The birds are singing, the evenings long....

So its nearly time,

The weather is warming up, the birds are singing louder then you have ever remembered them doing so and the nights seem like they go on forever - This can only mean that spring is here.....

Active Blu Venue - Windermere

Time to think about getting the wetsuit out, looking around for events and joining a training group. 
However more importantly do not put off your desires and goals for another year. Take the plunge, sign up for the challenge and smile, because you are that one step closer.

Great North Swim Training Day.

If you are a seasoned athlete or a total beginner in the open water the start of the season can be tricky, Working out the right time to go, knowing what the water temp is and where you will be safe to swim are just a few of the questions you may have. 

Active Blu Venue - Windermere.

I would suggest talk to your local Triathlon club or local open water venue and they will take the pressure off for you, by doing the hard work. 

Safety boats, Kayaks and Coaches. 


Most open water swim venues will be starting structured swim sessions within the next month, dependant on water temp and water conditions. I would suggest if it is your first time, be safe and go to an organised session where they have coaches, advice but most importantly a safety team.

Coaching from paddle board

Open water venues should be checking the water quality to make sure it is safe to swim, providing full safety cover - which basically means if you need any assistance whilst out on the water they will have an Emergency Action Plan which they will put into place, as well as a session by session risk assesment - This is the very minimum you should expect. You can always ask to see the paper work if unsure. 

fab safety Team 
At the moment the water in the Lakes is still a bit on the chilly side and will still be a good few weeks until the water has warmed up some. Even if its a warm day remember the water takes a lot longer to warm up. On Windermere we are starting on the 21st May as it is normally to cold before this date for the average swimmer at the start of the season to train effectively. 

Everyone is signed in and out the water. 
However you can start preparing....

A few top tips:

  • Make sure you have a wetsuit that fits you well - Too big and you will get cold quickly - Too tight and you will feel very restricted. 
  • Swim within an organised group, especially if it is your first time. 
  • ALWAYS make sure you have a safety craft with you. Even you stronger swimmers. 
  • Remember you share the waters with others, make sure you can be seen and swim smart.
  • Check water quality and if where you are swimming is safe. 
  • If in Doubt - Stay Out. 
  • Look after each other and most importantly....


Remember to have fun :)


Active Blu Training. 

Have a great season and stay safe.




Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Keeping it simple.

Image
Swim Smooth Squad - Perth   Today on Poolside - CSS Set - Week 9 of 10. Returning onto pool deck in Perth, after 6 months back in the UK was a fantastic opportunity to see just how much the swimmers had improved over their winter period. It was insightful and also encouraging to see just how many of the squad had developed. Many of the swimmers had not only improved their technique and swim times, they also had increased their confidence whilst in the open water. So the question is; How did they do this and how can we achieve those results? Firstly, it is good to know these people are normal, they have families, hold down jobs and have every day  commitments. Squad Session - Perth. The key: Is KEEP IT SIMPLE - get your training right and being consistent with it. If we look at the Perth Squads , we can identify how their training week works and make sure that you too are ready for next years Open Water and Triathlon season. Answer These Question
Read more

Meeting Sue

Image
Sue Oldham – Getting better with age. "My advice to other swimmers, or non swimmers, is don’t put off doing things, life goes by so quickly and one never knows what will be around the corner so make the most of this time, it can never be retrieved”. (Sue, Oldham, 2013) An inspiration to many wishing to challenge themselves this year. Sue is an inspirational, modest Character, having only started swimming in her 40`s, She is best known as the oldest women to swim across the English Channel. At the age of 65 Sue entered the record books finishing her swim in 17 hours 11 mins. However the list of records, stories and amazing accomplishments is endless. Based in Perth Australia, I had a rare opportunity to catch up with Sue and ask her a few questions regarding her swimming back ground, who inspired her and her greatest Challenges to date. Emma:   “Please tell me about how and when you got into swimming”? Sue:  “ About 20 years ago a friend suggested I
Read more

What a Difference a Month Makes.

Image
I wanted to congratulate the Open Water and Squad swimmers this month. Training In Lanzarote July 2013  The New Swim Squad has now been running for 7 weeks at the Lancaster 315 Pool. On week 1 we tested the squads Critical Swim Speed. (CSS). Check out what this means at:  http://www.swimsmooth.com/training.html . This basically gives you an indication of the pace you can sustain every 100m for your 1500m swim. It is also useful to help monitor progress and reduction in swim times. An example: If your CSS is 1 min 30 secs per 100m, this will give you a time of 22 mins and 50 secs for your 1500m swim. Identifying What hold you back in the water.  We retested 2 weeks ago and all the squad members had reduced their CSS time. Some reducing it as much as 7 minutes, with most members seeing a 2 to 5 minute improvement for their CSS. This is above average and a remarkable achievement. Most of the squad have just started training regularly and using a structured progra
Read more