Almanac Swimming: Pier to Pub 2023

 

Col Ritchie, David Lamming, and Tony Forbes after P2P 2020

 

I’ll be swimming in my 22^nd Lorne Pier to Pub this Saturday, and I’m feeling apprehensive about the event.

 

I should not be concerned about the swim as I’ve completed it successfully many times before but factors such as overseas travel, illness, and the removal of skin cancers have severely hampered and disrupted my normal swimming routine over the past year to the extent I’m questioning whether my fitness levels and mindset are up  to participating in this year’s event.

 

And, always at the back my mind is the drowning death of a mate during the 2019 P2P. Waiting on the beach for all my local swimming cohort to finish the swim to discuss and compare our individual performances as we’d done for years, M’s absence was noted, but we assumed  he was simply caught up amongst the throng of many thousands of people still on the crowded beach, and hopefully we’d catch up with him later. The phone call received that night shattered us all.

 

At 72 years of age you become more mindful of your age, and the declining capabilities and limitations of your body. Previously, I’ve never worried about that too much as I’ve always been confident of my body’s ability to fulfill my expectations in whatever I was doing along with a positive frame of mind to oversee those activities. But a few aches and pains, a couple of unexpected kilos gained, my fitness level waning, and many missed training sessions added to my doubts.

 

However, over the past weeks I’ve re-established my regular routine of swimming at least three days a week, sometimes four or five, and at the same time I’ve increased my workload, now swimming 2.5 kms each session.

 

The Pier to Pub is a huge event on the Victorian sporting calendar each year. With an influx of approximately 30,000 visitors, including 5000 swimmers over the weekend, it places an enormous strain on the town to cope with the inflow. Unless you arrive at some ungodly hour you are unlikely to find a parking spot. Thankfully there is a bus service from Colac to Lorne but I only have two options, one at 7am and the other at 10am before my swim at 1.35pm.

 

I like to give myself plenty of time to prepare on the day of the swim. Collection of t/shirt, timing band, and swim cap involves an extended wait with many long queues. I like to check out the surf, the tides, to consider the weather conditions,  discuss strategies with fellow swimmers, and maybe have a swim.

 

Like all sports, swimming involves strategies and tactics. Do I swim closer to the buoys and the beach which appears a shorter route but often negated by the ebbing tide, or do I take the  wider option where the water is deeper and colder, or perhaps straight down the middle which tends to be the most popular for the majority of swimmers? Do I go hard at the beginning, or take it easy to get my rhythm going? The start is always congested, chaotic, and often confronting. There’s no room for the faint hearted as arms, legs and elbows fly everywhere in the jostle for position, if you are in anyone’s way over the top of you they go without any hesitation! It can be wild and woolly and best  avoided by taking the  wide option.

 

The most difficult part of the swim is to maintain a direct route to the finish. Like many, I have a tendency to be all over the place – there are no straight black lines to follow like in the pool! It’s a matter of selecting a marker to aim for, for me it is usually the church half way up the hill but it sounds easier than it actually is. As I breathe to the right hand side I’m looking towards Aireys Inlet as I turn my head. Usually I try to align myself with a swimmer to my right side swimming at my pace, and hopefully, on course to the finish.

 

The forecast on Saturday is for a hot and sunny 37 degrees. Usually the water temperature at this time of year for the swim is around 20 degrees, much cooler than the usual pool temperature of 28 – 30 degrees.  A swimming colleague informed it was very, very cold in the surf at Skenes Creek a few days ago so I’m expecting the sea in Loutit Bay may be colder than past swims.

 

My swimming wave is the Legends (70-79) with the starter’s gun firing at 1.35pm,  hopefully I will be sprinting up the beach 20 – 25 minutes later depending on the conditions.

 

More from Col Ritchie can be read Here.

 

 

To return to the www.footyalmanac.com.au  home page click HERE

 

Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

Do you enjoy the Almanac concept?
And want to ensure it continues in its current form, and better? To help keep things ticking over please consider making your own contribution.

 

Become an Almanac (annual) member – CLICK HERE
One-off financial contribution – CLICK HERE
Regular financial contribution (monthly EFT) – CLICK HERE