Ironman? Decaman? Or MichelinMan? (By Julian)

At the TriClub each Sunday, everyone discusses what marathon, half Ironman, Ironman or Decaman they are planning next. To do a marathon, you need to be fit. To contemplate an Ironman, you need to be seriously fit. And to do a Decaman, you need to be really, really, really fit - and completely certifiably mad!

So what do you need to be to do the Arch To Arc? I thought about that as I stumbled around my little 1 hour hill climb, wincing at every right step (I think I may have microfractured something in the ball of my foot...). It turns out there are quite a lot of right steps in a 1 hour run!

The main challenge of the Arch To Arc is clearly the swim. With no wetsuit, the cold water is the major hurdle...and it is a major advantage to have a few layers of natural insulation (read - subcutaneous fat).

Then after the swim, you have to ride a bike for hours - avoiding punctures in your tyres. Rolls of fat. Tyres. The only name that really fits this event is "MichelinMan".

So to make it really work - this "MichelinMan" event - I think we will have to run, swim, cycle and then dine...at a 3 Michelin Star restaurant. We will need to replace some fat after all?

Back to normal? (by Kevan)

Back in the luxurious water of our local municipal swimming pool last night after Saturdays miserable swim. Wasn't particularly looking forward to it as the cold water from Dover had left me feeling pretty negative about swimming generally. But I knew I must go, I've still got a lot of catching up to do with the swimming training. I have set myself a target of two swims a week increasing the number of lengths I do each time. After last Thursdays 80 lengths, last night was to be 90 lengths (I'm not including the two hour long swims from Saturday in my plan as that just confuses my focus). So in I went go to about 60 and the shoulder started to give me a strange pulling sensation. One thing about long monotonous swims is that it give you loads of time to work whether you are doing yourself damage or doing yourself good by extending yourself. Anyway thought I would go for it and see what happens, and it was fine, in fact the stretchy feeling died away and it felt fine. The rest of the swim went really well, in fact I noticeable sped up. Got home feeling rather pleased with myself. And this morning, no bad consequence…... Result!

Just come back from Dover (by Kevan)

That was possibly the worst experience.

The trip down to Dover was the usual, upbeat team bus spirit, 7 of us in Mikes 7 seater, luggage crammed into the top box and Andy's lunch box taking up all other available space, (maybe that’s not the best choice of words). On arrival in Dover there were flickers of sunshine poking through the clouds which seemed to make quite a difference to our wellbeing physically and mentally. But by the time we had reached the beach the skies had darkened. The sea remained fairly calm but looked cold, dark and uninviting.

Time to prepare, all performing the well known swimming trunk dance on the pebbled beach trying to maintain ones modesty which in most cases was a battle already lost standing in Speedo's on a cold spring morning.

.Instruction from our overseer came through that today's swim was to be much longer than anticipated, a triangle, from the beach, to the slopey pier, to the harbour wall, back to beach, a round trip of about 55 minutes. This is a lot further than anticipated - not in a distance sense, we had all been doing the time and distance in the pool - the challenge was the time in the very cold water. Apparently the sea temperature is particularly cold this year, a shocking 9.5 deg C.

The walk down into the sea is awful, you know what’s coming but you cant stop or even hesitate or common sense will get the better of you. Your team mates know it also but it remains unsaid and we all walk together, the steps get shorter in the deepening water, then the decision as to when I stop walking and dive in is taken away from me as my swimming partner, Andy, dives in, I must follow.

From there on it’s survival, suddenly your breath is pulled from you, as the cold water envelops you, you try to swim, cant get your breath, flap around, anything goes as limbs flail with very little actual forward movement, dynamic water-treading. My head won’t go in the water. I cant hold my breath long enough to actually put it in the water, all I end up doing is lifting my head mid stroke with a gasp for air that seems to synchronise with a wave swell. A mouthful of the dark, salty and…. oh god what else was in there….gets swallowed. The thin neoprene swim cap apparently does help but not nearly enough.

