In August of last year, Gail Rice, 43, realized her lifelong dream to swim across the English Channel.
“It’s the Mt. Everest of swimming,” she said, “and it was an incredible experience! I had the opportunity to meet so many international swimmers. Everyone is there for the same goal of making it all the way to France. It is a true display of human spirit.”
Rice’s time of 8 hours and 11 minutes came close to breaking the women’s world record in that swim (and times have sure improved since New York’s Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the Channel in 14 hours and 39 minutes in 1926!).
The 21-plus miles from England to France are unpredictable, and swimmers must often wait days before they can begin their swim. Indeed, Rice and her crew of three (including her 14-year old son, Michael) waited out seven days until the weather report spoke of near-ideal conditions.
How did the South Florida swimmer, where the ocean temperature can reach 90 degrees, train to compete in 60-degree water? Rice had to travel to cooler climates and spent many long weekends in La Jolla, New Jersey. She also spent some days in Maine; trying to get in as many cold water swims as she could.
For all marathon-type swims that she attempts, Rice feels it is essential to get in as much yardage as possible. Marathon swimming being as much mental as it is physical, she feels that it is important to prepare herself mentally during her long training swims.
“Think positive,” she said, “and make sure that you do enough training to feel prepared for the swim.”
Aside from physical training, proper nutrition and hydration is also important. Rice drinks Gatorade or Cytomax during her long swims, and also finds that an occasional Mountain Dew gives a strong caffeine and sugar boost.
During marathon swims, she usually limits her intake to simply fluids, trying to “super-hydrate” during the two to three days prior to the swim. She drinks as much water as she can, and makes sure that she consumes extra calories during the 24-hour period before the swim.
“Practice with different carbohydrate fluids to see what works best for you,” she said.
A busy wife, mother and nurse, Rice has always been one to put family responsibilities first, and she advises athletes to find a balance in their lives.
“Train adequately, but don’t overtrain and don’t neglect family, friends, work and other important things in your life,” Rice said.
Swim on, Gail!
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