Wednesday, September 26, 2012

Public Holiday & the Royal Show & parking...

Dear Swimmers

Just a couple more days and hopefully we'll see the last of this foul weather...it wasn't too pleasant on pool deck this morning!

Just a reminder that both the Saturday 1-2pm open water skills session (at Claremont Pool) and the Monday 7am & 9.30am sessions will still be running this weekend despite the Public Holiday AND the AFL Grand Final!! We always like to ensure that you're covered with sessions over most of the annual public holidays as that is when many of you have additional free time, so if you can make it, please do.

Secondly, this weekend sees the start of the Perth Royal show for about 9 or 10 days. Whilst the pool's car park is reserved for soul use of the pool patrons, chances are there will be heavier than normal congestion on the roads the next two Saturdays, so if you're planning on attending the fantastically fun 1-2pm sessions on these days, please allow an extra 10-15 mins travel time - thanks!

Cheers and have a great weekend! 

P.S Don't forget, we'll be testing on Friday (5.30am and 6.30am) for your current threshold pace, an excellent chance to see where you're at. To get the most accurate times we will divide each squad into two waves utilising 3 of our 4 available lanes with one lane reserved for keeping warm / moving whilst you wait for your turn. This worked really well last time around. Please bring an extra towel if you decide to hop out and stay warm on the pool deck before you're called forward. Due to the nature of these tests, please expect to get less total volume done on Friday, but equally know that it will help set you up for a great summer, knowing full well where you're starting from...not to be missed!

P.P.S it looks like we might get permission to run an additional Thursday evening session at the pool over the summer from 6.30-7.30pm to reflect Tuesday's 6.30-7.30pm session. This will be great and open up more opportunities for those of you currently wait-listed seeking to get a spot in the squad. This session will probably be a Fresh & Fruity CSS session (threshold pace) to complement Tuesday's steadier technique & endurance session with the vision that those who attend on a Tuesday will also elect to attend the Thursday evening session as well. Please let me know if you're keen and we'll get the ball rolling. Cheers!

Paul





Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Couple of quick ones...

Hi everyone

Just a three reminders:

1. Tonight I shall be at the pool from 615-715pm to answer any queries about the Rottnest Program as shown here: http://swimsmoothperth.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/its-here-our-2013-rottnest-channel-swim.html?m=1

Please make sure you've had a good read through and come loaded with any questions. 

Katrina Mercer will be coaching the session, so given that the pool closes at 730pm we have set it up so that Katrina can coach whilst I answer any queries during the session and for up to 15 mins after. 

You might also wish to have your 400/200 time trial done tonight if you cannot make Wednesday / Friday this week. 

2. Monday 7am and 930am sessions will still be on despite the public holiday. Francene will be taking those as I'll be away with the family down in Bridgetown. Brad Hoskings will take Saturday at 1pm also. 

3. Let me know if you plan to swim Solo to Rottnest this year. 

Cheers - stay dry!

Paul

Monday, September 24, 2012

Update to program, fixes broken hyperlinks - would love your feedback!

Dear Swimmers

Sincerest apologies but a few broken hyperlinks in our Rottnest Channel Swim Program meant it was not functioning exactly as hoped. These have now been fixed and the program resized to 4.4mb which should hopefully be better for those viewing on an iphone / ipad etc. Here's the link again:


...would love to hear your feedback!

For your reference, we shall be re-testing everyone's CSS pace this week in the Wednesday 9.30am and Friday 5.30am / 6.30am sessions to get you a baseline for the start of the season - enjoy!

Cheers

Paul

Saturday, September 22, 2012

It's here! Our 2013 Rottnest Channel Swim Program!

Our 2013 Rottnest Channel Swim Program
Dear Swimmers,

Well this have been a monumental amount of work over the last few weeks culminating with a 3.30am finish this morning, but hopefully it's all worth it!

IMPORTANT: Firstly, sincere apologies but due to a clash with the room booking at Claremont Pool this Sunday for our planned 4pm Q & A session we have been left room-less! Knowing this and that many of you said you would be away this Sunday and in anticipation of some further poor weather, we will now postpone this session until Tuesday 25th September immediately following (or during if you plan to swim it) the 6.15-7.15pm session at Claremont Pool which I shall be in attendance for as Sandy will be away. 

