Comments on: Great North Swim http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/ Mon, 06 Sep 2010 15:37:59 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: warriorwoman http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1929 warriorwoman Thu, 20 Aug 2009 11:35:15 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1929 Moi, I don't know if I already replied or not but here's my comment response. I really don't know of any sure fire ways of getting in at this late stage if you can't go down the charity route. There are other great swims in other locations, admittedly non are as appealing as Windermere. Perhaps you could just register your interest on the site now and make sure you sign up early for next year. As for wetsuits, I believe you need to go for one designed for triathletes and not divers, that way you have some flexibility around the shoulders for swimming action. I can't comment on the size game, I think you'll just have to try them on. I'm short and fat myself so went down the made to measure route. It cost £200 from Snug but at least it fit (once upon a time). Moi, I don’t know if I already replied or not but here’s my comment response.
I really don’t know of any sure fire ways of getting in at this late stage if you can’t go down the charity route. There are other great swims in other locations, admittedly non are as appealing as Windermere. Perhaps you could just register your interest on the site now and make sure you sign up early for next year.

As for wetsuits, I believe you need to go for one designed for triathletes and not divers, that way you have some flexibility around the shoulders for swimming action.

I can’t comment on the size game, I think you’ll just have to try them on. I’m short and fat myself so went down the made to measure route. It cost £200 from Snug but at least it fit (once upon a time).

]]> By: Bald Penguin Preservation Society | warriorwomen running blog http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1928 Bald Penguin Preservation Society | warriorwomen running blog Wed, 19 Aug 2009 20:59:39 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1928 [...] Great North Swim is now only a matter of weeks away. I’ve been swimming regularly but to be honest, the [...] [...] Great North Swim is now only a matter of weeks away. I’ve been swimming regularly but to be honest, the [...]

]]> By: moi http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1926 moi Wed, 22 Jul 2009 02:26:21 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1926 a great read! thanks for the humour. but can i seek advice too??? i see by the dates that most of ya applied for 2009 ages ago....i only learned about this swim a few days ago. all of the places are gone exept for the slim poss of a few charity spots that may be available, maybe on standby only if others drop out from a late bout of sanity. does anyone have any tips on how a newbie may still be able to sign up for sure. ???? and i dont speak wet suit langauge so thickness and flexabilty etc ....is there a safe bet thats warmest? and im really rather sofa like ..i mean my size is pretty close to the size of my sofa, bur im only 5' 6 , so should i get the largest suit i can ever find or one size smaller to alllow for the, not being 6'6. ??? clearly i appear unready...i am...but i like to swim and large or not i'm happy to face the public humiliations in order to achieve the personal goal....any advice appreciated please emaiil as im a tecnophobe who may never find this site again. thanks. ....regards....moi a great read! thanks for the humour.
but can i seek advice too??? i see by the dates that most of ya applied for 2009 ages ago….i only learned about this swim a few days ago. all of the places are gone exept for the slim poss of a few charity spots that may be available, maybe on standby only if others drop out from a late bout of sanity. does anyone have any tips on how a newbie may still be able to sign up for sure. ???? and i dont speak wet suit langauge so thickness and flexabilty etc ….is there a safe bet thats warmest? and im really rather sofa like ..i mean my size is pretty close to the size of my sofa, bur im only 5′ 6 , so should i get the largest suit i can ever find or one size smaller to alllow for the, not being 6’6. ???

clearly i appear unready…i am…but i like to swim and large or not i’m happy to face the public humiliations in order to achieve the personal goal….any advice appreciated

please emaiil as im a tecnophobe who may never find this site again.
thanks. ….regards….moi

]]> By: Lane Rage | warriorwomen running blog http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1927 Lane Rage | warriorwomen running blog Tue, 21 Jul 2009 12:41:39 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1927 [...] swimming again very soon. The Great North Swim was approaching at a fair ole rate and given that it threatened to kill me last year with previously unknown asthma issues I didn’t think I should take my training commitment too [...] [...] swimming again very soon. The Great North Swim was approaching at a fair ole rate and given that it threatened to kill me last year with previously unknown asthma issues I didn’t think I should take my training commitment too [...]

]]> By: dumpty http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1925 dumpty Sun, 17 May 2009 19:58:51 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1925 loved that !! ive given a few guys down the local pool a verbal commitment that i wil do it in 2010. havent given up being able to do it in 2009 yet, but realistically it isnt going to happen. never swam in open water in anything like this, and am a little nervous about it, even though its more than a year away. but reading your account is very inspiring, and if you can do it then so can i. just broke my pb for longest distance swam earlier today in one stretch (2.5k) so confident the distance isnt going to be a problem. but i guess the cold, swans, wet suits and faster swimmers coming over the top will be a problem !! anyway, great lil read, will see you there in 2010 !! loved that !!

ive given a few guys down the local pool a verbal commitment that i wil do it in 2010. havent given up being able to do it in 2009 yet, but realistically it isnt going to happen.

never swam in open water in anything like this, and am a little nervous about it, even though its more than a year away. but reading your account is very inspiring, and if you can do it then so can i.

just broke my pb for longest distance swam earlier today in one stretch (2.5k) so confident the distance isnt going to be a problem. but i guess the cold, swans, wet suits and faster swimmers coming over the top will be a problem !!

anyway, great lil read, will see you there in 2010 !!

