training to swim the channel how long shud i train?

Question

hi im planning to swim the english chanel to raise money for a cancer charity,how much training am i going to need before im ready,im 20 years old,in good shape and planning to do it sometime next year or year after

Answer 1

One thing before you decide to do this, there have been 1171 recognised, sucsessful cross-channel swims. That isn't very many. It is hard. The sucsess rate is rather low.

The Tides are strong and change direction approximately every 6 hours.
Taking loads of factors in to account, you have one of the worlds hardset swims -- "The Everest of open water swimming". The success rate each season is usually less than 50% for solo swims.

You will need to train for at least a year in my opinion - you should train very hard if you are planning on swimming the 22 miles in one go! Can you swim for 24 hours solid? If not, you aren't ready.

Almost every single swimmer experiences a period of mental distress is the 6th or 7th hour, so you really must have swam for a period of over 6 hours before you attempt to swim the channel - you will need special training to cope with the mental strain as well as the physical pressures of such a swim.

Don't go in to this lightly - I've swam the distance of the channel, and there is no way I could do it in one go. And I'm a good swimmer.

If this is something you want to do, you could look in to something like the Aspire Channel Swim - this years has just closed, but there will be one next year. You swim the distance of the channel over 3 months.

Just to help you train -
The distance is 22 miles which is
in a 20m pool - 1760 lengths
in a 25m pool - 1408 lengths
in a 33m pool - 1078 lengths
in a 50m pool - 704 lengths

It is a fair distance! Also, remember that it will be very cold and you will have to swim through sewage.

I'm not trying to put you off - swimming the channel has always been one of my ambitions, but I am so not ready yet!

Answer 2

You need to train for at least a year and try to swim in cold water when you can as many hours in the Channel is a very cold experience. David Walliams didn't train for as long as a year but he had a more intensive training. You need to swim about 5 miles a day if you can and eat plenty of carbohydrates while doing so. Best of luck in this venture. Why not let us on answers know how you are going. Happy Christmas.

Answer 3

Probably for two years, 6-7 days a week, 5 hours a day,5 days of the week, 2-3 hours 2 days a week.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!

Answer 4

gosh good luck

train lots

and lots

seriously LOADS

and good luck

Answer 5

learn to spell before you type as the saying goes don't try to run before you can walk

Answer 6

A couple of days should do it. How hard can it be?