Toiler's Constant

Slogger Jogger

6500m :eek: You must nearly be in New York at this stage. Well done that man.

griffin100

you need to be reading this if not already

Kurt Godel

Abhainn wrote: »

Great result there Kurt. You seem to have found a great event

That 6500m swim is awesome as our west friends would say. When you have clear water and can see things it does make it so enjoyable

Yeah, the time flies. I had no idea how long- distance or time- I had gone, it was so interesting the whole way.
Anyway- what are you doing Wednesday, 22nd August? Tonight's Bray aquathlon has been postponed until then. 750m swim, 5k run (two laps). The bet is you can't catch me during the first lap:)

griffin100 wrote: »

you need to be reading this if not already

griffin100 wrote: »

You should be thinking of this swim - http://valentiaislandtriathlonclub.com/beginish-island-swim/

It's on my bucket list.

Thanks for that link, loneswimmer looks like a great resource. Can't wait to read more.
The Beginnis swim is one I wanted to do this year but couldn't. Next year perhaps, The Tri club down there on the island is fantastic at promoting all these great swims.

Dory Dory wrote: »

WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!!!!!!!! You are my new hero!!!!! At some point, if you are motivated and inspired to do so, please share with us in your characteristic lyrical fashion some of what you experienced. Or at the very least, did you have any seals accompany you??

Valentia swim report
Dory asked for a better report, she's always so sweet and has been a real mentor in helping me get to swim better, faster, and longer, so whatever she asks for that I can give, it's given. Scouting tips for next years Ireland swim visit, DD?

I was sulking about missing a great swim on a great day on Saturday, and rather than spend weeks moaning about it and taking TritheHook to the Court of Sporting Arbitration, instead I packed the kids, dog and cat, into the car; kissed goodbye to the missus; and took the travelling roadshow down to see my parents down in Valentia Island in Kerry. Five hours drive later, we arrived off the little ferry, and after loads of grandparenty hugs and kisses, Kurt Jr. and myself took a swim in the waters off their property. Warm, full of sea life underneath, not too choppy... I endevoured to do something I'd planned for years, travel from their house to the local village (Knightstown), and back. Years ago when I was unfit, I struggled to bike this distance (about 6k-ish on the coast road). Over the years, I built up to be able to jog it. A long swim would be a fitting of proving something to myself (haven't a clue what that is, can't define it, and it doesn't matter).

So after an early rise, I was in the water by 7:30. No-one else around, everything was quiet and sleepy. Stick my goggles under the water, and what a difference! Thousands of strands of Mermaids Hair swaying and catching the sunlight; weird shellfish sticking their tendrils skyward, sucking them back quick when they sense my presence; whole shoals of sprats darting about and glistening... I started the rhythm of the swim, and although it took a little while to get into, my stroke pattern became a magical channel-switch of three stations- look down (stroke, stroke) at the sea kingdom; look right (breathe) at the sun rising above the Magillicuddy Reeks in the distance; down again (stroke, stroke) what's changed down there?; look left (breathe) to the Shore Road, houses old and new, all built for the same marine aspect. It's interesting to note that while (we, I guess) judge distance by distinct landmarks, no such contrast is evident under the waterline. While my journey to the harbour was noted as I passed Uncle Ernie's old cottage, the Revenue House, the Old Boatyard, the House with the Verandah, Uncle Ernie's new cottage, the Cable Houses, the Church, and finally the Harbour; underwater scenes could have been from any place along the route. No doubt a regular swimmer would note underwater markers and waypoints.

There are a lot of bouys, boats, heads, to sight by, and this was a good opportunity to practice this racing element. With a marker taken, and swimming some distance concentrating on symmetrical stroke effort, I was hitting markers well. Once concentration drifted to the large crab on his hind legs addressing "En garde", drift from optimal line became evident, if unmattered. This was swim to replace what I can't do any more, run long and high across barren wilderness, moving under your own steam through lesser-visited places.

A quick climb up onto the harbour at halfway, wave to the ferryman, and dive back in for the return. This was against the tide, so nominally harder, but I found the swimming to be stronger. It was as if I had more power in the return strokes, or at least was using any power more efficiently. There were more people out now, I observed (and was observed by) a gentleman strolling the coast road with his newspaper. Some kids were playing by the shore, and looked to see what the splashing was a few score meters out. Fisherman in boats gave my yellow cap a wide berth. Not so the lesser-spotted dogfish, who lived up to half his name and accompanied me for a few hundred meters, so close at all times that I could reach out to touch him. He's not edible, he know's it, so he isn't scared. There must be some comfort in being ugly and tasteless- undesireable underwater- in a world filled with predators.