]]> By: Two Common By Half | warriorwomen running blog http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1923 Two Common By Half | warriorwomen running blog Tue, 17 Mar 2009 21:04:01 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1923 [...] (at least for now), I’ve gone and signed myself up the scary Great North Swim. I’m hoping to be able to finish it without the asthma attack this time, which probably means [...] [...] (at least for now), I’ve gone and signed myself up the scary Great North Swim. I’m hoping to be able to finish it without the asthma attack this time, which probably means [...]

]]> By: Eileen http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1924 Eileen Thu, 05 Mar 2009 21:46:42 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1924 Just read this, found it after signing up again for 2009. I think my time was a bit slower than yours but I can't remember exactly, not that I really want to. My experience was very similar to yours. I'd done a lot of swimming in a pool and thought I could easily do it in about 50 minutes, which I had been doing. However i hadn't reckoned on a wetsuit that was too small so I couldn't raise my arms properly. I had never swam in open water before and never in a wetsuit so the bouyancy thing took me a bit by surprise. All my training had been front crawl but I couldn't do it for 3 reasons 1. it was a bit choppier that I'm used to so I had difficulty seeing where I was going, so needed to do breaststroke so I could see to keep on course. 2. When I tried doing crawl my legs popped out of the water because of the wetsuit, so I didn't like the position with my head deeper in the water that my feet. 3. My wetsuit was too restrictive so I had difficulty moving my arms properly. So I invented a stroke, sort of breaststroke like arms and front crawl legs, but often I was swimming almost vertically in the water. It's not a stroke I'd recommend people practice. When I set off I quickly realised I wasn't going to win so just settled down to enjoying it. That is once I'd got over the shock of how far it looked and convinced myself I could do it. Well actually more accurately I think I was too stubborn to get out. I have a strange 'I've started so I must finish mentality'. I quickly realised that I wouldn't get many chances of paddling across the lake with my own personal canoe safety escort. I also realised since I was in a morning wave I had all day to do it. At one point I came within a few feet of a couple of swans, they didn't seem to mind me being there. Anyway needless to say I can't wait for September, see you there! Just read this, found it after signing up again for 2009. I think my time was a bit slower than yours but I can’t remember exactly, not that I really want to. My experience was very similar to yours. I’d done a lot of swimming in a pool and thought I could easily do it in about 50 minutes, which I had been doing. However i hadn’t reckoned on a wetsuit that was too small so I couldn’t raise my arms properly. I had never swam in open water before and never in a wetsuit so the bouyancy thing took me a bit by surprise. All my training had been front crawl but I couldn’t do it for 3 reasons
1. it was a bit choppier that I’m used to so I had difficulty seeing where I was going, so needed to do breaststroke so I could see to keep on course.
2. When I tried doing crawl my legs popped out of the water because of the wetsuit, so I didn’t like the position with my head deeper in the water that my feet.
3. My wetsuit was too restrictive so I had difficulty moving my arms properly.
So I invented a stroke, sort of breaststroke like arms and front crawl legs, but often I was swimming almost vertically in the water. It’s not a stroke I’d recommend people practice.

When I set off I quickly realised I wasn’t going to win so just settled down to enjoying it. That is once I’d got over the shock of how far it looked and convinced myself I could do it. Well actually more accurately I think I was too stubborn to get out. I have a strange ‘I’ve started so I must finish mentality’. I quickly realised that I wouldn’t get many chances of paddling across the lake with my own personal canoe safety escort. I also realised since I was in a morning wave I had all day to do it. At one point I came within a few feet of a couple of swans, they didn’t seem to mind me being there.
Anyway needless to say I can’t wait for September, see you there!

]]> By: warriorwoman http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1922 warriorwoman Tue, 10 Feb 2009 20:02:37 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1922 Thanks for the comment, it's a good reminder that I need to register my interest for next year. Now that's a scary thought....I wonder if I will still squeeze into the wetsuit? Thanks for the comment, it’s a good reminder that I need to register my interest for next year. Now that’s a scary thought….I wonder if I will still squeeze into the wetsuit?

]]> By: julie http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1921 julie Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:09:02 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1921 this is a fantastic account and really very funny - you give Lucy Mangan a run for her money (she's a dead funny columnist in the Guardian) - but she'd probably have something to say about running (she's not really the gym-bunny type). Well done - my first swim attempt will be this year so I forward to peeing in the Windemere at a place near you in 2009 (that sounds bad....) this is a fantastic account and really very funny – you give Lucy Mangan a run for her money (she’s a dead funny columnist in the Guardian) – but she’d probably have something to say about running (she’s not really the gym-bunny type). Well done – my first swim attempt will be this year so I forward to peeing in the Windemere at a place near you in 2009 (that sounds bad….)

]]> By: Good For Nothing | warriorwomen running blog http://whatapalaver.co.uk/2008/09/great-north-swim/comment-page-1/#comment-1920 Good For Nothing | warriorwomen running blog Mon, 08 Dec 2008 17:05:02 +0000 http://www.warriorwomen.co.uk/?p=415#comment-1920 [...] myself as an active sort who is known to occasionally entertain with stories of puddle running, cold water immersion and wholesale slug annihilation, but who now seems to have turned into a bit of a lazy good for [...] [...] myself as an active sort who is known to occasionally entertain with stories of puddle running, cold water immersion and wholesale slug annihilation, but who now seems to have turned into a bit of a lazy good for [...]

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