A quick walk through Dover

Yes, we're heading home today, I'm looking forward to life in 'quiet' CT.

We leave on a very blustery day, no one has been out swimming for the past 48 hours, the last 2 days of the Neap tide, so happy I got my swim done early.

Here a quick tour through Dover, lots of walking done here.

I haven't decided what's next, going to get our Relay done for Swim Across the Sound on August 2nd, then some celebration/down time and back to work.

Swim for Gus

"Good Bye Gus", but your memory lives on.

Gus Loura was a true gentleman and nature lover, what a 'green thumb' he had, every seed that meet his fingers, flourished, yielding superior fruit and beautiful flowers.

I dedicate my swim today to your memory.

Thank you PHJFS for helping us send our sincere condolences to the Loura family. I will catch up to you shortly.

A walk to Shakespeare

We are revisiting some spots from the past. This will probably be final time we climb the hill to the top of Shakespeare Cliff.

Below are the beaches I have set off for a crossing.
Either Shakespeare beach or Samphire Hoe, the man-made extension of England with land fill from the makings of the Chunnel (high-speed railway from London to Paris).

The trails are not traveled as much as in the past, over-growth is occurring, but the view of the channel remain to be spectacular.

The flowers we past remind me of my gardens at home,
I think I will have missed my Day-lilies but the wild Roses along the path and the beautiful English home gardens make me smile.

I look forward to playing in my yard this weekend with Mocha and watching Gerda and Aloysius in their jungle.

I thought it was 6 a.m.

I looked at my phone (set to Boston time) and did the math wrong.

I thought it was 6am.

I didn't realize it until I put the news on and it was only 5:30, then I felt tired.

But I would have missed these beautiful colors during my morning coffee.

I'm getting ready, and Missing my mornings in the pool and the office, maybe Friday I'll be back on track.

Training in the rain, Dover style

The sun is shining now, but the morning was miserable for those poor 3-6 hour swimmers in the harbor.

I do not, have the patience for those numbers,
but I did enjoy my 45 minutes, lots of camera work and chit chat with swimmers in and out of the water. Sprinting and thinking of Hot Spots, warm my heart, body and smile.

Many thanks to our beach support, for caring, feeding, carrying our shoes and gear and mostly for your friendship and caring eyes watching us in this chilled salt water mix.

5 days and counting.

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

I'll be home shortly

I'll be home shortly.

Days like this in Dover, make me glad my mission is accomplished and I only have train as much as I want to.

My shoulders are starting to feel normal, not as much fatigue, but that 35 minute snooze I just woke up from was just what I needed.
Not sleeping well here, but I can nap when I want.

It's Saturday and that means the weekend warriors (swimmers) are back for their training sessions.

It's a VERY blustery day, but the sun is peeking through the clouds here and there.

Home is out of sight, BUT surely not of mind. I am longing  more for my routine and friends.

Until tomorrow.
Love and Peace.
me

Independence day

Hope all in the USA are enjoying a safe and happy 4th of July.
I think this is my 4th, Independence day spent in the country we broke from. Ironic at how close I feel to our British friends.
Each country has its 'ups and downs', there never will be a utopia world, I'm just feeling
"Blessed" I was born and raised in the United States of America.

Public Education and Sport was available young boys and girls and my parents instilled in me and my brothers and sisters to,
"Take advantage of the opportunities placed in front of you",

"do your best",
and "appreciate and give back".
I tried my best to satisfy all.

Today, Janet and I will celebrate the 4th of July at one of our favorite sites in Dover, the Castle.

The history is just amazing, starting 2000+ years with a Roman Lighthouse on the cliffs, and Henry's Keep brings out the Tudor age and the Napoleonic Tunnels bring in the modern age, defending against the Germans during WWI and II ... the history within the 20+ acres of land is breath taking.

I am looking forward to coming home and embracing my life in Manchester, CT, my sanctuary.

1st swim ... Fatigue has set in

Took an early morning swim today, 1st time in the since the Big swim,

feeling a bit fatigued, made it through 15 minutes, 1/2 easy swim: 1/2 easy drill

Really just concentrating on my 'reach and touch' of the water, no hard pulling (right shoulder tendons, kind of feel very stringy today), gradually they'll get full strength. I feel the cold much more swimming easy, the hot shower was glorious.

