Up and coming leinster Season 2015

mad m

Ok the Calendar for 2015 I think will be out in a next week or two, few changes that will include from what I heard will be.

6 races required to now qualify for Liffey and Harbour swim. liffey swim on the 19th September while Dun Laoghaire Harbour is on the 23rd .

More to follow...

Freddio

6 swims still won't stop the ropers.

mad m

Freddio wrote: »

6 swims still won't stop the ropers.

I know, but at least it going in right direction. Only thing I'd be worried about is it putting off novices who want to qualify to swim the liffey.

Freddio

mad m wrote: »

I know, but at least it going in right direction. Only thing I'd be worried about is it putting off novices who want to qualify to swim the liffey.

I think it would be good for them cos the Liffey is a long swim. They'd be a bit more prepared.

mad m

Freddio wrote: »

I think it would be good for them cos the Liffey is a long swim. They'd be a bit more prepared.

Every year I learn something new about it, always bloody hard...:)

mad m

http://leinsteropensea.ie/?p=2461

MojoMaker

6 from 4 is a big change, will certainly turn away casual interest. Looking forward to registering this year and getting a few done all the same.

slinky2000

Might turn away swimmers who aren't in Leinster. I know the Limerick ones just to make it down to 4 last year before the liffey.

2old4dacold

6 from 4 is a big jump for us Munster swimmers with the majority of swims a 200+ miles round trip ....

mad m

http://leinsteropensea.ie/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/2015-Leinster-Open-Sea-Calendar-Calendar-2015.pdf

2old4dacold

€60 entry for DLH/Liffey after August weekend. will they take the early entry fee if the qualifiers aren't done yet I wonder? 6 races in 10 weeks is not as straight-forward if you're down the country.

throw in the two big ones themselves and possibly Lough Dan, that's nine trips to the big schmoke for a culchie like me

Freddio

2old4dacold wrote: »

€60 entry for DLH/Liffey after August weekend. will they take the early entry fee if the qualifiers aren't done yet I wonder? 6 races in 10 weeks is not as straight-forward if you're down the country.

throw in the two big ones themselves and possibly Lough Dan, that's nine trips to the big schmoke for a culchie like me

I heard but you might want to clarify that it's only 4 qualifiers including Thomand and the lee, as options for those outside the pale.

slinky2000

Only a few weeks left! Gulp.

I've hardly been in the pool since we stopped last year what with having a kid and moving house.

Who's everyone's money on this year? Anyone want to make any early predictions?

mad m

slinky2000 wrote: »

Only a few weeks left! Gulp.

I've hardly been in the pool since we stopped last year what with having a kid and moving house.

Who's everyone's money on this year? Anyone want to make any early predictions?

Hmmm, way to early to say. But what I will say someone in my club has upped a gear this year and will definitely win a race.(not me now)......I seem to be going backwards.:rolleyes:

I've been in the sea (bar a few) every Sunday since last year. Definite rise in temps last week as we started at sandycove around to 40ft and then back around.

mojitojoe

Freddio wrote: »

6 swims still won't stop the ropers.

What is a roper.

mad m

mojitojoe wrote: »

What is a roper.

A swimmer who will hold back his true ability to swim to gain a lower handicap. Ropes until he picks his race then bolts it.

mojitojoe

mad m wrote: »

A swimmer who will hold back his true ability to swim to gain a lower handicap. Ropes until he picks his race then bolts it.

I thought it was a derogatory tern for a novice. Thanks for clarifying that.

mojitojoe

mad m wrote: »

A swimmer who will hold back his true ability to swim to gain a lower handicap. Ropes until he picks his race then bolts it.