I've ensured that the program you are about to read should answer 99.9% of all your questions about the program, and whatever it doesn't I am suggesting that you either email me through directly or pop along on Tuesday evening.

I do sincerely apologise for the late notice of this postponement - please pass on this message where possible - but hopefully the program more than makes up for it! ;-)

You can now download our 2013 Rottnest Channel Swim Program at the following link:


...be warned, it is 49mb in size so may take a few minutes to download!

Please take a good read through of the material for anyone doing (or thinking about doing) the event in a little over 5 months time. By all means circulate to friends, family, work colleagues etc - I simply ask that if you are planning on doing the event and seek to follow the program that you quickly email me to let me know if you're doing a Solo, Duo or Team and then I shall watch out for you!

A few notable points:

  • most of the early morning squads are already close to capacity and as such, if you're not already swimming in some of the sessions which feature in this program, please email me on swimsmooth@me.com to be kept informed if / when spaces become available. I can't guarantee to be able to get you in but will keep you posted.
  • we do have 5 places available in our Monday 7am technique session, Tuesday 6.30pm session (note this will go back to 6.30pm for the summer season from 2nd October onwards) and also our Saturday 1pm session for the first 5 people to raise their hands for interest in these. 
  • given that the squads have been so busy, it may not be possible for those of you who sometimes do a double 5.30am to 7.30am session on a Tuesday and Friday to do this this season, however, three solutions: 1) swim in the 6.30am session and then continue on to 8.30am when the pool is much quieter (I'll still be on pool deck with a 1-2-1 which is good); 2) do the double at 6.30pm on a Tuesday evening, i.e. two separate sessions in a day - if you've never tried this it's actually very effective; 3) swim with me on a couple of the sessions listed in the Program to boost your volume at quieter times.
  • if you don't already have a copy of our new book and are planning to do quite a bit of swimming by yourself, I'd highly encourage you to order a copy as there are literally over 5,000 possible training session ideas in there that you'll be able to use to compliment the longer, more specific sessions that feature in this program.
  • we start on Monday 1st October and run for 21 weeks to Saturday 23rd February 2013 (race day).
  • Sandy will be away for the next six weeks on the Tuesday evening sessions, in his place will be uber-fish and experienced coach Anna-lee Hazell, sister to Francene.
Cheers everyone, it's 4am and I'm now going to hit the sack for a well earned sleep!

Paul

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Rottnest Channel Swim Q & A Sunday 23rd September at 4pm

PLEASE NOTE: we will be making the official start time of the Tuesday and Friday 5.30am and 6.30am sessions 5 minutes later to account for coming through the gate at 5.30am and the slightly delayed start this causes the 5.30am group. This change is effective immediately. We always make the effort to be finished with the 5.30am group ASAP, but to avoid any confusion / chaos, please be aware of this official change to the program.

Dear Swimmers

For those of you contemplating the Rottnest Channel Swim on February 23rd 2013 either as a Team, Duo or Solo swimmer, we are proposing to run a special information afternoon from 4pm to 5.30pm at the Claremont Pool on Sunday 23rd September, precisely 5 months out from the swim.

The session will involve us detailing our own proposed training and racing schedule in the lead-up to the event and to help answer questions for those of you very new to the event about how to get kickstarted.

Our own program will commence on Monday 1st October and will run for 21 weeks up to the date of the event. The primary focus of the session will be to detail the hows and whys of getting the most out of your training time and to stave off potential injuries.

I am putting out a special request to those on the Rottnest Committee (or Rottnest Solo veterans) who might like to offer an abbreviated version of the rules / regulations of the event - please get in touch if you feel you can offer some insight here.

Depending upon numbers and level of interest, this session will be held in the Club Rooms at the Claremont Pool. Please RSVP if you hope to attend what will be sure to fire you up for a successful crossing.

The session will be free of charge and I would gladly welcome any suggestions for other larger venues that we could possibly use in the event of great demand to attend.

Thanks

Paul