By now my arms were starting to feel the length, so I did what I always do swimming with tired arms- increase the stroke effort, move faster, maintain propulsion throughout the submerged part of the stroke. It worked, I was moving faster, stronger, and felt renewed power. A flock of seagulls joined me, swooping around for some distance. This was as I swam over a planted scallop field- perhaps they are used to wetsuited divers tossing them left over scallop meat? Around this field and the bend for home. For all the company- gulls, fish, ferrymen; that had kept the journey interesting, I spied the best of all. An orange sail boat was being taken in to shore. My dad. Over the past decade, he's had huge bouts of chemotherepy and radiation treatment, had two prosthetic hips put in (due to the chemo), has been in and out of hospitals all over the world; but has just bought himself a small yacht, and had been gleefully sailing it at breakneck speeds while I'd been swimming. There's magic stuff in those waters.

catweazle

Very well written - they should have you on that wild swimming programme on BBC. Once you can get over the nerves and start admiring the view its very hard to go back to a pool again. Alas where I usually swim all you can usually see is a few Tesco trolleys and a tyre or two - but I did come across a shoal of fish under me the last time

Dory Dory

Wow. That last part about your dad has done me in with tears in my eyes. Gorgeous accounting of your swimming exploration - you have a gift for observation and articulation, so I had a hunch this report (if you chose to write one) would be special, and it was. Thank you for sharing it with us. And I agree with Catweazle, you would be a gem in your element on that wild swimming programme on BBC (even though I have no idea what that programme is ). Very well done you!!

Crazy random thought here - any chance of you putting this down on canvas?? A little rendering of your experience?? Just an idea. :)

Oh, and you packed up the cat to take with you??? Really?? Irish cats like to go off on vacation with the family??

Kurt Godel

Dory Dory wrote: »

Wow. That last part about your dad has done me in with tears in my eyes. Gorgeous accounting of your swimming exploration - you have a gift for observation and articulation, so I had a hunch this report (if you chose to write one) would be special, and it was. Thank you for sharing it with us. And I agree with Catweazle, you would be a gem in your element on that wild swimming programme on BBC (even though I have no idea what that programme is ). Very well done you!!

Crazy random thought here - any chance of you putting this down on canvas?? A little rendering of your experience?? Just an idea. :)

Oh, and you packed up the cat to take with you??? Really?? Irish cats like to go off on vacation with the family??

Yeah, my dad's a good lad, he's been through a lot with illness, but seems to be all clear for the past few years. Great to see him playing with his new toy (and not letting two false hips stop him from falling over into the water!)

Everything I see is always sized up automatically in terms of oils and canvas- one particular abstract scene of the sea bed springs to mind- and I've just looked in wistfully at my unused studio...

We could have left the cat alone a couple of nights, but she likes it down by the sea, and is good company for the dog (they sleep together). Neither of them complain too much during the car journey.

Dory Dory

I sincerely hope you are inspired enough to put oil to canvas...for so many reasons.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Fantastic read Paul, i had a similar experience in Turkey albeit much shorter distance where there was lots of underwater creatures to keep me occupied. Its the happiest i have ever been in OW.
I think you found your niche tbh, swimming is your thing!!

shotgunmcos

Loved the report. So descriptive I forgot for a moment you were swimming 6.5k!! Do you swim much or have a swim background?

Kurt Godel

Celine Tall Molding wrote: »

Fantastic read Paul, i had a similar experience in Turkey albeit much shorter distance where there was lots of underwater creatures to keep me occupied. Its the happiest i have ever been in OW.
I think you found your niche tbh, swimming is your thing!!

shotgunmcos wrote: »

Loved the report. So descriptive I forgot for a moment you were swimming 6.5k!! Do you swim much or have a swim background?

Cheers lads. Yeah, OW swimming when you can see life beneath you is fantastic, a way of getting the training in without stressing about the numbers. Great fun.

