Grand Dublin Swim 2016

My journey to Ireland this time started with an early flight from Stockholm to Dublin friday the 22 of july. At the airport my frind and driver Jim were waiting on me with his jaguar. Me and Jim went to Howth for a breakfast, the yacht club was not serving any food at this time a day so we took a walk in Howth and we find a nice cafe were we got some nice breakfast.

Howth is a very nice place just outside Dublin.

After the breakfast we went to the city of Dublin for a photoshoting for the Grand Dublin swim that I had been elected as the Ambassador of the 5k race the next day.

Me at the Liffey with Jeanie Johnston (the ship) in the background.

After the photoshoting we went to Dublin Mini Coaches office.

A massiv thanks to Stephen and Dublin Mini Coaches for sponsor me on this lovely time in Ireland!

At the office I was talking to my friend Sinead and asked her if we could go for a dip in the ocean later on. But the dip become an race in Killiney. With Leinster open sea. So now I was going to compete in a race instead of a dip. I was going to swim a mile in the ocean. The organization were very happy to tell us it was 15 degrees in the sea. MY GOOD!!! It was just 2 weeks ago I got back from Italy were it was 25 degrees in the mediterranean. I was shocked.

The corse in Killiney. They told me that on the mounten Bono had his house. The singer in U2.

They have a system that the slowest swimmer starts first and my time was 8.45min after the first swimmer. The reson is that we all finish at the same time.

And the men starts first and when they were finish it was the women turne. I deciede me to get into the water i minute ahead. And so I did. It was coold but not that bad!

I was very happy I swam 1300m in 24min in 15 degrees in the water and I did not get coold.

Happy to have finish in a good time. Now I was ready for the Grand Dublin 5k swim in Liffey the next day.

My start at 12 o'clock, I was going to swim 3 lops in the Liffey. Finaly swedish goggles preparation befor the swim. And of we whent.

 

When we were on our finaly lop they stop us and told us that we were going to turn back earlyer not at the pink bouy as we had done the 2 first lops. And then I notice that I had company of an competitor Aly. Because I saw she had a gren swimcap and were in my race although she were wearing a wetsuit. I was not going to let her (sorry Aly) beat me in the end of the race. So I started to increase frequency my armstroke and now my plane was if I didn't get a way from her enough I was going to set in a long sprinting at Jeanie Johnston. (the beatuful ship in Liffey) and to puch everything I had left the hole way in to the finishline. But when I got to Jeanie Johnston I did put all in, I started to puch all I had just to be safe. I just whated to win this race! And so I did!!

But I had swam 5800m in time of 1h 36min I was very happy after this swim as well!

 

 

The figerfighters special special shower....all the Liffey water got off

Goldmedal to me the Ambassador of the 5k swim.

The day after the Grand Dublin swim me and Sinead decided to go on our own tour. We met at the Guinness storehouse at noon. And went to town for a lunch befor we got on the 1916 Rise or the rebelsbus tour.

It was very intressting tour. With real actors as guides. They were acting the whole tour. I can realy recomend this tour.

After the tour we got a lift back to the Guinness storehouse with the 1916 rebelsbus. We got there in time for the final selfe tour.

A Guinness at the topfloor.

Pouring a Guinness and getting a cetificat of the perfect pint!

We ended the day with dinner in town near bye the Tempel bar were we had lunch.

Thank you Sinead for an fantastic day!

Monday morning when my training started. My frind Brian drove me to 40 foot for a swim. I swam 2k in 39minutes.

 

After the swim me and Brian had some lunch befor we went back to my place to get some new try swim clothes for the afternoon. When we were going to East point where Brian were going to have kayaking lesson.

I decided to swim a round the bay. But first I was going under the tunnel befor the bay. I took my camera and went.

I swam for 1h 3.2k and took some pitures of the kayaking team with Padraig in the front.

And my friend Brian in action!

After the second swim me and Brian went to the highets pub i Ireland. The Dublin Mountains in Glencullen. The Johnnie Foxs for dinner.

The view from the mountains. Dublin in the background.

The next day I was going to swim with the Dublin distance dippers! When we got there I was told that we were going to go in two groups one who were going to swim around the yellow bouys and one group were going to swim to the wall (pier) and back 2k and so we did.

Even on wednesday we went to 40 ft for a swim around the bouys.

And in the evening I was going to play waterpolo!! It was the tuffest training session ever. You know waterpolo training is so far from my training as you can get. Its a oposit sprinting traning from my endurance marathon training. First we were going to ''just'' passing the ball. And all ready there I had some problem I was sinking every time I was going to catch the ball because I had to catch the ball with both hands and get the balance back befor I could throw the ball with one hand. And after the passing we were going to work in pairs. Me and poor Alex that had to be with me.... First Alex were going to start in the middle of the pool and throw the ball to me, as I was going to swim a few stroks fristyle and then turn on my back so I could catch the ball, pass it back to Alex and he would shoot  for goal. And then we were going to change possision. I told Alex if it was going to get harder then this I would go to the bathroom and stay ther until they were finish..... He just laughing at me and said you just dare. But I didn't have to the lesson was finish. puhhh

 

Thursday the 28 of july was just a long waiting until it was time for Brian to come and pick me up and give me a lift in to Sineads work, befor his own kayaktraining. We were going to have dinner befor we were going to the Riverdance at Gaiefy theatre in Dublin.

It was an fantastic show!

Thank you Sinead for an memorable evening!!

On friday morning we were going to Ennskillen in Northen Ireland and Loch Erne 25k swimming. But the bad thing Im started to feel bad in the evening at the theatre at Riverdance. But I just hope it was some allergy so I hope it would pass. But no, so on friday we had to stop at an pharmacy to get some medical and just have to rest and hopefully it will go a way. But no in the evening I even got fever that was going up and down. So no swimming for me I just stayed in bed the hole day. Prepering my selfe for the dinner in the evening at Loch Erne Resort. Lovely place with fatastic food.

Thank you all for a lovely time in Ireland!

And a massive thanks to Stephen, Sinead, Brian and Jim for everything.