Scilly Swim Challenge preparations

Stuart and I are very excited that we have booked our accommodation for the Scilly Swim Challenge. Now we just need to book our travel over (probably via the Scillonian, a trusty little ferry that is older than me).

We have been issued with an outline plan for the weekend:

Friday 4th September:

1400 to 1600hrs – Registration for all, Portmellon Beach, Hugh Town, St Marys.
1800 to 1900hrs – brief and 1-mile acclimatisation swim from Porthmellon beach.

Saturday 5th September: (times may change)

0600hrs –  Meet at Registration point, Porthmellon Beach. Walk to Bar point (3.5km.)
0830hrs –  Swim Bar Point to  Higher Town (St Martins)  – 2 miles. Walk to Lower Town.
1115hrs –  Swim  Lower Town to Old Grimsby (Tresco) – 1.8 miles. Walk to New Grimsby.
1400hrs –  Swim New Grimsby to Church Quay ( Bryher) – 1 mile.  Walk to Rushy Bay.
1500hrs –  Swim to Samson (800metres). Walk to Stony Ledge.
1530hrs –  Swim to Porth Conger (St Agnes) – 3.3 miles.
1800hrs – Swim to Porthcressa (St Mary’s)- 2.2 miles.
Beach Reception/Free night.

Sunday 6th September

Contingency Day/Day off.  Evening Reception on Karma Hotel St Martins from 1700hrs (TBC) and awards.

I’ve added the mileage up (2 miles + 1.8 miles + 1 mile + 800m + 3.3 miles + 2.2 miles = 10.8 miles/17.4km) and as far as I can tell it is slightly longer than the listed 15km – hey ho, better value for money!

At the moment, the whole event still seems slightly unreal to me. My plan is to start training in earnest in May after I’ve done Southampton half marathon, but I’ll need to combine my training with a schedule that also prepares me for a half ironman. If I were just doing HIM, I’d be confident that I could manage my own training, but as I’ve never done a swimming event like this before, I’m hoping to get a bespoke training plan sorted.

Have you ever done a crazy long swim? What sort of training did you do? Do you have any tips that you can share with me?