About
This blog is a chronic of my attempt to swim the English Channel a second time (after my first solo swim in 1985), as part of an ultra-triathlon from Dover to Heidelberg, involving: swimming the Channel, resting for 7 hours, biking from Calais via Brussels and Bonn along the Rhine close to Mainz (about 560 km), and running the remaining 80 km to Heidelberg. It is a personal challenge, plus it will be dedicated to the vision of the World Harmony Run and its founder, Sri Chinmoy (1931-2007), who was known as a “Dreamer of Peace”.
The details about my attempt in 2008 including a number of interesting and informative links, can be found on my old blog: www.channel-triathlon.blogspot.com.
Channel-Triathlon Dover-Calais-Heidelberg
Moved to 2010
After my hypothermia-experience after 13 hours 4o min. in September 2008, I was sure I was going to try again in 2009 - but it was not possible to keep up the training intensity and afford the time and money needed for the project.
Surprise English Channel Relay in 2009
I wanted to at least do the Zurich lake (27 km) as a longer training swim in 2009 but registered too late. A last minute slot would have been available, had I gone to Zurich to help, because one swimmer did not turn up. But severe tendonitis of my right wrist in July had prevented me from training more seriously and would not even have allowed me to row.
Then, at the end of August, a big surprise: I got a last minute invitation to be part of an international Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team relay across the English Channel at the end of September. One of the 3 original swimmers from the of Czech Republic had dropped out, and Viktoria from Iceland would be a strong forth swimmer. Stepping up my training a little and going to Dover early for some acclimatisation and sea water training, I was just about prepared for 4 to 5 hours in the Channel with some rest in between. On Sept. 30th our team of 4, guided by our pilot Eddie on Anastasia, made it across, in very favourable if not magical conditions, in what for us was an amazing time of 13 hours 21 minutes (1 min. slower than our 6 person relay in 1989!). I was the lucky one to swim ashore and touch French sands at Wissant – just like back in 1985 with my solo swim. At the same time it was the 20th anniversary year of our team’s Channel relay of 1989 – another special experience along the way!
Being a very international team and having had the dream of a “World Harmony Run” Channel relay for some time, we dedicated our adventure to international friendship and harmony, taking the World Harmony Run torch with us and holding or touching it before and after each individual swim. At the end, Viktoria came with it in the dinghy ashore and we lit it together on French soil. Shadows in the background might well have been just another remnant of WWII. more
Booked again for 2010
With lots of luck (or Grace) and inspite of booking late, Eddie Spelling, our relay pilot in 2009, was able to offer me a first position slot for the tide of Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, 2010 due to cancellations – I couldn`t believe it! And we will be staying at Varne Ridge again.
2010 will be the 25th anniversary of our Sri Chinmoy Marathon Team’s and of my own personal English Channel swimming – maybe this year will be the right time!
Now serious training is starting again – and hard work to be able to pay for this adventure! And helpers are needed again!
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Links to my “business”-pages:
www.heidelweb.de (Web-Service)
www.yoga-4-kids.de (Yoga for Kids)