Joanna's Blog - Visualising Week 8 Training
Week Eight. WEEK EIGHT! It's a cliché, but however did that happen?! We're speeding through the weeks, yet we're also all making great progress.
Saturday 20th June 2020
So it has dawned, the weekend of the '7 and 6'. I'd anticipated this last weekend, then had a surprise recovery week (unofficial DCT motto - 'expect the unexpected'), so there's unlikely to be an escape now! For all my trepidation, given that I'm no Trent Grimsey or Yvette Hlavacova, the current men's and women's EC record holders, it's very likely that my solo attempt will last a lot longer than 7 hours and quite possibly longer than 13 hours. Swimming several '7 and 6' weekends is therefore a very necessary part of training, physically and mentally. Still, there's nothing like the fear of the unknown, is there?
This weekend's theme was going to be inflatables, but given the fairly breezy forecast with the potential for 'flying' unicorns and flamingoes, Emma had announced a change of plan to a mystery theme. Stepping onto the beach, there were no costumes or accessories to be seen, just a sea of red and yellow hats, with a few purple thrown in for good measure. Just to be on the safe side Pavel had rocked up in his Wookie dressing gown and fish flip-flops anyway, whilst Northey was looking most put out at the missed opportunity to avoid dressing up!
On signing-in, Emma confirmed what I already knew:
"7 hours Joanna. You're ready for this. Swim from feed to feed and keep moving. You can do this."
So what strategies was I going to use to get through this? There are those who like to do complex mental arithmetic, others who like to sing, decline verbs in other languages and/or come up with solutions to work issues; perhaps Number 1 likes to recite the EC statistics from his amazing Channel swims database? What strategies do you use?
Emma briefed us that the weather would be a mix of sunshine and showers, so to make sure that we had sunscreen on, but had also covered our kit. At this point, Mandi pulled her Dryrobe a bit tighter. There would still be a breeze so the Ferry Wall end was likely to be 'bumpy'.
"Right, so you're coming in with us today Emma? After all, you swam here yesterday." stated Number 1.
"Well, I swam yesterday and you pushed me quite hard, so I wouldn't want to overdo it. Maybe later." came the reply.
"But...."
"First feed at two hours and hourly thereafter. Be on time for feeds or the bar will be shut. And no bobbing! Right, it's 08:57 already, so if you're signed in and greased, off you go."
And so we went. Even though the water temperature has increased considerably since week one, somehow it's always a surprise getting in, with plenty of 'oohs', 'aahs' as well as some less polite language from the group. Christina Broccoli was working her way in, cautiously but with no need for extra coaxing from the Beach Crew, Donatella and Caterina were getting on with it too. Gillian Topsy was looking steadier on her feet and even Bob seemed to be already halfway around the Harbour. What a transformation in just a few weeks!
The first hour went quite quickly, then things started to get tougher. Palling up with Donatella for a bit helped as we worked our way steadily around the harbour. No sign so far of the 'mystery swimmer', although I was keeping a look out for the flick of a hand or foot. The second hour also gave me the chance to mull over what this week's theme could be. Could it be something to do with feeding given that nothing was evident on the beach. Would all be revealed at 11am?
As we swam in for the 11 o'clock feed, we could see Paul, JET and Mandi holding something in their hands. It turned out to be trays with the cups of CNP and UCAN, and treats of jelly babies. Someone marched past us with what looked like a goblet on a silver tray and presented it to Number 1. So the theme was 'Fine Dining'. Number 1 looked chuffed, and asked if there were any cheese toasties?!
Struggling to tear myself away from the company of so many contented swimmers, it was time to get back around the Harbour. This time I met Christina Broccoli, who was looking determined. We swam on, staying together for much of the hour, meeting Louis and Antonia at the wall, who were going well too.
