6) Announcement!
Updated: Apr 5
2026 Goal
Jersey to France.
1) Well I can now officially say I'm swimming the English Channel NEXT YEAR. (Yikes!)
2) It might be 18 months until my English Channel slot in August 2027, but it’s only 8 months until my 2026 interim goal, Jersey to France this September (which I booked back in August before Windermere, which was incredibly optimistic!).
Before then, I need to do a 6 hour qualifying swim in 16° open water or less, in swimsuit only - which applies to English Channel swims too. The CSA requires a qualifying swim within 12 months of an EC slot while the CS&PF allow 18 months. Fortunately for me, being with the CS&PF means my Jersey to France qualifier will also count for the Channel - saving me from a 2nd qualifier under the CSA.
Overview
When I had my initial chat with my soon-to-be coach back in July, I mentioned I'd heard talk of people swimming half the channel a year out from the real thing in order to experience the conditions. A pilot boat navigates to the separation zone between Dover and Gap Gris-Nez, the swimmer jumps overboard and swims back to Dover - a beautiful site (on a sunny day) heading towards the white cliffs - approximately 10.5 miles (further with tides).
Her reply was a lukewarm 'yeah, some people do that'. She explained that while that's fine from a training perspective, ‘I swam half the channel’ isn’t a very exciting achievement. Instead, she suggested a more exciting prospect - Jersey to France. It has similar sea conditions and while it's slightly further at 15 miles, it's a swim in its own right (whether you do the channel or not!).
So me being incredibly impulsive, immediately started searching for pilot boats. Lionheart Pilotage (based in Jersey) are the people who deliver this service and after an exchange of emails, I booked my slot and paid my deposit. So I’m currently booked for a neap tide, 3rd - 9th September 2026, slot 3. As it’s a shorter distance than the EC, a slot 3 is much more likely to go ahead.
The only somewhat unsettling part of this swim came in an email from Lionheart: "Just to forewarn you - given your slower speed and you’re no. 3, there is likely to be a fair amount of night swimming involved. Hopefully you will be ok with that and experienced with it, at least by next September?”! Err, ok. Noted!
December 2025
After an eye infection during the first week of December (no swimming!), the rest of the month saw me back with lake swims, pool swims, runs and workouts. I even took a reindeer and some Christmas ducks for a swim.
I also booked an intensive, week-long swim-camp with the King’s Swimmers, for June, which, at this moment in time feels a bit of a reality check. There will be a opportunity for a qualifying swim during the week, but right now I can't imagine being in the required temperature for 6 hours in swimsuit only. Feeling slight freaked out about that!
The open water lakes I visited in the summer have all reduced their opening hours; nevertheless, I go when I can. The cold has been is my nemeses ever since I got the shivers in Windermere last year, so I’m just pleased to still be getting in there - especially at 5° during the last week of the year!
Having said that, I’m unable to do anything significant in these temperatures, so I accept that right now ‘the cold’ is for well-being/fun. I've since learned that - as a general rule - anything under 10° is practically a waste of time, given no meaningful training can happen at those temperatures. An intense hour (or more) in the pool is far more beneficial and productive than a quick 15 minutes in freezing temperatures.
More training has been pool-based this month, although with November’s ‘challenges’ and consequent lack of sessions, my aim has just been to bank some reasonable distances and hours, ready for a new start in January.
The 3 Days (& hats) of Christmas
January 2025
I’ve been away with work much of January; first to Sheffield, then to Dubai, followed by a few days with friends in one of my favourite countries, Oman.
My coach Emma and I have agreed I’ll officially start with her in February after my travels, and I already have an intake call in the diary for early next month.
I wasn’t able to swim in Sheffield or Dubai, although I did run each day after work in Dubai, round the perfectly suited Jumeirah Lakes Towers Promenade. There was a route marked on the pavement in yellow paint (I think primarily for the numerous electric scooters I saw), so I figured I wouldn't go astray if kept to that. So it was very much a case of Follow The Yellow Brick Road!
In Oman, I swam every other day, alternating that with runs and metcon workouts in the gym. I was pleased to do something every day, considering it was hot and technically a holiday.
I always stay in the same apartment (part of a hotel compound), when I'm in Oman. I love that I have my own small private pool area which, merges into a loop encircling the main swimming pool. So that became my training ground for the week - ideal for continuous swimming without having to turn at pool ends.
Three things made that interesting:
1) The pool heaters weren’t working so the water was cool compared to its usual 28°C. I’d guess mid-late teens, so not good for the holiday makers, but brilliant for me to swim in cooler water.
2) The loop was powered by a fast-moving clockwise current, so my pace was ridiculous. Anticlockwise was like being in an endless pool - couldn't get past the first palm tree. And a tiny lizard on the wall next to me seemed fascinated by my arm movements and head bobbing while not going anywhere. We watched each other every time I came up to breathe; I could almost hear him thinking how stupid I was going in that direction. On the lizard's advice, I decided clockwise was the way to go and it was rather fun dodging left and right of holiday-makers floating in inflatable rings; it felt a bit like weaving in and out of traffic on a busy motorway.
3) I got some funny looks in my swim cap and goggles in the holiday complex! While everyone else was sunbathing in their little strappy, thong, off the shoulder numbers, I was like a maniac as I dodged the tubes and lapped the same people over and over again. One couple applauded me every time I passed them, shouting out that I was champion of the pool - although I’m not sure there was much competition in all honesty.
My longest swim that week was 53 times round the loop - just over 10k - which took just 2hrs 32 minutes due to the powered flow. That’s the fastest 10k I’ll ever swim!
The day after returning to the UK and the last day of the month, I was once again in Maidstone for the DCT conference. Last year I didn’t even have my Channel slot, so this year felt much more real and relevant. It was a good refresher, I learned some new things, connected with other Channel wannabes and saw my soon-to-be coach, Emma (Head of DCT), ahead of starting with her next month.
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