Since all dived in together, in close proximity, the chances of hitting a team member with my uncoordinated windmill arms and can-can legs is high and it takes a few moments before I managed tospacemyselfoutsufficiently. We then head straight out to sea, beyond the metal edged wave breakers that have been placed specifically to rip apart any swimmers that venture too close to the sanctuary of the shore. After a minute or two of thrashing about I chance to look up to try and find Andy with whom I am supposed to be partnering for safety sake. Yes, even channel swimmers get into trouble in these types of conditions. Luckily we are still remarkably near each other.

The cold really is shocking; it doesn’t get easier for me. My goggles fog up but the sea is so dark anyway it just makes it more difficult to stay in visual contact with Andy. We reach the slopey pier, its taken ages since we swim against the flow of the tide. Now the longest leg, back past our entry point, where awaits me the comfort of my clothes, my coffee flask, my Mars bar and my wife (I may have got that order wrong!) but no stopping here, no giving in for me, onto the harbour wall. The harbour wall is reached, some touch it as a point of achievement, I don’t, it’s slimy and nasty, I’m cold deep inside me now, I can’t really feel my hands or feet but only the swim back to the entry point left. I see Andy and we both know its full speed back.

I scramble onto the stony beach. The cold has affected my balance and I can’t stand, I find it easier to crawl out of the sea on all fours until a friendly hand reaches out to support me upright and place a towel round my shoulders. For safety, the overseer asks me my number written on my cap firstly to check me back in and secondly to check I am not delirious from the effects of the cold.

The need to get into warm dry clothes and get a warm drink inside me is now essential before the shivers take hold. It takes me around 30 minutes to stop shivering and shaking, the Coffee and the Mars bar taste of salt.

After an hour, instructions from our overseer come through. We are all to do it again. The swimming trunk dance starts again but slower.

I couldn’t get warm for hours after, had a hot bath in the middle of the afternoon and did nothing for the rest of the day.

Second freezing of the season (by Julian)

Doesn't 2 weeks fly by when you are enjoying being warm. But inevitably 8:15am Saturday rolled around and, despite a very late night (or more accurately early morning!) with a hangover to boot, we were back in Our Glorious Leaders car heading for Dover.

The one good news was that the sun was out and we hoped that this might mean the water was warmer...pleassse. By 9:30am we were in Dover and waiting for a local arcade to open for a comfort stop (Dover does have public toilets but typically don't open them to the "public").

It was nice to stand in the sun basking for a few minutes but then it was down to the beach, collecting our numbered swimming caps (only 2 of the team remembered their club cards!) and a quick change into costumes. Barrie Shingle Stomper did the honours and we were ready.

Cliff told us Freda's orders. Out from the beach, turn left and down to the second pier then all the way back up to the Hoverspeed wall, touch and back to the beach. This seemed an awfully lot longer than the first swim (which was just to Hoverspeed and back!).

Sue zipped into the water before nerves gave in. And we were chasing to catch up with her. Was it my imagination or was it colder than 2 weeks before? Then the reality set in...it was going to be a long swim down the harbour, even longer on the way back (because you have to swim PAST the beach to get to the wall...when all your instincts say "let's go home for a nice warm towel and some coco"!

About half way around, this must have occurred to Sue and she indicated a strong desire to leave the water. Luckily she was incoherent and so her mean swimming partner (me!) made her "sprint" for 50 to warm up. Then we were catching the others and with a, not quite totally truthful, "we won't go right to the end if you work hard for the next 100 strokes" we chased after them. Nearly at the wall, the mass began to return for the beach so we also turned back.

Now things were getting really cold. Despite the sun on your backs, it doesn't feel any warmer. The urge to stop and give up is huge - but then you would really be giving up. Permanently. So we struggled in to the waiting arms and Sue & I stumbled back up the beach.

Everyone was shaking just as bad as the first week...but recovery times did seem to be faster. That being said, no-one was looking forward to the second swim at noon. But noon duly came around and it was "same again guys" as the instruction. Great - an other long view of the Premier Inn hotel down near the second pier.

The cold was really bad. The swim long and tough. But I had completely forgotten that I appear to have a cavity in one of my back right hand side teeth. The salt water hadn't though and 45 minutes of cold salt water froze the nerve until I was slowly warming up on the beach, when BANG...the real pain set in, flooring me. An entire pack of Nurofen later and I was able to make it back to the car.

