2016 New Zealand Ocean Swim Series Finale

It is that time of the year again when the final race of the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series is near. Many races have been swum, many laps and strokes have been turned over in the training pool and many Eggs Bennies have been consumed. Well, I've consumed a lot of Eggs Benny in the last six months anyway.

Friendships throughout the series have been made, friendly rivalries fought and many goals and fears have been conquered. And although the euphoria of finishing each race to the best of one's ability is still pulsing through the body, a lingering sense of frustration may be present - after all, winter is coming. So what happens next?

For some, resolutions will be fresh in the mind and the motivation to progress, to get fitter and to reach further heights will be excitingly overbearing. For others, the thought of a beer, a burger and not seeing the sun rise through a pair of goggles while swimming in a straight line repeatedly for a good six months will hit the sweet spot.

Unless you're a Polar Bear and love being in cold air temperatures and cold water, training over the winter period can sometimes seem arduous, and if a goal isn't to be met for some time then it can even feel a little pointless. Yet keeping a baseline of fitness makes the summer months that much easier! If swimming through winter isn't your thing then doing dryland workouts like weights, Pilates or Yoga are great ways to keep strength and flexibility. While running, riding a bike or participating in some other form of cardio is great for the endurance come those 'I'm Going Long' rounds.

The important thing is to continue to have fun with whatever keeps you busy. Some will have the magnificent opportunity as I will to travel the world and chase the summer while swimming in iconic locations - for this we should be truly gracious.

At this point I'd like to thank Scott and Natasha Rice along with Simon and Lauren at Quantum Events, the outstanding series sponsors as well as the countless volunteers at each round for the opportunity to swim in some of New Zealand's, if not the world's most beautiful locations. I've had an incredible time jet setting and exploring the country as you'll see in my video!

View from Mt Maunganui

Thank you to Jetstar NZ for so generously allowing me to pass my knowledge back to the weekend warriors, the hardened ocean swimming athletes and the new generation of swimming hopefuls to help build our beloved sport and for creating awareness of this magnificent event that allows us to be one with the ocean and its marine life. Flying Jetstar has been outstanding!

A big thank also goes your way - to the readers. Feel free to wander back through this blog series and refine your skills for the final race and if you see me on the beach don't hesitate to say hello - I love to spin a yarn. Follow my adventures at www.michaelsheil.blogspot.com

I look forward to mingling with you all after the final event and to the Jetstar Super Swim Squad in April where I'll get to properly meet all of the young and upcoming stars!

Mt Maunganui Beach

For now, sit back and enjoy a quick recap (see if you can spot yourself running across the line) of my recent 32 hour return trip from the Gold Coast to Mt Maunganui for the Sand to Surf courtesy of the good people at Jetstar.

Jetstar Ocean Kids

As a young boy I was fortunate enough to be able to try almost all mainstream sports during school - finding that I was highly un-coordinated at most of them. After knocking over hurdles, jumping face first into the sandpit while attempting to Long Jump and plodding along the running track with big flat feet, Pool swimming was something that I fell in love with and showed some potential at. It wasn't until I was 20 that I found Open Water Swimming and soon fell in love with that too.

There are a lot more opportunities these days within the sport of Open Water Swimming for young kids compared to when I was starting out in the pool - National Championships, Oceania Championships, World Championships and of course the Olympic Games. But most importantly, the opportunities to see and experience different parts of the world, swim in some truly iconic locations and meet remarkable people to form friendships are simply life changing. This all comes from hard work in the pool and the ocean.

So what can you do as an OceanKid to reach your dreams and aspirations?

• Write your dreams down somewhere that you can see them everyday (preferably not on the walls of the house, otherwise Mum & Dad might get a bit upset)

• Work hard and smart in the water. Listen to your coach at training and don't get too mad when Mum tells you to go to bed because you have training the next morning!

• Learn from the best OpenWater Swimmers by watching them and even talking to them at races like the New Zealand Ocean Swim Series. Then as you get older try to put what they do into your swimming routine and make it work best for you.

• Have friends and hobbies outside of swimming. Swimming can take up so much of your life, but equally important is having fun with your friends and of course school work! 

• Never, ever, ever give up!  You will come across hurdles along the way but just jump over them and keep on going.

• Always have fun - every open water race is different to the last so the fun should never stop!

Checkout some tips below on putting the next OceanKids race together

I look forward to seeing everyone at The Mount!

Recovery the Right Way

Recovery after a race is just as, if not more important than the training process involved in getting ready for the race. Just like the Jetstar planes - if they aren't refuelled after each flight they won't be able to take off again, the human body is exactly the same. If it isn't refuelled and maintained correctly after a race then having a great performance the next time you race or train is highly unlikely.

Below are a few recovery techniques that I use to help me get ready for the next race or training block. Remember that everyone is different and should experiment with different techniques during their training phase.