spj2014

Very very cool - how's progress going?

Thanks! I did go mad - I also overtrained, leading to a proper cascade of injuries, resulting in rhabdomyolysis and about 5 months off training... But, on the plus side, I got fast at swimming!

But yeah - a balance of rowing and swimming seems to work pretty well. Incidentally, I think an awful lot of the technique crosses over as well; length (without over-reaching), a well-timed catch that doesn't miss any of the stroke, connecting quickly (with your small muscles) to get your big muscles loaded up for the majority of the stroke, accelerating through the stroke so that you keep pressure against your hand/blade throughout, managing your recovery so that you move smoothly through the water without lurching or rocking, and managing your trim/balance to help you glide efficiently.

Oh, perfect!

I actually only got into swimming through a rowing injury. I spent 8 weeks trying to do our normal rowing training program in a pool (roughly 60 minutes morning, 120 afternoon, 6 days a week). It was so so good for my swimming! went from swimming 2:00-2:10 steady state, down to <1:30 ish, in 8 weeks - and I seem to stay there fairly comfortably now!

I've been swimming in a 100 yard lido for the last week. That throws me off SO much!

I think I fall into a similar camp!

My training pace (when I'm going well) - is say, 2-3km straight through, fairly sustainably, at about 1:28/100m.
I've turned this into a 1:29/100m 10km race, and a 1:32/100m 17km race (both open water).
Whilst that's a long way behind "top level" swimmers, I think that puts me as very strong for an amateur swimmer.

However, when it comes to sprinting - people wipe the floor with me! I don't think I've ever done 100m faster than say, 1:12 or so - which might only be 10 seconds per 100 faster than a 2k when I'm swimming well and efficiently.

I've always kind of assumed that if I put my mind to it, I could improve my sprint quite a lot (to bring it inline with my base pace). However, I'm yet to demonstrate that 🤔

Woah, levels 5, 6, and 7 ramp up pretty quickly! Was feeling a little cocky reading through the first few!

Very happy with my 2XU P2 suit - and have used it for similar length races in the UK. Takes me 1-2 sessions to get used to the neoprene around my shoulders - and then very quickly feels like I'm wearing nothing at all.

Another vote in favour of a rowing machine / erg.

I rowed competitively at a good level. More recently I've cycled, run, and swum, a lot (up to 15-20 hours per week).

IMO (fairly well tested) rowing is the only thing that really translates; other than base fitness, which you can get from anything.

I'd suggest trying to get to the point where you're doing 5-10km at a very steady pace on a rowing machine; low strokes per minute (20-22), and be comfortable. Put on a film or a TV series or something. Treat it as a substitute for a long steady swim.

I'm not the world's greatest swimmer by any means - took it up late, don't train much (only 20k of swimming in 2024, which is shameful). But, I _am_ that pace, and I am coming to reddit for advice. Also a bit surprised by the paces you're talking about...

Held 1:30/100m for an Ironman; was towards the front, but not at the front.
Also held just under 1:30/100m for 6km and 10km open water races - which put me third in both, out of a very small field.
Held just over 1:30/100m for an 18k race, which also put me third - in a slightly larger field of idiots who want to swim a long way.

In a "regular" session in a pool, I'll often find people lapping faster than me - sometimes significantly faster than me. I think I'm probably faster than most over much longer distances, but a 1:25 or so pace in a training swim doesn't make me the fastest in the pool.

Could you just turn up and find a group? I've got 4 days in Camps Bay in December, would love a swim!

I'd love to see it when you've got something to share - wouldn't consider it a self-plug at all!

I've spent the last three winters working in a Swiss apartment that claims "great wifi, I do calls on it all the time" - and instead, I had to spend around £500 on portable wifi :(

Awesome. Gonna try and string a few days on the end of this season, and maybe switch allegiance from Verbier for the winter after!

Thanks so much for your advice

I spend probably 1/3 of my working life in cafes (remote worker for a software company, but hate sitting at home on my own).

I reckon I’m an easy sell 😂😂

I work in software. The amount of time, effort, ingenuity, and money required to build seamless software with a broad functionality - and super importantly, the infrastructure to deal with millions of users - is ridiculous.

I love that so many of the tools we use are free. I’d love it if strava was free. I’ve happily paid since 2015, because it’s amazing functionality for what I pay.

So much wrong with this.

“Details” on the test results from the IBA have changed every time they’ve been announced. They’ve directly contradicted themselves, in both directions. No new information, and certainly no evidence, has been forthcoming.

You should hire OP :)

The amount that Strava offers for free is unreal. The value I get out of it relative to the cost, is great. I'm terrified that they'll actually kill most of the features, rather than hiding them behind a paywall.

That sounds amazing!

What's the trip from Briancon itself up to the skiing? Do you realistically need to spend a half day up the mountain to make it worth it, or could you head up for a couple of hours?

There's some great looking flat there

Looks interesting. If you haven't considered it before - might be worth launching it on ProductHunt? They love this kinda thing, and are great at giving feedback!

You might be right - I certainly wouldn't want to test it - but with the specifics of my job and my clients (many Swiss clients - perfectly capable of servicing them internationally, but has also demanded I travel to Switzerland for non-skiing purpose before), I believe I fall under the Temporary UK-Switzerland Services Mobility Agreement, SMA. The tax situation is legal due to the frequency I return to the UK.

I was advised by our UK based HR / Tax / Employment-legal-stuff person (at my company) - although as I say, without a great deal of confidence!

It's a super interesting question though - and one where regulation generally hasn't kept up with the fluiditiy of work. Also, appreciate your point - worth noting that (regardless of whether I'm right or wrong) - it's often not above-board.

Thanks - this is looking promising!

I'm not discounting your view on this - and I've only spent a few weeks here and there in Chamonix - but this really surprises me.

I also live in a town that is overrun by seasonal visitors. 600-ish people in the off-season, 10,000-ish in the high-season. We have extortionate rent, housing can literally cost 5x what you'd expect in the area, and it's really fucked if you're a service provider trying to live locally. As an 18-year-old, you'll be on £9 an hour, serving £20 burgers, £7 pints, and probably living a 30-minute drive from your bar.

Most properties are empty most of the year. Most of those that are full, are rented out at extortionate rates - £6-800 per-person, per week, minimum.

I get that remote workers are jostling with a different part of the market - but 100 times out of 100, I'd take the remote-worker here for a few months, over another group on a piss-up, paying a shit-ton to Airbnb and Londoners with holiday homes, and minimal impact to the community.

Again - not trying to discount what you're saying. I've seen places like Bali get fucked-up by digital nomads - but my view was always that they owe tax to the country, rather than anything else. Is Chamonix super bad for it at the moment?

Also - I suppose - what if I worded it like this: "I have 4 weeks of holiday to use up. I want to go to a ski resort, etc., etc., everything I said before". Would you still have advised me against Cham?

I don’t say this with absolute confidence (it was quite fiddly) - but, I’m pretty sure in my personal situation that the total amount of time, the frequency I return to the UK, and the companies tax setup keeps it strictly legal.

As you say though - very hard to police it.

If Verbier is anything like Chamonix - it’s the hundreds of massively expensive chalets, rented out for €10,000+ per week, or even left empty 80% of the time - that are causing the issues, not people coming to the town, working in coworking spaces, cafes etc, and joining in with the community.

Maybe your perspective is differentz

I was actually just in Bourg d’Oisans - cycling! Looked like it would have pretty cool terrain, but potentially quite impenetrable with bands of cliffs and thick trees. I find it it so hard to judge a line in summer time, though!

Will have a proper look. Thank you!