Getting some early morning work done while enjoying my coffee, but starting to feel out-of-shape, I know it's a mental thing but the walking, all over town, is helping this.
Got to stay away from the carbs now, no excuses for that extra insulation to keep warm any longer.

Tomorrow 30 minutes I hope.

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Watching the others

Just relaxing with a 2nd cup of coffee, checking in on the other boats crossing the channel today.

http://cspf.co.uk/tracking

Janet and I met a relay yesterday at the infamous "White Horse', they are out today on 'Anastasia'.
One of the gals, Michele was surprised to meet me, the few times I get some-sort of celebrity status.

I remember my Double relay in 2003, Force6America, that experience renewed my love in open

water swimming and got my look at the water from a boat, I had a BLAST and 24 hours on a boat made life-long friendships with
Marcia Cleveland (Chicago),
Scott Lautman (Seattle),
Henry Eckstein (Manhattan), t
he late Vince Herring (Michigan) and
Cristian Vergana (Brooklyn, NY)....
poor Vince was better in the water than out, sea-sick the entire 5 hours when he was 'resting'.

So many memories, now I remember why I keep coming back.

Starting to miss you all CT, but I hear the heat is on, so I guess I enjoy the comfortable touring temperatures over here in Kent UK for a while more.

See you tomorrow.

The day after

Good Morning Everyone,

 

Thank you for all your support and interest.

 

#15 is in the books and I'm already starting to forget the un-pleasantries during that 11 hours 50 minutes.

 

I told my younger friends on LEHY that it's like swimming the 200 Fly (or any event you are nervous about), whether it's the 1st time or your 15th time, you know it's going to hurt, especially if you're trying to get to your next level of performance. Leave everything you've got in the pool (or the channel in my case). The hurt, is a good hurt; you've just pushed into your next gear. When you get out of the water, you start to forget the discomfort; eventually striving to get to an even Higher level.

Those levels do change, as we get older, but they still there as long as we are breathing.

 

Trust in your Preparation; if you worked hard in your training, relax and let it SHINE through during the test. 

 

For me, on the day after, I have No permanent injuries, I'm just working through the normal body tightness and sore muscles, my throat soreness from the salt water (mild, I think my nose clip helps with that) and I'm admiring my tan line from my cap and the couple of Jelly fish kisses I got yesterday. 

 

I've already started to enjoy the adventure.  

 

I will be working a short video and posting it shortly. 

See you soon, going to enjoy some r&r, visit some new and old favorite British sites.

 

Thank you again for all your lovely messages.

 

:) marcy

Quick note of success

Just a quick note before heading to zzzLand after quite the workout today.

#15 is in the books, 11 hours, 50 minute. 

Thank you Janet for taking such good care of me.

I got to experience almost everything the channel hit you with:

Darkness, start at 12:30 am.

A beautiful sunrise around 4am.

Some, not much, bumpy condition.

 Some big traffic.

... and a stony beach landing,

we had a visit from the British border patrol.

Good I brought my passport, the film crew loved the entire,

I will in a few days.  

... baths have been taken, dinner done, now sleep.

Until tomorrow.

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Come Follow me across the channel

Hi everyone,

The time has been set, conditions have cooperated just enough for me to head across the English Channel on EARLY Monday morning, celebrating the exact Anniversary date of my 1st crossing 20 years, June 30,1994, I can remember that day as if it was today.

The Plan is to meet Mike Oram at 11:15Pm, take a leisurely boat ride to Samphire Hoe, drop my the water,

I swim to beach, and when I decide to get back in :) we start.
Should be around 12:!5 AM (Dover time) that's 7:15pm Eastern US time.

Come follow me on my English Channel adventure.

 There are 2 places to go to check my and other swimmers track.

 

1) my pilot, Mike Oram's site 

 

http://www.ais-doverstraits.co.uk/
click on Gallivant 

 

or

 

2) the Channel Swimming & Piloting Foundation's site (if there are more than one boat out you can all of them on this site)

 

http://cspf.co.uk/tracking

 

Have fun and I will talk to you tomorrow, it's rest time now.