Don't have much swim history MCOS, did a bit as a kid, sporadic since. I've only taken it up coz my knees are fecked from hill running, can't do that anymore. I was thrilled at the start of the year to swim 1k. Since then its just seemed natural (I've taken a lot of good advice from DD). I'm aware though, that swim times/distances posted on a Tri log are somewhat flattered. There's always a bigger fish!
There's a few circa 2k swim races coming up in the next few months- one in Glendalough, one in Killary. Might try them. Next up though is Bray aquathlon in a weeks time. Never thought I'd be scared of running 5k!

BennyMul

fantastic report,

Trig1

Excellent read

Krusty_Clown

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Yeah, the time flies.... There's magic stuff in those waters.

Beautiful. Just Beautiful... Glad I could share the journey..

Slogger Jogger

Bravo. Makes me look forward all the more to heading to Kerry shortly.

Kurt Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Bravo. Makes me look forward all the more to heading to Kerry shortly.

Best place in the world (when the sun is shining!). Make sure to pack your snorkle;)

Thurs 5k tempo run
Damp, misty, rain-filled evening, but Junior was anxious to go for a run, so we hit the local football field for some sloshing barefoot fun. The plan was for him to do 3 laps, me to do 5 (laps are about 600m or so), but we both kept on adding on laps until we hit 5 and 8 respectively. He's a good slogger, will just keep on going if let, and is eager and enjoying it at the same time.

My pace was relatively fast (going by effort), kept the breathing under control so it was under full tempo effort. Calfs are tight now, thats the first running in a while, let alone barefoot running.

Kurt Godel

Fri 3,800m pool swim 65 mins, 200m w/d

There's a few great posters around these parts who don't recognize limits, and they're an inspiration to the rest of us. Abhainn is one- fantastic runner, good on the bike, but the one day I met him for a swim around his harbour, I was head and shoulders above him. Soon after, I posted a 75min 3.8km pool swim, and he took it as a target. He had been so far behind me on the OW swim that I didn't really take him seriously- until he then posted a 72min for his 3.8km swim. I don't mind telling you I was shocked by this improvement, but its a measure of the type of guy he is- there are targets, they are trained for and hit; there are new targets.

So it was totally his competitive attitude that spurred me into tonights swim. I was determined it was going to hurt from the get-go, and I was going to keep plugging away. The pool lane was a little crowded, but thankfully the slower swimmers moved lanes soon enough, and anyone left was doing shorter stuff, faster than my pace, but we didn't really bother each other.

The first 200m or so was fast, I was determined to swim out fast to mimic race experience. Then I plugged away, all the way to make up 1,000m. I knew it was fast, it hurt, but I imagined how it hurt for Abhainn when he was doing his, and I kept up the pace. Soon my legs were tiring, and I started getting calf cramps. Nothing too bad (probably to be expected after the barefoot running yesterday), I could swim them out. At 2,000m in I spied the clock, 32:xx, about 16 mins for each kilometer. That's fast for me, and I still was only about halfway.

The cramps started getting worse now, I had to stop a couple of times for a few seconds and massage them out quickly. Arms were hurting, I felt like dropping out and taking the 32 mins for 2k, sort of like the "drop-out" devil on your shoulder at 6km into a hard 10k run race. Again I pictured Abhainn and his improvements, and that helped me knuckle down. 3,000m passed around 50 mins, so I was slowing a bit. The swim was getting harder too, and cramps were really hurting. I'd swim a length just dragging the legs, and it seemed to help. All my concentration now was on maintaining a strong stroke, and completing a full underwater propulsion. I knew I was slowing, but finished the last few lengths with a strong stroke, if getting nothing from the legs.

Delighted to see 65:xx on the pool clock. I wouldn't have broke 70 mins if it wasn't for seeing what Abhainn had progressed, so much of this swim is down to you, dude.:D

Next stop sub 60.

BeepBeep67

I've no idea if that's fast or slow, but a 10 min improvement is savage. Get some long bike miles in the legs and you'll be a serious AG contender. I broke the mental 100k barrier today with a 106k bike.

Kurt Godel

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

I've no idea if that's fast or slow, but a 10 min improvement is savage. Get some long bike miles in the legs and you'll be a serious AG contender. I broke the mental 100k barrier today with a 106k bike.

