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Angus MacFadyen, a television cameraman from Brighton who is training to swim the Channel this year to raise funds for water projects in Africa, has put on weight to help him keep warm for his swim (see his blog at
channelangus.co.uk). And extreme adventurer Dan Martin is aiming to put on a whopping 10st for his Atlantic solo attempt in May. (For more on this topic see ‘Can fat make you fast?’ on page 32).
THINK WARM Acclimatisation works primarily because of psychological rather than physiological adaptation. We can enhance this process by using mental skills, like visualisation, to boost our tolerance of cold water. For example, try imagining you are in warm water in a hot climate. Although your body will still react to the cold, having a positive mental attitude will help. Rather than focusing your thoughts on how cold the water is, just repeat to yourself something along the lines of: ‘I can do this and I will do this.’ If it helps, just think about the bragging rights you will have with your mates who do not go into the water. “I strongly believe a positive mental attitude makes a big difference,” says MacFadyen, who trained in Brighton’s sea during the lower limits of last December’s big freeze. “I think about having an internal fire blazing inside my body keeping me warm.”
Fiona Southwell employed a similar tactic during her Channel swimming days: “I imagined a heater beside me, and seeing the warm glow of the heater, and imagining how it would feel as I warmed up after the swim,” she remembers.
IT'S WORTH PERSEVERING… YOU GET A DEFINITE BUZZ FROM COLD WATER
Some swimmers find it easier to go the other way and mentally embrace the temperature, however. One of the most famous cold-water swimmers, Lynne Cox, said of her Baring Strait swim: “I'll mentally rehearse the swim 20 times a day," she says. "[Once I’m in the water] I let the feeling surround me. I get in deeper and deeper, feel it get colder and colder. I try not to focus on the pain, but on how I'm going to make my body move." You should start preparing yourself mentally even before
you start the swim. Rather than jumping in to see how cold the water is and then deciding how far you are going to swim – which most likely will be immediately back to shore – decide on a fixed point to make it to and just get moving. Swimming quickly should help as your body generates its own heat with more effort. Think about how you enter the water, as this will make a difference, too. Southwell suggests going in backwards and swimming on your back until your body has overcome the initial shock, which can cause some people to hyperventilate. Emily Morris, the first British woman to swim New Zealand’s Cook Strait, suggests immersing your hands in the water first, splashing some water over your head and starting off with head-up breast stroke to give your body time to settle into the water. “It’s worth persevering. You get a definite buzz from cold-water swimming,” she says.
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Christmas Day swim in Bude, Cornwall
REMEMBER WHERE YOU ARE One of the joys of open water swimming is the variety of places to swim – the sea, lakes, rivers and lidos – but remember each has their own characteristics. In winter, the water temperature in lakes is generally colder than the sea, but it is often the other way around in summer. In the sea you may also have to contend with currents, tides and waves, which can tire you, and hence chill you, more quickly. Water changes temperature more slowly than air so you need to consider how the weather has been over the days and weeks preceding your swim, as well as conditions on the day. When you are in the water, be aware of the wind chill and the presence or absence of the sun as a change in these factors can quickly affect conditions. Marathon swims often continue into the night, when the temperature drops considerably. While we can train ourselves to cope better with cold water, it still remains dangerous. The colder it is, the more quickly it can kill you. Brendan McConville, a regular year-round open water swimmer uses the ‘one minute per degree’ rule of thumb to guide how long he will stay in the water. If the water is 7°C, he will limit his swim to seven minutes. Wherever and whenever you swim, make safety a priority.
As well as preparing for the cold, seek local input from experienced swimmers regarding any dangers such as how the tides go, what the currents are like, if there’s a riptide or any hidden dangers such as rocks that you need to be aware of. Swim well within your limitations, and in cold water conditions, stay close to the banks or beaches. Finally, be aware that your attempts to conquer cold water could become addictive. The joy of swimming in open water helps many people feel invigorated and alive, as well as being linked to benefits like healthy skin, good circulation and a boosted immune system. You’ll have the freedom and pleasure of swimming where and when you want, without the inconvenience of pool opening hours. And the adrenaline rush you get from the cold water (once you thaw out), can keep you smiling all day. ∆
GET MORE INFORMATION For more on cold water swimming see
outdoorswimmingsociety.com,
openwaterswimmer.com or
river-swimming.co.uk/winterswims.htm
Photo © Sam Bird
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