Great training weekend

This weekend I did a four hour swim at Manly on Saturday and a three hour swim at Balmoral on Sunday. Both swims went really well.

On Saturday I started at Shelly Beach in Manly and headed up to Curl Curl, with Anna & Margie paddling next to me. This took about 45 minutes, then we turned round to head back to Shelly. Anna tells me I managed about 200 metres in 10 minutes as there was such a strong current running against us. I was completely oblivious to this and just vaguely wondering quite how far out to sea we were (it seemed we were a good 800 metres offshore.)

It took 50 minutes to get back in to Shelly for a feed, then up to Queenscliff and back (another hour) before a final trip to Curly and back. Four hours in total. Beautiful conditions, squillions of fish (can there possibly be a more beautiful place to swim than Cabbage Tree Bay??) and several sharks (the non-bitey type.) The water was about 17 degrees in the bay but probably 18 degrees once off shore and I wasn’t in the least bit cold, as long as I kept moving. A delicious swim, with two wonderful paddlers. Thank you, ladies.

On Sunday it was down to Balmoral for a chilly three hours in 14 degrees. The water was beautiful but it’s amazing how much my pace slows down in that temperature; I only managed the beach – baths – beach route 4.5 times in three hours. Anna swam with me for the whole three hours. The woman is incredible.

It was a really positive weekend and I feel ready for the big one next weekend – 7 hours on Saturday and 6 hours on Sunday. At this stage, the swell looks favourable (ie. practically none!)