In the channel swimming community, many topics are discussed. Perhaps few draw such passionate discussions as what to eat during heavy training and what foods and drinks are optimal to use during a marathon swim. There are the scientifically-oriented swimmers who base their feeding on specific protein, fat and carbohydrate percentages. There are those who swear by Maurten and those who only use Maxim. There are those who primarily drink with an occasional gel pack, banana, or piece of chocolate – and those who eat sandwiches, chips, or ice cream.
But eating before or after a marathon swim, a channel crossing, or doing an Ice Kilometer is a true treat.
Swimmers love to eat – and some swimmers love to drink.
It is that combination of eating, drinking, and talking about swimming that is a real joy and often time lasts for hours.
Dinner with Antonio Argüelles
Antonio Argüelles is renowned for his channel swimming preparations. His toughest workouts are done in La Jolla, California where he swims for 4 hours, rests for 4 hours, swims for another 4 hours, rests for another 4 hours, swims again for 4 hours, rests again for 4 hours, and does a final 4-hour swim. Tomorrow, he starts at 1 am for another tough workout in the cool waters of La Jolla Shores.
He visited the Kingfisher Cocktail Bar & Eatery in San Diego and feasted on a meal meant for a king of the sea, ending with a delicious smoked dry aged duck (Argüelles menu shown above).
Chocolate Ice Cream with Penny Palfrey
Penny Palfrey could not no better sponsor than Mr. Frank Flowers.
In June 2011, Palfrey’s throat was inflamed and her lips and tongue were painfully swollen due to being in the salty Caribbean Sea for 108 km between Little Cayman and Grand Cayman Island.
Palfrey, garbed in a stinger suit to protect from box jellyfish, was being escorted by two 65-foot escort boats, 2 ribs, and 2 escort kayakers, but nothing could help the effects of being submerged for so long in the salt water.
Her support crew came from 11 different countries people and worked in shifts, but when the 48-year-old International Marathon Swimming Hall of Fame inductee could not swallow any more food on her 40 hour 41 minute crossing, Mr. Flowers called in additional help in the form of a helicopter team. In the middle of the Caribbean Sea far from land, a helicopter came into view from the horizon and did a fly-over to cheer her up. As her tongue swelled up so much that she could barely talk, Mr. Flowers delivered a huge tub of chocolate ice cream that hoisted down to the escort boat by the helicopter crew.
By the time, the large tub of ice cream was onboard and delivered in scoops to Palfrey’s escort kayakers, it had melted to slushy perfection and was easily enjoyed by the Australian marathon swimmer.
Potato Chips with John Muenzer
There are always the outliers.
Many swimmers just intuitively know what works best for their system. Sometimes, their selection was easy. Sometimes, their selection took months of trial and error. John Muenzer explains, “I actually stumbled across what foods and drinks have a positive effect on my stomach by accident during the 37 km Tampa Bay Marathon Swim. The conditions for the Tampa Bay swim in 2009 were less than favorable.
Just underway by about an hour or so, the winds picked up and with Tampa Bay a relatively shallow body of water, the waves were 3-4 feet. Then the waves settled in at 4 feet. The angle of the waves were coming directly at my side making it difficult to breathe on the right side. Near the five hour mark, I became quite sick, vomiting several times before the dry heaves entered the picture. I swam for another hour and for the first time I actually thought to call it a day. It was at this moment that I tried my new diet.
I ate potato chips and drank some Coca Cola. I was surprised to experience my stomach cramps and vomiting disappeared. For the remainder of the swim I continued to eat 10 or so chips and drink 5-6 oz of Coca Cola. Upon my return to Chicago, I implemented this into my training for my attempt to swim the English Channel in July. What I found was every time, I felt sick I ate the potato chips and drank the Coca Cola. Every time it worked. It settled my stomach and I was able to go back to my regular training diet.
That year during my swim across the English Channel, I ate potato chips and drank Coca Cola twice. It settled my stomach both times. Many people will dismiss this as foolish, but you want every advantage to help you accomplish your marathon swim.”
Pizza Delivery for Ross Edgley
Ross Edgley swam 50,000 meters in an outdoor 50m pool at the outdoor Best Centre Sports complex on Mallorca, Spain last month – and then he kept on swimming and burning calories.
Like Mr. Flowers delivering a tub of chocolate ice cream to Penny Palfrey, Pizzeria El 44 delivered pizza to poolside for Edgley and his support staff.
Beer for Petar Stoychev
It is extremely rare to find a micro-beer named after an endurance athlete – and it is frankly unheard of to hear one named after an open water swimmer.
But Petar Stoychev is a legend, especially in and around the city of Roberval in Quebec, Canada where he won an unprecedented 11 editions of the 32 km Traversée Internationale du lac St-Jean over the course of his career.
Microbrasserie du Lac Saint-Jean in Québec, Canada crafted La Stoychev that paid tribute to the Bulgarian marathon and ice swimming hero.
Chocolate Bar Honoring Mercedes Gleitze
The highly acclaimed film Vindication Swim about the too-incredible-to-believe life of channel swimming icon Mercedes Gleitze will premiere for the first time outside of Europe in Long Beach, California at the beautiful theater at the Aquarium of the Pacific on July 11th.
Its brilliant young director Elliott Hasler made some chocolate bars that were among some of Gleitze’s favorite foods during her prolific channel swimming career.
Pilsner Beer Honoring Terry Tomalin
After the annual 5 km Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, swimmers raise their glasses with Terry Tomalin’s Frog Grog Pilsner, produced locally by 3 Daughters Brewing.
Terry Tomalin tragically passed away of a heart attack while taking a lifeguard class with his son at the North Shore Aquatic Complex in St Petersburg. But he left a legacy that continues in Florida including co-founding the Escape from Egmont Key Swim and the Tampa Bay Frogman Swim, a 5 km charity swim in Florida that raises funds for severely injured active duty Navy SEALs.
What are your favorite foods before, during, and after a marathon swim, channel crossing, ice swim, or open water swimming event? Raise your glass, eat heartily, and enjoy the company of open water swimmers.
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