andy’s english channel swim: august 2007


January 26, 2006

Week 2006 01 29

Filed under: swimming training — andy @ 3:56 pm
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http://www.openswim.co.za/news_channel2005.htm 

"22 South Africans have now successfully swum across the English Channel. South Africans have an unmatched reputation for the fact that 100% of swimmers who have attempted, have crossed the Channel successfully – if not on a first attempt, on a second or third."

Tough act to follow; can’t let the homeland down. 

 

January 25, 2006

Week 2006 01 22

Filed under: swimming training — andy @ 2:54 pm
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Consistency is the key; it showed the 1st week over 20km, and again over the last fortnite. It will obviously be dangerous to ignore this lesson during the ramp-up in the training period from March – June.

As I am now feeling comfortable at 20km a week, my next step will be to start adding a short lunchtime session at the Newlands pool, which is just a block away from my office. A timid 1km session on weekdays will add 5km to the weekly total, and provide a platform to build off.The 50m pool is better for distance training, and the open sky also preferable to the artificial light in a gym, but the pool closes for the winter season just when I will need it most, and so will have to lobby the authorities for special access in autumn.

Missing "tooth" in chart above left was a result of moving to a smallholding out of town. Cecilia & I are delighted with our new home, and will be joined by our 4 Arabian horses as soon as the paddocks are established. So far the horses have definitely got the best deal, as their accommodation (the newly constructed stables) is definitely superior to ours. However the increased distance means leaving home at 04h45 to get to squad training by 05h30 – I definitely won’t be seeing the sunrise much after mid-summer!

Beth (foreground) is now our 4th Weimaraner, and Kira and she are convinced that we have moved to the smallholding purely for their entertainment.


 

January 17, 2006

Week 2006 01 15

Filed under: swimming training — andy @ 1:36 pm
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Week 2006 01 08

Filed under: Uncategorized — andy @ 1:28 pm
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The next generation: Kira being shown around the yard by Jake. She has since grown into an absolute hooligan! 

As you can see, she settled right in.

January 4, 2006

Week 2005 12 31

Filed under: swimming training — andy @ 10:27 pm
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Our dog Jake was diagnosed with lung cancer last week, and was put down on the weekend by our close friend & vet Dave.

My wife Cecilia found Jake limping on a road near Stellenbosch four years ago. Emaciated, bitten and limping from cuts in his paws, Jake had been on the road for some time.  After a full day’s search for his owners in the area where we found him, we took him to vet Dave for a medical, where he was determined to be a "mature Weimaraner dog between three & four years old." Subsequent adverts in the local newspapers, and queries with vets, the SPCA & the Weimaraner accociation elicited no response. So he stayed as a companion to our old Weimaraner Thandi, and stole our hearts with his exuberance, affection and loyalty.