Hoala Training Swim - Oct 2019

One of the first things I did after finding out Adrian had a place at the Ironman World Championships was sign up to take part in the Training Swim.

Here we are before the start, in our swimskins.

The Hoala swim takes place about a week before the event on the big island and is a chance for you to swim the 3.8k Ironman course. The course is one big loop which begins as a deep water start just off Kona's famous Dig Me beach. You swim out for what seems like miles before eventually hitting a turning buoy, you then swim across to another before making a right turn and swim back towards the shore.

We lined up near the back of the field, as quite a few pros take part and there were a lot of fast swimmers in Kona as you would expect for a field full of ironman age groupers. The gun went off and off we went. I managed to keep up with Adrian for most of the first leg out then lost him as I hit the turning buoy. There were loads of people swimming around me but as turned towards the shore for a while I lost the pack I was swimming in and then was all on my own. I do remember thinking I hope there are no flipping sharks lurking and then just tried to push that thought out of my head while I swam in the direction of the shore. It did seem a long, long way until I reached the finish, but I was super pleased to see Adrian standing waving madly at me and that I was only a couple of minutes behind him. I was very pleased with my time which was faster than my normal wetsuit one (I must be the only person I know to swim slower in a wetsuit) and delighted to have had the experience of swimming the iconic course.

The event is really well organised, there are loads of paddle boarders lining the route, you have a timing chip as well as get a lovely t-shirt and beautiful wooden finishers medal at the end not to mention a lovely breakfast of fresh fruit.

If you ever get the chance to go, then do this event!

Setting up your back garden pool

Since lockdown closed the swimming pools in the UK, we invested in our own pool so that we could continue to swim in our back garden.

Here is what we bought and how we set up our pool

Intex Prism 4 m x 2m x 1m above ground pool. It comes with a pool filter pump and pipework and a ladder for ease of access to the pool. This rectangular pool is easy for two people to set up. It has a very easy push click frame system which the liner simply slides into. It took about an hour and half for us to set it up (including building the ladders) and then about six hours to fill it!

We set our pool up on a partially patio / pebble base so to avoid any pebbles coming through and nicking the pool liner we invested in some cheap carpet insulation and laid that in between membrane underneath the pool. We also used some cardboard to level it out a bit. When you start filling your pool with water start by just putting a little bit in and see where the water is landing, that will tell you if your pool is level or needs a bit of adjusting. It is important to do that before you fill it right up or you could end up with a lopsided pool.

We don’t have a pool heater or solar panels etc. However, we did buy an Intex thermal cover, which floats on top of the pool and seems to warm the water up quite well. We also bought a standard pool cover which ties to the legs of the pool and keeps the bugs out when we are not swimming in it.

To swim in the pool, we use a swim bungee. The leash is latex and comes with a velcro belt for your waist. To anchor it we simply tether the leash around the legs of one end of the pool and then put the belt on. It is important to make sure the leash is not twisted but other than that there is not much to this set up. You don’t need to create an angle or have the lease tethered outside your pool on a pole.

In terms of swimming in the pool, honestly it can feel a bit hard going. We have introduced sets of 10 mins so that we have a bit of focus to our swims. We simply use a stop watch to see how long we have been going for. We did start by using a pool buoy but it is not necessary. We have used wetsuits as it has been a bit cold but now the weather is warmer is nice to get in with just a swimsuit.

Overall, a good investment for us which will payback quickly since our swim membership has stopped. Also, quite fun for the rest of the family enjoy floating in on hot days.

Open Water Swimming Tips

Swimming in the sea is something we both absolutely love to do. If you are thinking about giving open water swimming a go then here are some of our tips to help keep you safe and maximise the enjoyment of an open water sea swim.

1. Start by getting some local knowledge about the area you are looking to swim in. A quick bit of internet research will help you find out about currents, tidal range, rip tides, hidden rocks or any other hazards to be aware of before you jump in. Wherever we swim we always scope the beach out and try and speak to some of the locals. You will usually find where open water swimming is popular there will be local swim guides, who will advise you on the safe routes and even swim with you. Finally, use your own judgement and common sense. If the sea state is choppy and has a large swell maybe today is not the day to get in.

2. Choose a swimming location where there is a lifeguard if you can.

3. Invest in a wetsuit – it is a good investment, it will help keep you warm and allow you to enjoy your swimming as well as give you a bit of extra buoyancy. Don’t forget to put some swim lubricant on your neck and around your creases to avoid chaffing.

4. While you can buy neoprene booties, gloves and hats these are items we don’t own because if it is that cold we are not going in.

5. Always wear a brightly coloured silicone swim hat – it allows others to keep an eye on your from a distance and is a very safe way to swim

6. Attach a tow float or swim buoy to your waist – it means you can be seen easily from the shore and they are also drybags which means they are really useful to carry your car keys, wallet or even snacks inside while you swim. Once you have this on you can’t feel it when you are swimming and it causes no drag at all.

7. Swim with someone else or in a group. If you can take a person in a kayak or paddleboard to act as your safety boat alongside you / or have someone spotting you on land who knows your intention and can raise the alarm for you if you get into difficultly.

8. Wear goggles and take a spare pair. Some swimmers like to use tinted or mirrored goggles to help with glare, generally we prefer to swim with clear goggles. You can carry a spare pair with you if you want to, shove them down the front of your wetsuit or around the outside of your thigh. To be honest we don’t tend to carry a spare set of goggles while swimming and I have never had a pair break on me in the sea yet.

9. Try not to feel nervous. We appreciate this is easier said than done, while we both love swimming in the sea now it took Linda a long time to feel relaxed and comfortable in the open water. One of the ways to control the nerves is to swim in amongst a group of people who know you are feeling nervous and they will swim alongside you and look out for you. Try and enjoy the natural sea life and freedom of the open water, take pictures, smile to yourself and don’t forget to breathe.

10. Slowly acclimatise yourself to the sea temperature. If you are entering the sea in the UK it can be very cold and need a bit of easing in so that you get used to the cold and you give your breathing a chance to get regulated before you start swimming. If you just jump straight into cold water the shock can cause you to panic, hyperventilate and potentially drown if you are not careful.

11. Swim close to or along the shoreline, identify landmarks or buoys as your markers and always have a point in mind you are swimming to and back again.

12. It is important to sight when you swim. So remember to look up every few strokes, make sure you are swimming on track and gauge if the tide / or current is pushing you in one direction or another. You can practice “sighting” in a pool.

13. Sometimes even a gentle sea swell can make you feel a little queasy. Depending on how bad this affects you might mean you want to take an anti-sea sickness tablet prior to swimming. You might also feel a bit wobbly on your feet after swimming but the motion tends to pass.

Remember regardless of how strong or fast a pool swimmer you are, sea swimming is very different and even the most experienced swimmer can get themselves into difficulty. Be safe, think your swims through in advance, be cautious, be seen and always swim with someone else if you can.

Enjoy your swim!