Last February blog before the big focus on March Madness.

With full Channel Swimming Association registration now complete, thanks to generous sponsorship from HallmarkHulme, "only" two things now stand in my way of getting onto the pilot boat in Dover, and hence into the English Channel in August:

1. A ratified six hour swim in cold water.  This is now booked to take place at Windermere on 6th June, as it has to be completed in the year of the swim.  Having just (literally just) completed a five hour swim at David Lloyds, I merely need to acclimatise myself fully to the cold water.  By June I will easily be capable of swimming for six hours.
2. Final sponsorship.  This is proving slightly more difficult.  I have a couple of potential irons in the fire at this point, but if they are unsuccessful for whatever reason, I will be somewhat stuck.
    

I am currently training for over 20 hours per week.  It has been pointed out to me that I spent less time studying for my Open University degree!  Yet I still need to ramp this effort up to 30+ hours. 

I always anticipated this to be the most difficult part of the preparation.  

But if the remaining funding cannot be found, it may well all be for nothing.

OK, here's the plan:

Starting next Saturday, and continuing throughout March, I'm asking people to donate £1 (or $1 for my US contacts) via my JustGiving site here.  But on top of that, I need you all to gently request that TWO reliable friends/family members also donate £1, and that they pass it on to another two.

PLEASE do not donate more than £1 at this stage, as it will throw things out and possibly put others off!!  If you would like to donate more, please do so either before or after March.  :0)

On 1st March I'll publish the amount that has been pledged so far.  At the end of the month I'll publish the total to date figure, and we will see how much we can all gather throughout the month, £1 / $1 at a time.

Don't start yet!   I'm only posting this up now so that people are ready, and that they can begin to think of the two reliable contacts they will ask in order to keep the chain going.

Please get posting this, and start to contact your reliable friends. Thanks.

Six months ago I got confirmation from Dovetail that they would sponsor me the initial deposit for my pilot boat.  At that point, by Channel swim attempt really took off.

With my date window of 18-20 August, it's almost unbelievable to acknowledge that there is now only six months to go until I get into the water at Dover and begin that attempt!

My training period has 50% expired, and whilst I know I have improved incredibly as far as my swimming and mental preparation go, there is still an equally long way to go before I am ready.

What is truly ironic is the knowledge that the next half a year will fly past in a whirl... and that the 16 hours in the sea will seem like six months!

This has been the first week I have been able to swim every single day.  Usually, Monday's are out, as the Lido is currently only open in the mornings, and on a standard week I'm en route to London.

Working from home and being able to work flexible hours has meant I have been able to have a focused, concentrated week of swimming at David Lloyds.  The timing fell perfectly after an almost complete break last week due to an overseas trip.

As can be seen from the graph, my efforts over the last seven days have helped me surpass the 36km mark, giving me a weekly total slightly shy of the distance I will have to complete on the day of my big swim.

Within the next few weeks I will need to complete this total (and more) on a regular basis.  But from a psychological point of view, my achievements this week means I already know that such distances are within my capabilities.

50% of the Channel swim is in the mind.  If I can continue to put the training in, both my mind and body will be capable of completing the challenge.

The floods, combined with the London tube strike (which was subsequently cancelled) meant that I decided to work from home this week.  Dovetail generously allow me to work flexible hours where work commitments permit, so I’ve been racking up the distance this week doing early swims. 

Some short distance (2km and 3km respectively) speed sessions at David Lloyds, and two back to back 6km sessions set the scene earlier in the week.  Today I completed my longest swim to date:  a 10km straight swim.  I took this slow and steady, with the intention of finishing it feeling fresh enough to do much more.  My time was just under four hours.

This has positive and negative points to consider:

My actual training is currently far in excess of my training plan (see the image).  The week is not yet over, and I expect to have achieved around 35km by the time Monday comes.

In just a few weeks time, this distance will have to become standard.  At that point I will need to be doing much of my training outdoors.

For now, I will just have to make the most of the luxury of a warm indoor pool.

As if further proof of the power of networking is required, I recently received a very welcome phone call from Ross Prince of Crowe Clark Whitehill LLP accountants. Ross, who is also chairman of the Worcestershire Group of Chartered Accountants’, kindly invited my wife Esta and I to attend as guests at the group’s annual dinner in April.

Ross had found my blog via links with HallmarkHulme, and through posts I had placed on LinkedIn.  ‘Awed’ by my planned Channel swim, he decided that Acorns could be the chosen charity for the evening, and duly asked if I would be interested in giving a presentation on the charity and the swim on the night.

Any chance to spread the word of what Acorns do is always welcome – and to have the opportunity to do this at a formal function is even better.

Naturally, it didn’t take me long to consider the invite.  All I need to get now is a new ball gown... and something for Esta to wear!  Ha ha.

Following two weeks of 20+km of swimming each week, I'm having a semi-enforced break from the pool this week.

The reason for the rest is partly due to an overseas work trip to the US.  The hotel does have a very small indoor pool, but if 360 lengths of a standard pool is dizzying enough, I would have to do close to a thousand at the Hilton - so that's just not happening.

And as can be seen from the photos, acclimatization in the outdoor pool is right out too.  

Yes, there is a pool under there!  But my dedication only stretches so far! 

Minutes after I took the above picture, the sheer weight of the snow resulted in the second photo...

There is a large amount of administration necessary to swim the Channel.  In the year of the swim, a medical, registration, and a ratified six hour swim (in cold water) has to take place.  With the exception of the swim, all monies and forms have to be received by the Channel Swimming Association by April.

HallmarkHulme, in their continued support of this event, have generously agreed to fund the registration fees.  This takes a tremendous amount of pressure off me, due to the rapidly approaching cutoff date.  But those fees cannot be submitted without the completed medical forms.

Initial inquires regarding a medical were somewhat inconclusive.  The medical centre were not sure what was required, who would carry it out, or even if there would be a charge.  A figure of £200 was speculated.

A two-way telephone dialogue continued for over a week.  Eventually I suggested that I sent in the blank forms to Spring Gardens Medical Centre, such that the staff could understand exactly what information was being requested.  I attached a covering, explaining that Dr. Blaine had attended to Harry, so he would know who I was.

To my delight, not only did Dr. Blaine remember me, but he subsequently offered to complete the medical for no charge.

Any last chances of a final reprieve were lost when the doctor quickly but thoroughly pronounced me 100% fit to attempt the swim.  Apparently my blood pressure was 'perfect'.

So that's it.....  There really is no turning back now!