5km/10km Champs Lough Dan

Kurt Godel · 25-07-2014 04:36PM #1

Are many here signed up to do either of these? I'm probably in for the 5km, although the 10km is tempting just as a bucket list swim (never swam that far before). What do people do for feeding? Stick a gel down your shorts, or is there a feeding platform (and if so how does that work)?

Freddio · 25-07-2014 04:49PM

I'm eyeing up the 5 k. I don't think there's a need to feed in a 5 k. There probably won't be a feeding platform but they are encouraging you to bring your own safety kayak/kayaker so you could give him or her your supplies

2old4dacold · 28-07-2014 09:52PM

did the 10k last year. there was a feeding platform. I tied a coloured plait around my bottle (one of the GAA ones) and could shout in to the feeders as I approached and they knew which bottle to give me.
I had gels in the togs as well. it's swam in out-and-back laps of a 1.25km course so I took the gels at the far end and the bottle from the platform at the near end.
I hadn't a kayaker with me, but one took pity on me when i was still swimming and everyone else was finished!

2old4dacold · 28-07-2014 09:55PM

ps - lovely swim in a beautiful location and you'd be well able for the 10k based on your training distances and your times

Freddio · 28-07-2014 10:36PM

Apologies, I never saw a feeding platform in any of the photos I've seen for that race. That was the basis of my assumption.

Kurt Godel · 29-07-2014 12:30PM

2old4dacold wrote: »

ps - lovely swim in a beautiful location and you'd be well able for the 10k based on your training distances and your times

Cheers- but I think I will leave the 10k for a sub-3 attempt next year. Tried a 4km swim today at 1:45 but couldn't hold it, came in 1:48 average. I'll give the 5km a shot and try and get in under 90 mins.

Kurt Godel · 01-08-2014 08:31AM

Feck it, I think I'll go for the 10k after all, you only live once and all that...

Ideally I'd love to do a sub-3 hour 10k swim, but thats not going to happen without a wetsuit, so I'll hope to get in under 3:15 (but could be much, much, worse if I blow up;)). I've never swam much further than 5km, so I'll have to step up the distances and get a couple of 7km swims in before the 23rd.

If I write it down here, I can't back out...:)

Freddio · 01-08-2014 09:14AM

Best of luck to you. Its a mental test as much as anything

griffin100 · 01-08-2014 02:19PM

Kurt Godel wrote: »

If I write it down here, I can't back out...:)

If you write it in your log you definitely can't back out

2old4dacold · 02-08-2014 10:30PM

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Feck it, I think I'll go for the 10k after all, you only live once and all that...

Ideally I'd love to do a sub-3 hour 10k swim, but thats not going to happen without a wetsuit, so I'll hope to get in under 3:15 (but could be much, much, worse if I blow up;)). I've never swam much further than 5km, so I'll have to step up the distances and get a couple of 7km swims in before the 23rd.

If I write it down here, I can't back out...:)

don't get hung up on times. it's not like running or triathlon, conditions on the day play a far bigger role in an OWS. wind can blow times away in a flash.

try out whatever you're going to feed with, and practice using it and the practice of actually taking it on. also, if you don't normally pee, practice that as well (not in a pool obviously).

if you haven't been further than 5k, put in some big days in OW. learn to deal with the cold. my longest training swim last year was a 3 hour and I had a few 2:30 hrs done as well. when you get cold/tired/hungry all form goes out the window, particularly body position, and especially in fresh water.

would love to be doing this again this year, but other obligations ....

it's a major challenge and a major achievement. enjoy it, but don't under-estimate it. good luck

Kurt Godel · 23-08-2014 01:59PM

It was f-f-f-freezing at Lough Dan today! There was a stiff breeze meaning we were swimming into white caps for the Northerly direction of the lap, which meant gobfuls of water no matter which way you sighted. It was a bit quicker coming back though. Great organisation, loads of helpers and kayaks and cooks and marshalls and officials, thanks to them, especially the two lads manning the feed station facing into that wind. I bailed after three laps, I was tiring and would have missed the 4hour cut off had I completed. Talking to a lot of people afterwards, it was obvious there was a pretty high attrition rate in both the 5k and 10k. 10k was won in about 2:50, second a few minutes behind.

Edit- by the way 2old4dacold, your advice was spot on. My form dipped after 5km, and my legs were sinking throughout (cramping so couldn't kick too hard). Fresh water is totally different to sea water, lesson learned the hard way.

mad m · 23-08-2014 02:35PM

That's a pity Kurt, but at least you tried. Might give it a shot next year. Do you know who came 1st in 10k?

Freddio · 23-08-2014 04:03PM

Aiden Hickey came 1st in the 10k men's and Conor turner in the 5k. Rachel lee came in 1st in the ladies 10k and Una Ryan in the 5 k. Think I saw you kurt (tall guy khaki clothes)? I saw you were shivering but everybody was no matter where they came. A few had to sit in the ambulance till they thawed.

Kurt Godel · 23-08-2014 04:08PM

Yeah that was me. I had a cup of hot soup and could hardly hold the cup. Burgers etc looked nice but I left to sit in my heated car.

How'd you get on yourself?

Freddio · 23-08-2014 04:31PM

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Yeah that was me. I had a cup of hot soup and could hardly hold the cup. Burgers etc looked nice but I left to sit in my heated car.

How'd you get on yourself?

I got 2nd in the 5k. The guy I was pacing against got out at 2.5k. 1k from the end my body felt like lead. I don't think my time would have been faster if he stayed in.

Kurt Godel · 23-08-2014 04:37PM

Freddio wrote: »

I got 2nd in the 5k. The guy I was pacing against got out at 2.5k. 1k from the end my body felt like lead. I don't think my time would have been faster if he stayed in.

Ah ok... I saw you both go past. Well done on 2nd! That would be G who got out? He sometimes swims in the pool masters group I attend, very nice guy.

Freddio · 23-08-2014 04:40PM

Kurt Godel wrote: »

Ah ok... I saw you both go past. Well done on 2nd! That would be G who got out? He sometimes swims in the pool masters group I attend, very nice guy.

Yes - I think the cold got to him today. He's normally 30 seconds faster in the regular races.

5km/10km Champs Lough Dan

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