Rivers
Tees, Wharfe, Thames, Teme, Cam, Nene, Ulpha Bridge
Lochs, lakes, tarns
Loch o the Lowe, Grasmere, Rydal Water, Easedale Tarn, Coniston, Hayeswater, Buckstones Jump, Potter Tarn, Gurnal Dubs
Sea
Dover harbour, Solent, Croatia Dalmatian Coast, Felixstowe, Man o War Bay, Durdle Door, St Abbs Head, Wells-next-the-Sea
Lidos
Tooting Bec, London Fields, Collingwood (Canada), Oasis, Hathersage
Outdoor water temps from Minus 0.5 degrees C to 20 degrees C.
Looking forward to more in 2011, especially the Outer Hebrides island to island swim and a Swimtrek holiday in Sardinia.
And on a personal note, Kate swimming a mile in the sea with me.
Showing posts with label wild swimming. Show all posts
Showing posts with label wild swimming. Show all posts
Friday, 31 December 2010
Monday, 26 July 2010
Nene and Cam
 |
| Kate grinning after a refreshing dip in the Cam |
A mass of OSSers getting ready for a two mile swim from Tansor to Fotheringhay Castle up the River Nene in Northants.
Thursday, 22 July 2010
Grasmere and Rydal
I had to go to Kendal for a meeting and needed to be there the night before; so I just went earlier in the day and had a stroll around Grasmere
Had lunch and swam, twice, opposite Helm's Crag
Walked on to Rydal Water
And swam around these islands
And got in again. Met some friendly cyclists, who also got in; and various people who inevitably said, "Isn't it cold?"
Had lunch and swam, twice, opposite Helm's Crag
Walked on to Rydal Water
And swam around these islands
And got in again. Met some friendly cyclists, who also got in; and various people who inevitably said, "Isn't it cold?"
Tuesday, 4 May 2010
wild(ish) waters
Two contrasting swims this weekend. More accurately three swims. Two twenty minutes swims in Dover Harbour at the start of the Channel swimming training season and a lovely 2.5km meander along the River Cam from Byron's Pool to Newnham Swimming Club.
Dover beach was filled with over 100 aspirant Channel soloists, relayers, veterans and assorted supporters. At 10 o'clock the massed swimmers where sent into the harbour for a twenty minute swim at 9 degrees C. For those SLSC, Serpentine and other seasoned cold water swimmers we got out with a mere shrug of the shoulders, but among the less hardy there was a whole lotta shakin' going on. After an hour to stop shivering and stuff yourself with a bacon sarnie, it was back in for another swim. Feeling ridiculously confident, Carl and I, stopped several times to chat, float and spout on about the the wonders of being in the sea. And for the first time in a while, found myself chilled after getting out.
I thought a day at home with Kate might be prudent, so didn't go off to Oxford for a swim in the Thames in Sunday. But Monday saw me up at Byron's Pool on the Cam with 30 other Outdoor Swimming Society members to celebrate the poet's crossing of the Bosphorous Straits 200 years ago. A lovely 2.5km meander through fields, overhanging willows; being brushed by silky weeds and ending at the naturist Newnham Swimming Club. Where I felt I had to take a naked dip. Not a lot on show though after the hour in 10 degree water.
May 1 and 3rd log - 2km at 9 degrees and 2.5km at 10 degrees.
Dover beach was filled with over 100 aspirant Channel soloists, relayers, veterans and assorted supporters. At 10 o'clock the massed swimmers where sent into the harbour for a twenty minute swim at 9 degrees C. For those SLSC, Serpentine and other seasoned cold water swimmers we got out with a mere shrug of the shoulders, but among the less hardy there was a whole lotta shakin' going on. After an hour to stop shivering and stuff yourself with a bacon sarnie, it was back in for another swim. Feeling ridiculously confident, Carl and I, stopped several times to chat, float and spout on about the the wonders of being in the sea. And for the first time in a while, found myself chilled after getting out.
I thought a day at home with Kate might be prudent, so didn't go off to Oxford for a swim in the Thames in Sunday. But Monday saw me up at Byron's Pool on the Cam with 30 other Outdoor Swimming Society members to celebrate the poet's crossing of the Bosphorous Straits 200 years ago. A lovely 2.5km meander through fields, overhanging willows; being brushed by silky weeds and ending at the naturist Newnham Swimming Club. Where I felt I had to take a naked dip. Not a lot on show though after the hour in 10 degree water.
May 1 and 3rd log - 2km at 9 degrees and 2.5km at 10 degrees.
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
gliding back to shape
Except for a micro-swim in the River Tweed on the 28th December, and a couple of kms in London Fields Lido on New Year's Eve, I've didn't swim much between the last post and January 11th. Mostly due to three colds in a row and the unseemly thought of trailing snot down the fast lane.
Several doses of multi-vits later, I got back in on Tuesday 11th and have been practising slippery swimming - as the creator of Total Immersion, Terry McLaughlin calls it since. Having also had a few lessons with people inspired by Steven Shaw's Art of Swimming (based on Alexander Technique), I can see/feel the similarities and syntheses between the two approaches. In particular swimming with my fist closed has focused me on two things - alignment and the use of the forearm in propulsion.
When I first tried the closed fist drills back in early 2009, I could barely breathe and gave up trying them fairly quickly. But because I'm having to ease myself back into training, I've been going at a very (for me) leisurely pace, so the closed fist drill is more relaxed. What I notice is that it is a remarkable measure of how well you're gliding through the water. If the arm isn't straight and aligned with your sideways body, then you feel yourself turning. When I use my hand, I unconsciously make micro compensatory movements.
However, the closed fist drill's primary use (according to TI method) is to make you aware of your forearm in the pull-through of your stroke. Again, the closed fist heightens the impact of not aligning your pull-through stroke, but it also makes you more aware of the central rotation through your middle.
But then maybe I'm becoming too obsessed with swimming. A friend wants to 'de-friend' me on facebook because I only ever post about swimming.
Log for 11 to 18 Jan 2010
13k indoors (20/21 mins per km), lots of closed fist drills
River Thames at Pangbourne on 16th. Water about 4 degrees C. More of a float than a swim, as the river was up and the current about 2mph.
Several doses of multi-vits later, I got back in on Tuesday 11th and have been practising slippery swimming - as the creator of Total Immersion, Terry McLaughlin calls it since. Having also had a few lessons with people inspired by Steven Shaw's Art of Swimming (based on Alexander Technique), I can see/feel the similarities and syntheses between the two approaches. In particular swimming with my fist closed has focused me on two things - alignment and the use of the forearm in propulsion.
When I first tried the closed fist drills back in early 2009, I could barely breathe and gave up trying them fairly quickly. But because I'm having to ease myself back into training, I've been going at a very (for me) leisurely pace, so the closed fist drill is more relaxed. What I notice is that it is a remarkable measure of how well you're gliding through the water. If the arm isn't straight and aligned with your sideways body, then you feel yourself turning. When I use my hand, I unconsciously make micro compensatory movements.
However, the closed fist drill's primary use (according to TI method) is to make you aware of your forearm in the pull-through of your stroke. Again, the closed fist heightens the impact of not aligning your pull-through stroke, but it also makes you more aware of the central rotation through your middle.
But then maybe I'm becoming too obsessed with swimming. A friend wants to 'de-friend' me on facebook because I only ever post about swimming.
Log for 11 to 18 Jan 2010
13k indoors (20/21 mins per km), lots of closed fist drills
River Thames at Pangbourne on 16th. Water about 4 degrees C. More of a float than a swim, as the river was up and the current about 2mph.
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