My journey starts in England and finishes in France.
I will attempt to swim from Dover to Calais (21 miles) and here you will find out how I plan to succeed!
My swim 'window' is July 18-25, 2010, but my countdown started in 2008 when I started training.
For some people I'm crazy. For others I'm nuts. But for most people I know I am just "FAST EDDIE" and swimming the English Channel is a dream coming true.
"The journey is what brings us happiness, not the destination." Peaceful Warrior/Dan Millman
On February 11th 2010 I did another pool workout at University of San Francisco, this time a 25,000 yard swim, 14miles. It took me 8:52 HS to complete the whole workout. It was a long day.
The reason why I choose to swim 12X2000’s was because based on my pace it would simulate the feeding schedule I am planning to have during my English Channel crossing. It was a great experiment, especially because I got to try my new smothie made of water, ice, macadamia nuts, frozen berries, soy protein and vitamin C.
On January 21st I had another lap o’ rama at the University of San Francisco, KORET swimming pool. (http://web.usfca.edu/koret ). This time I was aiming for a 13 mile workout, just following my hectic training schedule. Once again, I had to face the boredom of a 25 yard swimming pool and this time I confess I was a little scared about such a commitment especially when you convert 13 miles in yards:23,000 yards…wholly sh..t! That’s a lot of laps.
Before giving you an aftermath of the workout let me tell you what I was trying to accomplish during that workout. A few weeks ago I was reading about English Channel crossings and swimmers on the web and I found Marcia Cleveland’s English Channel web site, (http://www.doversolo.com ) Marcia crossed the Channel in 1994 Reading throughout her training advice for the English Channel I found this one:
Teach your body to learn how to burn fat. Regularly do not eat for 6 + hours before your swims. Water is ok. (I.e. swim in the morning on an empty stomach) This will simulate what happens after 6 hours in cold water. Your system will learn to switch over from using its initial energy stores of carbohydrates/glycogen to fat right from the start of your swims. (http://www.doversolo.com/engchprep.htm)
Bingo! That was what I had in mind to accomplish in my 23,000 workout. To put my body in the 6 hour stage of a cold water swim experience and deal with the upcoming moments.
Having had a late dinner the night before, a huge mistake I did, I woke up feeling tired and sleepy still digesting my dinner. After a nice cup of Brazilian coffee and little bit more awake and ready to go, my personal pacer, Tom Keller picked me up and off we went to the pool. I was unsure and a little bit nervous about the yardage I was attempting to swim.The “demons” wandering around my mind where:
• Are you sure about this? • Do you have what it takes for this? • Do you have the mental edge to push yourself for over 7 hours? • What if you get tired?
The doubts and questions went on and on.
Arriving at the pool Tom had reserved a lane for me (what a guy) and agreed to swim at least 6000 yards with me since he had to go to work. This was my duty for the day:
After 1 hour into the training I already was feeling a little tired and craving for fuel. I had not eaten anything for breakfast on purpose, (I had in mind eating only after 2 hours after starting the workout).
It was during the fourth 1,500 at around 5000 yards I had a mental breakdown. I was swimming shoulder by shoulder with Tom and all the sudden I started slowing down to the point he almost got 25 yards in front of me. Suddenly all those doubts about if could swim all of those miles started crossing my mind again, especially when I realized I still had 18,000 yards to go! I realized I would have to spend at least the next 5 hours going back and forth, pushing myself to a still unknown 23,000 yard mark.
Part of me was telling me it could be done. Part of me still doubted my capabilities and strength. All the sudden everything became slow motion, just like those moments during that Rocky Balboa movie (one of my favorites movie series) where he is almost giving up and he starts looking around the crowd, the judges, the other fighter, his family with his opponent beating the crap out him….yeah. It was just like that. I didn’t have a purple eye or a bleeding nose though.
The pool environment started becoming very vivid to me: the chronometer, pool tiles, life guards, Tom Keller’s wake on the other lane, the wall clock showing 8:15AM, flashbacks form my IRONMAN came back to my mind.
Then I remembered a talk I had with Pat Peyton in 2009 about training for the English Channel where he said that there would be times during my training where it would be ok to just “step back” and get out of the water and go home. But there would be times where I would have to push myself and break that barrier that was stopping me from reaching new limits.
With that conversation in mind I realized that the only way that I would finish that training would be if I focus my energy on every single stroke, yard by yard, lap by lap instead the whole training, or how long it would take me to do the whole workout.
All the sudden I began to swim a little faster. Just like the movie Rocky, when he starts getting back on his feet and still in slow motion he looks at his coach and the cheering crowd; I could see in my mind the Viking Princess, the boat I have hired to escort me across the Channel. I could see Kim, Gary, Alison and my father waiving and cheering shouting my name and waiving the Brazilian and the American flag. WOW what an energy boost that gave me. All of those flash futures really made my heart beat faster and made me swim faster. I was “back on my feet”; I was back in the game, just like Rocky Balboa did during his last round.
In 500 yards I was able to put myself together, catch up Tom finish that 4th 1,500 and continue my workout. The “last” 18,000 yards were just like another regular workout. I was a happy "boxer"!
This video was taken at 6AM when The Sunrisers were getting ready to swim another Alcatraz. It was one of the most beautiful mornings I have ever seen at the SERC.
Your generous contribution of any amount will help me with training, pilot-boat and Channel Association expenses, and to raise money for BAYKEEPER (see below).
Things I love: All living beings, especially dogs and cats, air, fire, water, earth, airplanes, true friendships, my family, my job and the South End Rowing Club.
I truly believe we should live our lives going after our childhood dreams.