You strike me as someone who has been involved in open swimming for a while and seem very helpful, knowledgeable and willing to share and give advice to less experienced and new swimmers like me. Which I thank you for.
I am very interested in giving open water swimming a go this season. I do not come from a swimming background so have never swam with a club.
I know you have to be a member of a club to enter races so I rang a club on the north side of Dublin recently to see if I could join and do some training with them.
He asked me about my swimming background and when I said I had none he basically laughed in my face. ( asked was I a competition / gala swimmer in the past)
Are all the swimming clubs so elitist.
I don't expect to win a race or have any real desire to win a race this year (lol), I'd just like a challenge and a bit of competition.
I only started a year ago after an accident prevented me from doing my previous sports and at that stage i was only able to swim a length but have invested in one to one lessons and can now swim over a mile which i do every second day.
Is it the elitist sport it now appears to me to be.
I just think group training would bring me on even further or am I wasting my time.
I know of other novices who have contacted clubs and nobody even bothered responding to them.
I know the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago but f***k it I'm here now.
Is it an elite sport not open to newbies.

Freddio

Your more than welcome to come along to Dublin sc.

mad m

mojitojoe wrote: »

You strike me as someone who has been involved in open swimming for a while and seem very helpful, knowledgeable and willing to share and give advice to less experienced and new swimmers like me. Which I thank you for.
I am very interested in giving open water swimming a go this season. I do not come from a swimming background so have never swam with a club.
I know you have to be a member of a club to enter races so I rang a club on the north side of Dublin recently to see if I could join and do some training with them.
He asked me about my swimming background and when I said I had none he basically laughed in my face. ( asked was I a competition / gala swimmer in the past)
Are all the swimming clubs so elitist.
I don't expect to win a race or have any real desire to win a race this year (lol), I'd just like a challenge and a bit of competition.
I only started a year ago after an accident prevented me from doing my previous sports and at that stage i was only able to swim a length but have invested in one to one lessons and can now swim over a mile which i do every second day.
Is it the elitist sport it now appears to me to be.
I just think group training would bring me on even further or am I wasting my time.
I know of other novices who have contacted clubs and nobody even bothered responding to them.
I know the best time to plant a tree was 30 years ago but f***k it I'm here now.
Is it an elite sport not open to newbies.

Mojitojoe,

I'm really sad and disappointed you got that response from a north side swimming club, can you tell me which one? Like Freddio and myself and many others we are trying to introduce many people whatever their training , experience, knowledge to give swimming/open water swimming a go.

The feeling you get after completing an open water sea race is addictive, you want to do better after your first. Dublin swimming club which Freddio is a member of has a history that goes back further than the GAA, it's a club that's built on history, tradition, and has a huge family base. ( @ Freddio stop trying to rob the smaller clubs, Tsc templeogue swimming club of potential members )

Mojitojoe, How many times do you swim a week? To be able to swim a mile is great and FairPlay to you for achieving it, open sea swimming is open to all abilities so please don't be put off, swimming with a group will do you wonders, it will push you plus depending on who is coaching the group will give you pointers on your stroke and technique.

There is a swim workshop I'd recommend you try down in Athlone, it's run by a fella I know called Charlie Naughton, it's a one day swim analysis which will video your stroke and will give you drills/pointers on how to improve your stroke, I think it only costs 95euro for the day but it's worth it. I think though it may be finished as the open sea swim season is Nearly upon us. but I can find out for you. The open sea swims are handicapped and are geared towards giving everyone a chance of doing well in them, but as mentioned some ROPE!

A group of us meet up every Saturday and Sunday at 12 pm at the 40ft all year round to swim in the sea, you are more than welcome to join us for a dip, don't be afraid even if it's just a dip come along there is no shame in it as you will find your ability and we can help you along.

I'm there most Sunday's with others from my club, ask anyone from Glenalbyn swimming club where are Templeogue swimmers and we can take it from there...

If there is anything else you want to know let me know here or by PM and I'll be happy to help you...

2old4dacold

@mojito joe -

as a Munster based swimmer who heads up to an odd Leinster Open Sea race, I have found them to be a very welcoming bunch overall. My first venture was to the Lough Dan 10k where I knew nobody (but gained a little notoriety due to the state I was in afterwards!!) after a 10k that I had trained for was cancelled. Last year I took in a few more races with the intention of qualifying for the Liffey. I met up with mad m at a couple of races through here, and I know one lad outside of swimming who's also a regular up there. You make a friend, fall in with their gang and then make a few more. Like any new hobby, you feel like an outsider the first day and then you're not new any more.