 

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

1994 Remebered, Channel Style

Hi everyone,

The time has been set, conditions have cooperated just enough for me to head across the English Channel on EARLY Monday morning (12:30 AM), celebrating the exact Anniversary date of my 1st crossing 20 years, June 30,1994, I can remember that day as if it was today.

Here is a short video of those days. The biggest difference was no cellular or internet in those days, lots of reading books, phone calls (operator assisted), letter writing and Telegraphs. 

These memories make me smile when I looked back at my scrape book (paper)... remember those days. Wouldn't it be nice to go back to those Simpler days occasionally, it actually happens here in Dover, things have changed but have they?

 

The harbor and channel are still here, many more people (new and old friends) still show up to swim (surprising even the locals), the ferries are running back and forth to Calais France (no Hover craft any longer),

...and France remains 21 miles away ... let's go for a swim, Captain Webb really started something in 1875.

Come follow me on my English Channel adventure, details in next post after I've called Mike Oram ONE more time.

 

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Dover day2

Is there something wrong with me,

I am so RELAXED.... I guess 20 years has prepared me for this upcoming swim.
The water is so comfortable (temperatures in the low 60's), Hammonasset State Park, back in CT was way colder last weekend, but things can change quickly here,
probably not for my swim, but maybe for other swimmers coming up through season.

Today was a usual day in Dover, waking at my usual time in CT (4:30ish AM), start up the coffee and do some computer work.
After poached eggs and a light nap (not the norm, but guess I was tired from the travel), we went down to the beach for a 2 hour swim.
Met some new swimmers, one from Australia (the channel virgin, he said it, not me), a couple of swimmers from a San Francisco relay team, and Rohan from India (we swam for a good 90 minutes together), very nice to have the company.

Janet and I had a light lunch after a most wonderful hot shower, (this is the only time I like HOT water), actually I have to be careful because my body is very cold and I could be scalded by the water without even noticing.
A bit more of shopping, starting to get supplies for the upcoming day, we started a jigsaw puzzle, so much fun, I forgot how much I LOVE to do them.

Mike Oram (long-standing pilot) contacted me, and I think we are in for the 20th Anniversary swim on June 30th, so far everything is falling into place.

I will be calling him tomorrow, but it looks pretty good for us the meet at 11:30pm, Sunday night, and I will start my swim 12:30am (June 30th)... I could be done by noon-time if I get decent condition and I stay focused,
Everything is falling into place for my 15th and American Record setting swim.

I'll be in touch tomorrow.

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

Safe arrival to my abroad hometown

It has been 20 years since my 1st experience in Dover, England.
Today, all was uneventful, my eyeslids are drupping from the continual travel down to my home away from home.                                                                                                                                                 

 Mini Gumby and Pokey have a blast joining Janet and me on our travels.

"Hi" to all my friends at home.








 I think this cap is 20 years old, it doesn't enter the water too often,

Is it climate change to explain the warmer than usual channel water, I'm not going to complain but the water is usually quite cold this early in the season.
my 1st dip this afternoon was amazingly comfortable, if the channel proper follows the harbors mode, I SHOULD BE QUITE COMFORTABLE.

OK, my eyelids are very heavy, I will be back tomorrow,

Dream, Prepare, Succeed.

32100 ... another work week with drag

Another work week (LEHY drag)

day1
1000
900 Red Paddles
800
700 Red
600
500 Red
400
300 Red
200
100 Red
easy 50
= 5550 scy

day2
w/u 1000 w/ 50 pu & dips (75/150/200/150/200/150/75)
100/200/300/200/100
800 Pad Hans
100/200/100/200/100
600 Rev Hans Pad
50/150/100/150/50
400 RP
25/100/50/100/25
200 Pad
100
easy 50
= 5550/11100

day3
4000 (with some drill)
= 4000/ 15100

day4

1000 w/u
2 x 50 (:45)
900 Tube
4 x 50 (1-:45, 3-:50)
800 Tube
6 x 50 (:50/ :55)
700 Tube
8 x 50
600
10 x 50
easy 50 c/d
= 5550/ 20650

day5 (no drag)
4000 straight (early day at work)
= 4000/ 24650

day6
2 x 25 drill (8 pull ups in deep/8 dips in shallow)
1000 Pull Buoy
2 x 25 drill (***7 pull ups/7 dips)
1000 Big Paddles
2 x 25 drill ***
1000 Rev Hans Pad
2 x 25 back ***
1050 Yellow Paddles
2 x 25 MCUR ***
1000 Hans Pad Reg
2 x 25 CU ***
1000 Red Pad
2 x 25 MCUL ***
1000 Tube50
50 Back
= 7450/ 32100 Total

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

7 x 77 = 54000

LEHY drag makes it interesting

Only a few more big weeks before heading over to my favorite destination. My mind is battling the idea of that early season cold water, and that will be next weekends destination, the start to getting acclimated to the low 50 degree water. 

