PUMPING UP THE MILES

Finally, the water is starting to warm up. Last night the river was 17.8 but with the rain and Arctic winds predicted this weekend it will drop again.

Getting in serious milage now and working on swimming faster as well as longer. Swimming with faster swimmers has definitely improved my sped and stamina and I am really starting to feel the benefits.

Didn't get to do the 12 hour swim as I was pretty crook the night before. There will be other swims.

Trying some new swims in the next few weeks, Pilton lock swim this week amd swimming through the backs of the Cambridge colleges soon.

Listening to Cold Chisel Swingshift in the car. Gets me ready for my swim. Legendary band.

12 HOUR TORTURE

Well dear reader, as the weather warms up, sort of, weird and mad events appear on the swimming calendar.

This Saturday sees the first, a Kilometre every hour for 12 hours. Fortunately I will be sharing this pain with my swim buddies Claire, Michelle and Sarah so we will all suffer together.

I am getting some good swims in now as the river hovers around the 10C mark. Yesterday I did a comfortable hour in the water and felt great.

The weather for the weekend predicts Arctic blasts. Hurrah can't wait.

Amazingly The Doors Riders On the Storm is playing now on Planet Rock as I write. Hopefully not a portent!

RIVER RETURN

Well dear reader, here I am back in the UK after a special month in Aotearoa.

You will be very pleased to hear that I got straight back in the Nene the day after I got back. It was big, brown and bad and 8C. I did not last long.

With the Three Rivers Safari looming I had to get acclimatised quickly so I got in again for 30 minutes on Friday.

Saturday saw me back for 4500m in the Great Ouse, Cam and Nene. The water just hit 9C but I coped OK.

Hopefully the water will start to warm up as I am doing a 1K every hour for 12 hours relay in a couple of weeks.

Missed Planet Rock whilst away. Back at full volume.

THE RIVER CALLS!

My time in Aotearoa is rapidly coming to an end.

I have had some wonderful swims with some fabulous groups of people. There is no doubt in my mind that the Swimming community around the world is the most welcoming that there is.

My goal was to cover 100k in the month away but the tropical storm that hit Auckland on Thursday night whipped up the sea for 7 days so although I swam every day it was harder to put in longer swims in the surf and rolling seas.

I will finish the month over 80,000m so I am pretty pleased with that as I came from a 5C river only a few weeks ago.

Next week I will be back in the Nene with my mad mates. People here cannot believe we survive swimming in the river throughout the year. They swim all year here but most go into wetsuits as the water can drop to 13C. Ha.

I have an 18 non stop flight from Auckland to Dubai and then onto Birmingham. My arise will be even more square.

23.6 HEAVEN

Well dear reader here I am in Auckland having had a few days in Perth.

I am staying with my brother and his family and LOVING the warmth.
It seems incredible that I was swimming in water last week that was only 5.3C.

I have already done 36K here in Auckland in water that is 23C plus.

Swimming again in the ocean is a real pleasure as I have been fortunate enough to swim with some local groups who swim every day. They complain about the winter swimming when the water gets down to 14C! Poor souls.

The work I am doing here should stand me in good stead for the Straits of Gibraltar later in the year.

Sun, swimming and barbies, what a hardship.

GOODBYE WINTER!

Greetings Fellow rockers.

My winter swimming season is now officially on hold as I head to the Southern Hemisphere for a well earned holiday and warm water training.

Today the Nene was cooler than expected 5.8C and I did a pleasant 1.2K followed by sausage sammies at Nicola's before we headed to the Old Barn for a round of cakes.

I will be back in the rivers for the 3 rivers swim in April and hopefully the water will have warmed up as I will be swimming in 20+C in Perth and Auckland.

Look forward to reporting from the bottom of the world. Chat soon!

TOASTIE WATER!

It seems incredible that the water temperature has actually risen this week to a fairly "comfortable" 8C.

Yesterday the gang had a great swim although the river was very high and fast. Tom Reed and I swam up to the gate, a 1400m swim which was very hard work up to the gate but rapid on the way back!

I am doing a couple of pool swims a week to keep the mileage up but nothing compares to the river which is just a blast!

With my Gibraltar Straits swim in October, I am in a pretty good place with my training at the moment and will build huge mileage during March when I am in New Zealand.

My touch screen music system in the car continues to erode my hearing as meat should be thick and music should be loud.