The 12 o'clock feed turned out to just be CNP or UCAN as "you need to adapt to not getting treats all the time". The mood amongst the swimmers had dulled a bit. I found myself swimming alone around the harbour for the next hour, trying to recall all the words of the songs playing on the radio on the way to Dover this morning. By 1pm I was definitely ready for a warm drink again, as well as seeing some friendly faces, as the sun had dipped behind the clouds. There was a treat too! Peach slices - not my favourite as everyone knows - but at least Adrienne was happy as she'd feared it would be banana.
At this point, I realised that I would still be swimming at 4pm in the afternoon. And something just went in my head. Why was I doing this again? How could I have got in the water at 9am and still be swimming by 4pm? What was wrong with choosing to run a marathon or even swim a 10k, like 'normal' people. After all, both of those are endurance events. A shout of "No bobbing!" brought me back out of my daydream. "No bobbing, Jemima!" It was Kev and Bob! Just seeing their friendly faces spurred me on and I swam with them, only stopping to decline Kev's kind offer of a Fudge bar when we got to the wall.
2pm - time for another feed. We'd made it through five hours! This one was back to CNP/UCAN only - the trays were devoid of treats. Number 1, Michaela Jane, Adrienne and Kev were starting to grumble. Crispin was dreaming of pork pies. Even the usually enthusiastic Dickie looked a bit glum about the thought of another hour. Still only one more feed to go.
As the breeze picked up, the water was getting bouncier at the ferry wall end. Was that the familiar flick of a hand or foot I saw in the chop? My goggles had fogged up, so I still wasn't sure. Who was that swimmer? I joined the twins for the rest of the hour, again none the wiser as to who was who, just happy to have some company.
Finally 3pm arrived. Paul, Mandi and Northey brought the trays into the water. What would it be? Alongside the CNP/UCAN cups, there was Battenberg! Adrienne was beside herself with excitement. Kev, Bob, Michaela-Jane and Adrienne surged forward, just as a wave arrived, almost taking Mandi with it and submerging half the cake slices. Adrienne looked like she was going to cry. Luckily there was still just enough to go round, but not enough for seconds. "Any chance of a marmalade sandwich?" asked Paddington.
The cake made me very happy, but about five minutes later it dawned on me that there was still 55 minutes left of this final hour to go. A synchronised swimmer at their slowest would have been moving faster than I was at this point. How was I going to make it round? Just then, the flick of a foot caught my eye. It was my 'mystery swimmer'. Picking up the pace, I tried to keep them in my line of sight and get on their toes. Edging closer, I could see a costume rather than Speedos, so I knew it couldn't be Bob or Kev playing tricks on me. That flick was so distinctive - this was really bugging me now!
So focussed was I on catching up with the mystery swimmer, that 50 minutes had gone by in a flash. With just five minutes left it was time to make our way to the shoreline, where other swimmers, helpers and the Beach Crew were making a guard of honour for the seven-hour swimmers. The mystery swimmer got out ahead of me, then didn't go through the arch. Eh? Crawling onto the beach, then stumbling through the arch elated but exhausted, I turn to look for the swimmer but she's disappeared....
Sunday 21st June 2020
Well I would have slept well after yesterday's seven-hour swim, but I couldn't stop wondering about the mystery swimmer. Who is she?!
News of yesterday's fine dining had already spread across the beach when I arrived. Crispin was hoping for pork pie, Kev for green jelly babies, Eduardo for birthday cake, Wardie and Midge didn't care (because they were hoping no-one would frisk them for Haribo), Paddington was trying to convince the Beach Crew to let Lady Marmalade bring him some marmalade sandwiches, Mrs Kinky Storm Boots was muttering about marshmallows, while Adrienne, of course, was hoping for Battenberg at every feed. Meanwhile, I was just praying that yesterday wasn't a one-off, so that there would be at least a couple of treats to help me through the next six hours.
"Right, the weather is going to be pretty similar to yesterday - a mixture of sunshine and clouds, with some moderate breezes. So the likelihood is that it could be bouncy by the ferry wall. Keep moving, make sure you come in for feeds at two hours, then one hour intervals, make sure you give in your number at feeds. Oh, and absolutely no bobbing!" briefed Emma.