This week was a mental challenge, not fantastically big numbers, but with the drag suit, it feels like I'm swimming through molasses... it will pay off when I'm in that salty channel water.

day1 7 x 1100 (17:00)
=7700

day2

3 x 1000 (15:30)
7x 50 (1 on :45, 6 on :50)
1 x 1000
7 x 50
3 x 1000
= 7700/15400

day3

3 x 900 (14:00)
14 x 50
1 x 900
7 x100 (3 on 1:35/ 1:30/ 3 on 1:35)
3 x 900
= 7700/23100

day4
2 x 800 (12:30)
14 x 50
2 x 800
7 x 100
2 x 800
2 x 150(2:30)/100 (1:30)/2 x 150
1 x 800
= 7700/30800

day5
1 x 700 (11:00)
14 x 50
1 x 700
7 x 100
3 x 700
2 x 150/ 100/ 2 x 150
1 x 700
200 (3:10)/ 50 (:50)/ 200/ 50/ 200
1 x 700
= 7700/38500

day6
2 x 600 (9:30)
14 x 50
1 x 600
7 x 100
1 x 600
2 x 150/ 100/ 2 x 150
1 x 600
200/ 50/ 200/ 50/ 200
1 x 600
50 (:50)/ 250 (4:00)/ 100 (1:40)/ 250/ 50
1 x 600
= 7700/46200

day7
500 ((8:00)
14 x 50
500
7 x 100
500
2 x 150/ 100/ 2 x 150
500
200/ 50/ 200/ 50/ 200
500
50/ 250/ 100/ 250/ 50
500
300 (4:40)/ 100 (1:40)/ 300
500
= 7700/ 53900

+ 100 drill c/d = 54000

Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Marcia, Marcia, Marcia ... 505050

Today; April 30; only 50 x 50 (early work day but last week was a different situation ... lots of swimming.

My dear friend Marcia, turns 50 today, we have been friends for over half our lives. She introduced me to so many wonderful people while I was in Manhattan and our friendship blossomed into a sisterhood.

Marcia is an amazing woman, wife, Mom and friend to so many.
Happy Birthday Marcia... 505050 SCY is for you, thank you for the motivation last week.
day1 (Boston Marathon day... Go Amanda and ladyDi)

w/u 2200

15 x 50 (3 on :45, 3 on :50)
13 x 200 (3:00)
20 x 50
13 x 200
15 x 50

c/d 100 drill
= 10000 = 5 Nautical miles

day2
5 x 500 (7:45)
10 x 50 (:45)
4 x 500 (7:40)
15 x 50
3 x 500 (7:35)
15 x 50
2 x 500
10 x 50
1 x 500
= 10,000 SCY/ 20,000

day 3
5 x 400 (6:05) 5 x 100 (1:35)
20 x 50 (:45)
4 x 400 4 x 100
15 x 50
3 x 400 3 x 100
10 x 50
2 x 400 2 x 100
5 x 50
1 x 400 1 x 100
= 10,000 SCY/ 30,000

day4

5 x 50 (:50... drill/swim)
5 x 300 (4:40) 5 x 50 (:45)
10 x 100 (1:35) 5 x 50
4 x 300 5 x 50
8 x 100 5 x 50
3 x 300 5 x 50
6 x 100 5 x 50
2 x 300 5 x 50
4 x 100 5 x 50
1 x 300 5 x 50
2 x 100 (#2 is drill)
= 10,000 SCY/ 40,000