The standard is high, but the handicap system will allow you to find your level eventually. The best part of being the newbie is that you're open to improvement!

mojitojoe

mad m wrote: »

Mojitojoe,

I'm really sad and disappointed you got that response from a north side swimming club, can you tell me which one? Like Freddio and myself and many others we are trying to introduce many people whatever their training , experience, knowledge to give swimming/open water swimming a go.

The feeling you get after completing an open water sea race is addictive, you want to do better after your first. Dublin swimming club which Freddio is a member of has a history that goes back further than the GAA, it's a club that's built on history, tradition, and has a huge family base. ( @ Freddio stop trying to rob the smaller clubs, Tsc templeogue swimming club of potential members )

Mojitojoe, How many times do you swim a week? To be able to swim a mile is great and FairPlay to you for achieving it, open sea swimming is open to all abilities so please don't be put off, swimming with a group will do you wonders, it will push you plus depending on who is coaching the group will give you pointers on your stroke and technique.

There is a swim workshop I'd recommend you try down in Athlone, it's run by a fella I know called Charlie Naughton, it's a one day swim analysis which will video your stroke and will give you drills/pointers on how to improve your stroke, I think it only costs 95euro for the day but it's worth it. I think though it may be finished as the open sea swim season is Nearly upon us. but I can find out for you. The open sea swims are handicapped and are geared towards giving everyone a chance of doing well in them, but as mentioned some ROPE!

A group of us meet up every Saturday and Sunday at 12 pm at the 40ft all year round to swim in the sea, you are more than welcome to join us for a dip, don't be afraid even if it's just a dip come along there is no shame in it as you will find your ability and we can help you along.

I'm there most Sunday's with others from my club, ask anyone from Glenalbyn swimming club where are Templeogue swimmers and we can take it from there...

If there is anything else you want to know let me know here or by PM and I'll be happy to help you...

Yet again thanks for your advice. I will definitely take you up on the offer of joining your group for a swim in the 40ft. Not being a hardened all year round sea swimming as yet, I'll wait until the water reaches double figures if thats ok.

slinky2000

I also pop along with the Phoenix swimming club at 10am on a Sunday morning at the 40ft if that suits better?

mojitojoe

slinky200
mad m
Would people be wearing wet suits at this time of year. If not how long or how far do you swim.

slinky2000

No none of them wear wetsuits that I go in with.

Some people only stay in for 5 minutes, others are staying in for 20-30 minutes, it's all about you and what you're comfortable with.

Freddio

It's going to be a cold start to the season with loch lene Sunday week

mad m

Freddio wrote: »

It's going to be a cold start to the season with loch lene Sunday week

Thats normally a good 1500meters. I wonder though will they cut it a bit shorter because it will be colder than sea!!!! Not looking forward to that race!

Edit: Looks like I was wrong, it was 13.9degrees in Loch Lene on Sunday 24th May by Meath Masters website. Sure that's couple degrees warmer than the sea Sunday gone.

Freddio

I wonder was that temperature taken in ankle deep water in the sunshine? Even still 13.9 is brisk

mad m

Freddio wrote: »

I wonder was that temperature taken in ankle deep water in the sunshine? Even still 13.9 is brisk

Actually they may be setting us up! Ah yeah lads come on down to Loch Lene, water is balmy!!!!:D

mojitojoe

Good luck to all the Leinster open sea swimmers and tourists (2old4dacold). I hope you all have a great safe enjoyable season.

Enjoy

Freddio

Brrrrrr
http://www.met.ie/latest/buoy.asp

mad m

Freddio wrote: »

Brrrrrr
http://www.met.ie/latest/buoy.asp

It's not that bad....sure the way you swim you will hardly notice the cold. In and out like a flash.

Freddio

mad m wrote: »

It's not that bad....sure the way you swim you will hardly notice the cold. In and out like a flash.