No comment from Number 1. Clearly he's not here today. Perhaps yesterday's fine dining was too much for him?
Getting in did not seem so straightforward today. I felt a bit stiff, a little tired with my muscles were telling me that they had swum for seven hours yesterday. Donatella, Christina, Caterina, Harriet and Henrietta, Louis and Antonia were all in the same boat so we tentatively picked our way across the pebbles and deeper in. Dickie and Midge were in their usual high spirits, so were almost at the yellow ducks already, hotly pursued by Bob and Adrienne who both seemed to have got a new lease of life.
The first two hours were all about loosening up after yesterday. It felt like the cogs were grinding very slowly as my limbs moved, doing what they've been trained to do, yet at the same time searching in vain for a rhythm. I decided to focus on technique - rotation, catch, finishing my stroke - certainly a good way to pass the time.
Our first feed looked looked a bit like feeding time at the zoo as swimmers surged in, eager to find out what treat would be on the trays. Mrs Kinky Storm Boots suddenly swam away from one end of the Beach Crew where Kinky Storm Boots was standing to Mandi at the other end. It had to be marshmallows! Marshmallowgate had not been forgotten! Sadly it was only one marshmallow each:
"It's not like the old days!" sobbed Adrienne and Michaela-Jane
"It's better than the real old days!" smiled Craggy Edge. "Back in the Channel General's day, it was a jelly baby or small piece of banana on rotation with a cup of Maxim, with the occasional mini chocolate bar"
"Banana on rotation!" gulped Adrienne, looking horrified.
The third hour passed pretty uneventfully. I seemed to find a rhythm and started trying to pick the pace up a little. The chop was starting to get bigger and 'slappier' at the ferry wall end, but I felt in an OK place. To no-one except Bob & Kev's surprise (they'd remained ever hopeful!), the third feed was just a cup of warm CNP or UCAN. No amount of begging for a treat stirred the Beach Crew; they were obviously enjoying this!
We swam on, the sun came out which made everything seem warmer and, well, just better! My arms were telling me that they weren't impressed by the attempts to pick up the pace in the last hour, whilst my brain was chewing over the question of the mystery swimmer. Who is she and how did she disappear on getting out yesterday? I've looked out for her at feeds too, but to no avail. No sign of her at all today, although the increasing chop would perhaps mask that trademark flick...
Again the anticipation at the fourth feed was palpable - what would the treat be? Battenberg was the answer! It turned out that we were celebrating 'Happy Harriet & Henrietta Day', as well as Eduardo's forthcoming birthday, so the Beach Crew felt cake was in order. Adrienne appeared to be taking notes...
And now the tricky bit. The last two hours always really get me. Yes, there's only one more feed, but somehow getting to the final feed so that the last hour feels like 'downhill all the way' seems to put my head in a spin. My limbs refuse to co-ordinate properly, any sense of rhythm disappears, with two minutes of swimming feeling like about 20 minutes, which leads to lots of stopping to check that I'm not late and in danger of missing a feed. Today, the lovely Midge and Michaela-Jane spot my struggles, so swim with me for a bit. Just trying to keep up with their version of a 'relaxed' pace has me almost sprinting to stay in touch, especially as the chop is really picking up now. It's just what I need to keep me focussed, so I'm really grateful for their company and the lift it's given me.
As if by magic, it's the 2 o'clock feed. One cup of warm CNP later, then it is 'downhill' all the way. The last 15 minutes or so are spent staying at the Swimmers' Beach end, swimming ever decreasing circles, so as to avoid the increasing chop further down the Harbour. 3pm cannot come soon enough and I crawl out into the 'tunnel', having been unceremoniously dumped on the shore by the waves. I'm elated at having completed a '7 and 6', and with home-made cake from Harriet and Henrietta to continue the celebrations on the beach, it's the perfect end to the weekend.
Same time next weekend, so that we can do it all again?