Remind me to go to the dentist before the next swim in 2 weeks time. Or at least buy 2 packets of Nurofen!

Routine training (by Kevan)

Now I'm back at work I begin to realise what an amazing drain it all is on my time. When you get home at 6 or 7 at night having been up since 5:30 the last thing you want to do is go out exercising. But, have settled into a sort of rhythm now with the training, Monday is and remains football night, not going to let the training get in the way of that, so training starts in earnest on a Tuesday with the Tuesday night swim, running on Wednesday, and another swim on Thursday because I need to catch up. Friday is my night off, a bag of Bombay mix and a couple of cold beers, luxury, I tend to really look forward to Fridays.
This Saturday will be swimming in Dover harbour all morning and I'll polish the week off with a run Sunday morning. Other than that my times my own!
And still I wont get a cycle ride in.
This weeks training has gone well to date, a couple of good runs for which the times seems to have settled at 54 minutes to do my 6 and a bit miles, which I suppose is good considering that when I first started this escapade I could barely manage 2 miles which took about 20 minutes and bent double wheezing which also took about 20 minutes. Also did a couple of swims, increasing the number of lengths I do each time so as not to overdo it on the shoulder so a 60 and a 70 this week. Shoulder holding up well.
Not looking forward to tomorrow in the sea.

Catching up (by Kevan)

Even if the legs were a little tired on Monday felt rather smug after achieving my goal of two one hour runs on. sort of makes you feel good having achieved a target. I'm a lot more confident that I can last the run and that the training is beginning to pay off.

Back in the pool tonight after last weeks failure after 34 lengths with the shoulder giving me some jip. But tonight, success, up to 70 lengths now. I will continue to increase the number of lengths I do to catch up with the others. The operation to the shoulder, or more accurately the recovery from it is still a concern to me but I must push on, with another swim planned for Thursday and another (the second cold water swim in Dover harbour..Brrrr) swim planned for Saturday will have certainly done my quota for the week

That was hard work (by Kevan)

Well after this mornings hour run, usual list of Sunday jobs, had to don the running shoes and get out there for another hour run. It was exhausting, ankles were strangely sore but legs seemed OK (ish). But made it, thank heavens that over. Mind you it gives me a little bit of confidence that I can do it. Thanks to Jos for giving my legs a quick going over, that sports massage course is beginning to have some payback.

Sunday morning time trials (by Kevan)

Done the first leg this morning at 8:30....first run of an hour. Next one due at 2:30 really looking forward to it. Its the only way to spend your Sunday

Thursday night swim (by Kevan)

Extra swim planned in this week, need to do a lot of catching up with the swimming after the shoulder op. So after 60 successful lengths on Tuesday intended to do 70 tonight. But got to 34 and the shoulder was really giving me some grief so decided to stop there. Very frustrating, but can't risk going backwards in the recovery.

First swim (by Sue)

Brrrrr, The photos say it all....The swim was was ok. Thought I did well - it was the "getting out" that was a disaster!!!

How come everyone else recovered so quickly. When I finally came round the rest of the team had popped into town. If I'd known there was going to be a shopping opportunity, I may have recovered quicker!!!!! Can't thank Sarah and Jos enough for looking after me.

Now my kids are growing up into teenagers, look at the extreme lenghts I'll go to to get a cuddle these days!

Alex "the new boy" Manleys training so far (by Sharron)

Sevenoaks Tri 18/4/10 400/m/25km/8km

Equalled my Sept time 1hr 54mins, 1 minute faster on the swim (6.38 400m) 1 minute slower on the run but considering I had a knee op at the start of December its not too bad. I would have been faster if I hadn't been so girly about drying my hair before the bike but it was cold and I didn't want to get ice cream headache. Anyway like most of my school reports said, "could do better" so lots more running

Wiggle ups and downs 24/4/10

Not an instruction a 100 mile bike ride around the surrey hills starting in Dorking. The BBC said it would be the hottest day of the year with not a cloud in the sky so I turned up in my new 6xl white tee shirt and set off in the pouring rain and howling wind with Mark Smith and Phil Payne.

