Paul Newsome

Paul Newsome Q&A:

How many Rotto Solos have you done?

Paul is Swim Smooth's Head Coach

What was your toughest race ever and why?

I’ve had a few – usually from setting off too fast and over-estimating my current level of fitness!! I’d have to say that the Champion Lakes 10km swim in December 2010 was my hardest – I got to ~5.5km and absolutely blew up…4.5km is a long way to swim when you have absolutely nothing left in the tank at all, but I kept telling myself that I’m going to probably feel at least this bad potentially at some point during the English Channel swim, so despite my wife suggesting I pull out (at one of the aid stations) I decided to “toughen-up princess” and carry on, albeit very, very slowly!!

What do you think about when you are finding training or a race really tough?

The next stroke…

What do you reward yourself with after a big training session or race?

Usually a can of coke… love the sugar rush and the old wives tale that suggests that the amount of chemicals in a can of coke will be enough to kill any amount of bad bacteria I might have swallowed in the ocean / river / lake etc.

What are you looking forward to most about the Channel swim?

The sense of adventure of getting from Point A to Point B and finding myself in a different country when I’m there! As a kid I used to always be challenging myself on my bicycle to ride crazily long distances from point to point, never quite knowing if I’d make it and to me that’s where the motivation and “risk” all play together to make something very exciting indeed!

Paul and his wife Michelle - Rottnest finish line

Poo…of the floating, ferry-dumping kind – not of the “I-might-need-to-go” variety!

What or who has inspired you to do this swim?

I’ve always viewed this as a bit of a pinnacle of the sport of swimming – something you have to at least try. I’m motivated by doing it for my son (Jackson) as well – having his Daddy having swum from England to France should hopefully be quite a cool thing to tell his little mates, albeit in garbled baby talk!

How many kms will you rack up in a week min-max?

Hmmm… probably about 20km minimum and up to about 50km maximum – I’m not one for massive mileage, partly due to work and family commitments but also shoulder injury management too.

What do you think about in these long swims?

Stroke rhythm…and Dory in Finding Nemo saying “Just Keep Swimming…!”

Paul during his 2009 Rottnest Solo Crossing

Getting fat!! I go through phases thinking it’s quite cool to be able to eat whatever you want in an effort to put on a bit of lardy insulation, but then also get concerned as well about how I’m already about 10-12kg heavier than I used to be when I was racing triathlon and whether or not I’ll be able to easily lose it again post-Channel swim!!

Are you a competitive person? Who is the most competitive person you know?

Yes, and erm, that’d be me also!! Wayne is a close second though!

Paul testing goggles

A variety of things…I usually start on hi-tech gels and energy bars but will no doubt slip into a few rounds of some comfort foods like chocolate and coke when the going gets a little tough!

Will you be getting a tattoo after this swim to symbolise what you have achieved?

Funny you should ask that as I was thinking that very thing this morning but then I quickly dismissed the idea as I don’t think a picture of a small turd on my left shoulder would be totally appropriate in polite company despite it probably being an accurate symbol of what the conditions will be like swimming across to France – those ferries really know how to spit it out!!

CDFBCC: Thanks Paul!