This blog is a dedicated blog for Rob Starr's journey from sign up to eventual Channel Swim. Rob's dedication to the Trust is second to none and this commitment to not only the gruelling hardwork, training and preparation for the swim, with his own personal challenges, but also the steadfast commitment to raising £100,000 and creating smiles. Please do follow
No swimming on Friday or today, but plenty of coldness.
Friday morning I headed off, with Sharon and two good friends to the Arctic Circle for 2 nights, 3 days. We stayed at the Ice Hotel in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden. Temperature was Minus 37 degrees Celsius. I can not even tell you how that feels! Despite layer upon layer upon layer of clothing, covered on top with the heaviest winder suit as provided by the Hotel, the cold still got through and it hurt! The first night, after dressing in so many clothes it took over an hour to get dressed, we climbed onto snow bikes and followed a tour guide out across the frozen lakes, through a dark and wondrous forest and to an eventual stop near some wilderness huts. Inside the hut we sat around an open fire drinking hot berry juice and eating reindeer stew. Then it was back onto the bikes and the hours ride back at midnight. Total time 4 hours, temperature -37, layers of clothing on body 5, gloves numbered 3, face mask, and two hats - the pain in our feet, hands and face was so bad we could not have gone on much longer. A bottle of water in my rucksack was completely frozen into a solid block after 20 minutes. On returning back we had to get into less clothes and trek across to the Ice Hotel to try to sleep on a block of ice in a ice room which was -5 degrees. The rest of the week involved riding reindeers, husky rides, more snow bikes and temperature ranging from the hottest being -27 to the coldest being -38 degrees. Probably the most nuts thing I have ever done. I would recommend it to anyone who is adventurous and daring and not recommend it to anyone of any other disposition. As for going back there; not in this lifetime!!
Sadly not able to swim today as I needed to take Asher to school and then be at the office straight after. Tomorrow I have to be in London for a meeting at 8.30am, so again no swim. Then Wednesday & Thursday I have meetings in Gibraltar, so again no swims as I'll be over there! I will manage to get 3 gym sessions in and also a 2 hour pool swim but sadly no beach. By Friday, when I'm back and at the beach, it will be a massive shock as I would have been out of the sea for 10 days in a row by then!! Today it was apparently 5 degrees as it snowed here yesterday; really a pity I missed it as after my -38 degrees I would expect 5 degrees to be a Jacuzzi!!
Not much point in blogging now until Friday as not much to tell; so see you Friday my friends.
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We'll keep the sea nice and cold for you! Did you see the Northern lights? Is relay meeting still on tomorrow evening?
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