The first 20 miles were very hilly The steepest was before the first food stop at about 25 miles every time I stood up to get more drive my rear wheel spun so I sat back down to get grip and proceeded to pull a wheelie, cue lots of swearing but I managed to stay on and to keep going . Then with the summit in view gasping for oxygen (its the altitude) a car came past me and the passenger shouted "come on thunder thighs you can do it". laughing doesn't help you breath in these situations so I will avoid it in the future. I made it up and round the rest of the course although we lost Phil who took a detour.

Got a puncture in the last 10miles and with the help of Marks CO2 inflator still managed to get round in in 6hrs38mins. Respectable but no Lance.

Dover 2/5/10

The first channel swim at Dover with the team who have been telling me for weeks how cold it was going to be, Kevin even recommending that I take a photo of my wedding tackle so that I could look at it in the future and remind myself of glories past. I was surprised how many other idiots there were there all doing the cold water acclimatisation swims but I was pleased to see that there were plenty of athletes like myself of the chunkier physique, channel swimming must be to swimming what sumo is to martial arts.

It couldn't be avoided and as Julian had driven us down in his car I couldn't run away and in just a pair of speedos two rubber hats and a pair of goggles, in we went. It was mind numbingly cold 9 degrees , my common sense screamed at me to just get out! Luckily my inner idiot the pig head one that my darling wife so loves made me just get my head down and swim hard and surprisingly after a while it wasn't so bad. I was buddied up with team captain Mike (he had obviously seen me eyeing up escape routes). I tried to talk to him but my lower lip felt like I had had an injection from the dentist and I couldn't sthpeek poperly.

We swam about a 1K in 20 minutes got out, got dressed drank hot chocolate and tommy soup and had to wait for 2 hours to warm up before going back in for the second stint. Hero of the day goes to Sue who only just stopped shivering in time to get in for the second swim which showed real character. Andy won fall of the day when his legs didn't work on exiting the second swim but he soon regained his composure.

3/5/10 30km Bike + 5km Run with Mike and Dave Cummins

Lost Dave on baileys hill, he is doing the London to Paris bike ride so he is probably starting to realise what he has let himself in for.

It was pouring down and Mike and I decided that seeing as we were wet and cold already we might as get the run done which at 27 minutes was my fastest yet. Probably Mikes slowest!

4/5/10 10km Run in a bleeding hail storm there is a pattern to this weekend and I want an end to it now bring on the sun.

First swim of season (by Julian)

Well we couldn't avoid it any longer...Saturday rolled around and we all rolled out of bed at the unearthly hour of 7:00am so we could be on the road in convoy by 8:15am. An hour later and we were approaching Dover...entering the traditional fog that over surrounds the harbour.

Once we arrived though we found that it was only the hill that was in fog...the harbour was in sunshine. And 113 other swimmers were queueing up to register in the new fancy safety system (which proved itself later in the day!).

By 10:15 formalities were done, we were changed and ready for the first swim. Cliff gave his safety talk on behalf of Freda and we lined up along the beach. Then we were off, down the stony shore into the 9C harbour water. Our instructions were easy - out past the channel markers, turn right and head for the end of the harbour, touch the wall and back. A leisurely 30 minute swim.

But at 9C there was no "leisurely" about it...we swam as fast as possible and after about 5 minutes even attempted putting our heads in the water. Quarter an hour later we were touching the barnacle encrusted wall and heading for home, a warm towel, chocolate and sugary tea. Except we had another 15 minutes swimming to do!

Finally we stumbled up the shore and stripped (literally in some cases) to replace our wet costumes with dry warm layers. Then the shivering begins, making pouring tea from the flask quite an exciting new challenge. Getting it to your lips, shows you the true meaning of "many a slip between cup and lip"!

But an hour and a half later we were just stopping shivering and warming through nicely...when we were ordered back into the trunks and repeated the whole exercise again!!!

Finally after 2 swims and lots of shivering, we were back in the car for the hour long journey home. Our support team had prepared a chilli to warm us through...and a few bottles of red wine later and we could nearly joke about the shrinking effects of the cold water. Nearly.

At least it is 2 weeks before we do it all again! Photos are on Facebook at the Arch To Arc Supporters page or Arch To Arc 2010