Less than 2 Weeks to Go: Cold Remains the Problem

My left shoulder is now only an occasional problem. I am having it treated every other day and I stretch it out in the gym using weights and pulleys. What does trouble me is my left hand going to sleep and the cold. I get a nerve compression or vascular deficiency to the nerves of the left hand. All seems to go numb and only the tip of the thumb has any sensation. The numbness then spreads up the lateral forearm. It may last or it may lessen, but it doesn’t let up entirely. I try to change a number of aspects about the stroke but cannot be sure what, if anything, works. At worst, I can’t feel the hand and am aware of the fifth finger fluttering as I pull through.

However, the real problem is the cold water. While I finished the 6-hour qualifier last week, I did so in worse condition than anyone else – including, no doubt, some of those who didn’t finish. Even a 1-hour swim will still have me shivering quite violently on exiting. This doesn’t occur with other swimmers nearly to the same degree. I just don’t seem to be acclimatizing/accommodating/adapting to these temperatures. It was not an issue with me 22 years ago, as the video tapes at the conclusion of the successful swim show me talking quite well with no pronounced signs of shivering.

Of course it’s my age and there is little I can do about that. I can only hope that one or more of four factors will eventually work in my favor: 1) that the water warms from its present low 58F (it was 62F when I swam last time); 2) that I shall yet develop some accommodation to the cold; 3) that the grease that I apply on the day will have a beneficial effect and that it stays in place; and 4) that it gets no worse than it was at the 6-hour qualifier and I can hang on for an estimated 15 hours (my previous swims being 12 hours, 59 minutes, and 14 hours, 10 minutes). Fifteen hours is a realistic estimate, as while times range from 9 to 18 hours the average is 12:45.

Details of the past week:

Monday, July 7
Simply took to day off after the 6 hours Sunday. Felt stiff and a little sore around the shoulders but nothing more. I slept a great deal. I am quite elated at qualifying to swim.

Tuesday, July
It’s raining again. I did a 1-hour swim. Had thought I might do 2 hours, but “thinking I might” do 2 hours is not good enough. I have to commit to 2 hours or it doesn’t work.

Wednesday, July 9
It’s blowing a gale again with lots of rain. Visibility is only 200 yards. I did a 2-hour swim, very cold at end.

Thursday, July 10
The first sunny day in a week, but of course it is still cold. Three swimmers have tried in the last two days and all three failed well short of France. Reason: the unusually cold water for this date.

I took the training to become an Observer/Referee for the Channel Swimming Association. They may use me this week or next, but more likely when I return to Dover on August 7. I will have flown to Genoa to take my boat from near there to near Barcelona in Spain. It’s much cheaper to keep the boat in Spain. I swam for 3 hours today. It’s a struggle after the first hour. If I swim faster I can stay warmer, but then at that speed I will not last the 23 miles.

I am getting mixed messages from swimmers on “tapering off” – the process of cutting back on training so as to be fully recovered and ready for the swim.

Friday, July 11
I swam for 1 hour as intended. Tomorrow will go for 4 hours. It was again very cold.

Saturday, July 12
Four hours completed today. Cold, yes, but perhaps I minded it a little less today. And, did you see, Janet Kromley from the Los Angeles Times blogged about my endeavor to swim the Channel and linked to this blog? Check it out.

Sunday, July 13 - 13 days to go
One-hour swim only. Bright and sunny all day – first time yet! I shall be out on the Channel tomorrow as an Observer/Referee of another swim. It will be a good experience.

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