Thanks for the compliment. The only hope is that its too cold for the jelly b@st@rds

radharc

mojitojoe wrote: »

I know you have to be a member of a club to enter races so I rang a club on the north side of Dublin recently to see if I could join and do some training with them.
He asked me about my swimming background and when I said I had none he basically laughed in my face. ( asked was I a competition / gala swimmer in the past)
Are all the swimming clubs so elitist.

Had a very similar situation with the Wexford Masters, didn't even reply to emails. Seems a very cliquey set up in a lot of clubs.

mojitojoe

radharc wrote:

Had a very similar situation with the Wexford Masters, didn't even reply to emails. Seems a very cliquey set up in a lot of clubs.

The experience has taught me not to let one bad experience put you off. They probably get inondated with e mails from time wasters or maybe the mail went straight into junk mail. See if their training times are on the Web site and go down and talk to them. The worst that can happen is they tell you to f@@k off. If that happens would you want to be in a club like that anyway.

Freddio

Well, how was it?

slinky2000

Cold but calm. Done alright but my stamina definitely isn't up to scratch this year.

Feels great to get the first one over and done with.

mad m

slinky2000 wrote: »

Cold but calm. Done alright but my stamina definitely isn't up to scratch this year.

Feels great to get the first one over and done with.

sure you did great on that handicap.....i got pushed out to left at first buoy, hit huge numbers on way round, just wasn't getting into the mix. great to get one under belt though..

mad m

I can confirm Loch Lene was warmer than sea yesterday, so the Meath lads were telling the truth! I'd say at least a degree or two.

slinky2000

Not too many updates in this thread like last years. How are people finding it this year?

I'm pretty sure it's colder than last year anyway. I was freezing last week in Seapoint and the last one in Low Rock. Only managed one swim last weekend as I did my back in on Saturday.

Pretty mediocre season for me so far, not getting as much long distance training or swims in so times are average. Not looking good for the harbour in less than 3 weeks now.

mad m

Saturday had a bite in it alright and for a short swim it seemed longer. Sunday to my surprise I did well, water was lovely. Monday I had a brutal swim, got hit in calf by a slower swimmer as I was going by, really knocked stuffing out of me, it was like a dead leg. Then As I was sighting buoys, I had to arch my back a good bit , but by that time I knew I was fecked. Found it hard to drive car home. Could hardly move the rest of the day...

Not good when your back goes.....

Freddio

slinky2000 wrote: »

Not too many updates in this thread like last years. How are people finding it this year?

I'm pretty sure it's colder than last year anyway. I was freezing last week in Seapoint and the last one in Low Rock. Only managed one swim last weekend as I did my back in on Saturday.

Pretty mediocre season for me so far, not getting as much long distance training or swims in so times are average. Not looking good for the harbour in less than 3 weeks now.

I'm not feeling the cold. There seems to be a good number of people who ramped up their game for this year and fair play to the ones who aren't nursing their handicap at the same time.

2old4dacold

anybody heading to Lough Dan tomorrow?

Kurt_Godel

2old4dacold wrote: »

anybody heading to Lough Dan tomorrow?

Gonna try the 5k- the 10k was a lap too far for me last year! Will you be there yourself? Any idea of temps?

mad m

Good luck with it lads.

Freddio

mad m wrote: »

Good luck with it lads.

How did you get on? Was it any warmer than last year?

Kurt_Godel

I didn't risk it in the end... was sick last week and figured it would be colder than last year anyway so ran instead.

Kurt_Godel

Freddio wrote: »

How did you get on? Was it any warmer than last year?

15.5˚from what I'm told... thats a good deal warmer than last year, wish I'd gone now!

2old4dacold

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

Gonna try the 5k- the 10k was a lap too far for me last year! Will you be there yourself? Any idea of temps?

sorry Kurt, tried to reply but didn't work from phone for some reason ....
did the 5k and it wasn't cold at all - sun shining and flat calm

Freddio

Kurt_Godel wrote: »

15.5˚from what I'm told... thats a good deal warmer than last year, wish I'd gone now!

That's a big jump from last year, I see only 5 people did the 10 k. I guess people were wary after last year.

Freddio

Any early tips for the liffey? Pm me any names you think paddy power wouldn't have on his radar :-)