day5

5 x 50 (:50... drill/swim)
5 x 200 (3:10) 3 x 50 (:50)
5 x 100 (1:30) / 500 (7:45) / 5 x 100
8 x 50 (:45)
4 x 200 3 x 50
4 x 100 / 400 (6:15) / 4 x 100
7 x 50 (:45)
3 x 200 3 x 50
3 x 100 / 300 (4:45) / 3 x 100
6 x 50 (:45)
2 x 200 3 x 50
2 x 100 / 200 (3:15) / 2 x 100
5 x 50 (:45)
1 x 200 3 x 50
3 x100 (1:30)
4 x 50 (:55... swim/drill)
= 10,000 SCY/ 50,000

day6
25 drill

14 x 100 (1:30/ 1:35) 14 pull ups and dips
13 x 100 (2 on 1:30/ 1 on 1:35) 13 p.u. & d.
12 x 100 (3 on 1:30/ 1 on 1:35) 12
11 x 100 (4 on 1:30/ 1 on 1:35) 11

25 Double arm back
= 5050 SCY/ 505050 yards
Dream, Prepare, Succeed

Light week with drag

Light Week with drag
-sometimes you just have to listen to the body and let it rest.

day1 ( work out video with Gilad, Abs and more)

500 (25/ 9x50/ 25) pull ups and dips 

day2 ( work out w/ Gilad, Power and Grace)

1000 (25/50/100/50/150/50/200/50/250/50/25) pullups and dips
=1000/1500

day3 (early work day)                                       

1500 (25/50/200/100/200/150/200/200/200/175) pullups and dips
=1500/3000

day4 Happy Birthday Steve (60)
60 x 50
# 1-20 drill/ free (w/ pull ups)
# 21-50 swim
# 51-60 c/d w/ drill
=3000/6000

day5                                                                                 
w/u 10 x 25 w/ pull ups and dips

S 4 x 150/ 4 x 125/ 4 x 100/ 4 x 75/ 4 x 50
T 250
S 3 x 150/ 3 x 125/ 3 x 100/ 3 x 75/ 3 x 50
T 250
S 2 x 150/ 2 x 125/ 2 x 100/ 2 x 75/ 2 x50
T 250
S 1 x 150/ 125/ 100/ 75/ 50
= 6000/12000 SCY

Ladder with LEHY Drag

To make the water feel heavier than it is, ALREADY, I add a drag suit.
I've been using one for the past 15 years, sometimes I don't when I'm swimming lots of yards, i.e. January Jam, but on weeks that life gets in the way and fills in the hours I should be swimming, I use a suit, technically it is a men's nylon drag suit but I make it into a skirt, more comfy for me.

This week was a ladder, 35K total. When I'm using paddles, there is lots of drill.

Ladder w/drag week

day1
w/u 650 (25/50/100/50/100/.../25) w/ pull ups

T 500
S 10 x 50 (:45)
T 500
S 10 x 100
T 500
S 10 x 50
T 500

c/u 350
= 5000 SCY

day2
w/u 550 (25/10 x 50 w/pull ups/25 back

Reverse Hans Paddle 750
S 500 (**25/50/75/2 x 100/75/50/25 w/ 5 sec kick at wall)
RP 5 x 50 (:50) + 500
S 5 x 200 (3:00)
RP 250 + 5 x 100 (1:45)
S 500 **
RP 750

c/d 450
= 6000 SCY/ 11000

day3
w/u 700 (75/50/100/50/2 x 100/50/100/50/25) w/ 50 pull ups

Red Large Paddles700
S 10 x 200 (3:10) feeling the drag
Red 700
S 7 x 300 (4:50)
Red 700

c/d 100 w/ 50 dips
= 7000/ 18000

day4
w/u 1600 (w/ 50 pull ups)

Big Black Paddles 2 x 400
S 2 x { 8 x 50 / 4 x 100}
BP 4 x 200
S 2 x { 4 x 100 / 8 x 50}
BP 2 x 400

c/d 800 (w/ 50 dips)
= 8000/ 26000

day5
long w/u 5000
<2x25 x125="" x175....2x475="" x75=""> pull ups and dips at each end

10 x 50
Buoy 1000
4x150 (2:25)/ yellow Pad 3 x 50/ 3 x 150/ Y 4 x 50/ 2 x 150/ Y 3 x 50/ 1 x 150

c/d 500
= 9000 SCY/ 35000
Dream, Prepare, Succeed