106k?!? Kudos, dude! Get your log over here where it belongs!:D

Yeah, bike spins are decent, but I need to bring up the distance, while keeping pace around 30kph. Ironically its my running that is by far the worst discipline these days:rolleyes:

BeepBeep67

Kurt Godel wrote: »

106k?!? Kudos, dude! Get your log over here where it belongs!:D

Yeah, bike spins are decent, but I need to bring up the distance, while keeping pace around 30kph. Ironically its my running that is by far the worst discipline these days:rolleyes:

I managed 29.7 km/h, but it was an A to B into a head wind all the way and tough going at times, took a 5 min break for some nourishment at about 2/3rds.

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

You are aware that Abhainn is not in fact human:) Well done on 65min swim for the IM distance, we just need to work on your running and get you signed up;). TBH i need to be getting close to those sort of swim times next year myself.

Kurt Godel

Celine Tall Molding wrote: »

You are aware that Abhainn is not in fact human:) Well done on 65min swim for the IM distance, we just need to work on your running and get you signed up;). TBH i need to be getting close to those sort of swim times next year myself.

For what it's worth, I think the key is stroke discipline over the second half. Go out hard enough, and then make sure that you're getting full power from your underwater phase, during the later tired stages. No doubt you'll hit 65 and under next year.

Sat 7k hill run easy
The body is tired after last night's swim, so just an easy leg-loosener. Parked at Glenmalure Lodge, then up the WW trail for a few km, before descending to the road, and back.

RacoonQueen

Someone was telling me about last weeks race yesterday and how the waves were huge and crashing against the rocks etc etc etc

Who lies, you or him?

Kurt Godel

RacoonQueen wrote: »

Someone was telling me about last weeks race yesterday and how the waves were huge and crashing against the rocks etc etc etc

Who lies, you or him?

Pics from Wexford Tri Facebook. I'll let you be the judge:)

RacoonQueen

More waves in the kitchen sink. I didn't know how to respond, made it sound like a tsunami.

Kurt Godel

Sun 21.1km hilly run, 1:56

I'm going to have to work on my weakest discipline, my running. The knee seems to be playing ball, if I keep out of the Mizuno's, and off hard surfaces. Today's was the first "long" run I've done in ages, so the idea was very much to just plod it and see what happened. This "middle Annagh" half marathon route used be my staple mid-week run, and it was good to reaquaint with all the old sights. There's a little amount of climbing in it, so that slows the times a bit, and I was just over the hour at halfway. Felt good, no knee issues, and picked up the pace a little on the return. Downhills are no use to me time-wise, I jog down them to lessen impact stresses. By 17k I was starting to feel a nice hurt in my leg muscles, which continued for the remainder of the run. Some use, today.

Slogger Jogger

Just up your street .. river... http://www.thegreatfjordswim.com/

catweazle

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Just up your street .. river... http://www.thegreatfjordswim.com/

While not being a fan of Gaelforces rip off prices - the early bird price isn't too bad for this. If they really have 2k in prize money on offer expect to be testing yourself against some of the top guys.

Need to get some motivation to get back into the water and I may even be able to talk Mrs C into doing this. The club are talking about staying in the Leenane hostel Sleepzone while if you really want to impress the missus you could whisk her to Delphi which is nearby

hf4z6sqo7vjngi

Careful now a certain person is closing in on that IM swim time of yours:)

Abhainn

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Fri Delighted to see 65:xx on the pool clock. I wouldn't have broke 70 mins if it wasn't for seeing what Abhainn had progressed, so much of this swim is down to you, dude.:D

Next stop sub 60.

I see JB got here first;)

Great going KG. This is getting competitive now:)
To keep you on your toes for a sub 60 -
4.15k OW swim last night. Went through 3.8k in 67 min high.
Water was great. More important I felt strong

Kurt Godel

Slogger Jogger wrote: »

Just up your street .. river... http://www.thegreatfjordswim.com/

catweazle wrote: »

While not being a fan of Gaelforces rip off prices - the early bird price isn't too bad for this. If they really have 2k in prize money on offer expect to be testing yourself against some of the top guys.

Need to get some motivation to get back into the water and I may even be able to talk Mrs C into doing this. The club are talking about staying in the Leenane hostel Sleepzone while if you really want to impress the missus you could whisk her to Delphi which is nearby

I had spotted this alright- and the "early bird" price is about 25 bones, so I was interested... but its a GF event, and I'll never grease their palm. I still remember the time they tried to shill the forum by promoting one of their events ("Hey guys, just got this flyer through the door, looks great, any doing this event?"). Best of luck to you though catweazle, it looks a nice spot for a swim.:)