**UPDATE** - 22ND JUNE - My Swim has been cancelled due to adverse weather on Lake Windermere. I am now signed up to swim in Manchester next Sunday at 330pm instead.

 

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Firstly, many thanks for taking the time to check out this page. It means a lot that you even clicked on the link.

 

I’m sure you’re busy, so I shall keep this quick: PLEASE HELP!

 

I’m raising money for the South Cleveland Heart Fund. They raise funds to purchase equipment and specialist staff training for the cardiothoracic unit at James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough and associated medical units.

 

These guys saved my dad’s life…. PLEASE HELP!

TEXT JRML64 to 70070.

 

Chronology:

 

Jan 29: I’ve not been playing rugby recently, and I’ve been working a lot of hours… the Christmas belly is still there. I need to get fit…. Went for a swim, could barely do a few hundred metres…. I guess I need to practice more…. I remembered a friend had suggested swimming across Lake Windermere.. This could be a great idea!

 

Jan 30: Signed up for the British Gas Great North Swim: I shall be swimming one mile in a lake battling against many other people. That’s 64 lengths of my local 25m pool!! I'm not much of a swimmer so this could be a challenge.

 

5 Feb: 139 days to go. Did 26 lengths of a 25m pool today. Exhausted… I really need to train hard for this. That’s 650m. I need to do more than double that in the race!!

 

7 Feb: 137 days to go. I managed 34 lengths of a 25m pool tonight! Getting better, thats 850m and around half distance....

 

15 March: After a couple weeks off with illness and vacation, I finally got back in the saddle - 44 lengths tonight! Thats 1.1km and that's a significant milestone. Only 20 lengths short of the target.... should I have set a higher bar?

 

18 March: 1 mile done!! despite numerous whiskeys yesterday at the Rugby, I managed to push out 64 lengths! Now I need to improve technique, and get out in the open water! please continue to help me raise cash: £246 so far! thanks to everyone who has helped so far

 

22 March: managed to complete just over a mile tonight, and received some great technique tips from a cool french-american guy

 

slight blip in the training to make way for getting engaged, getting married (shortest engagement ever), and some travelling. Yesterday, 17th June, I completed over a mile in Hyde Parks Serpentine, i.e. in fresh cold water in the wetsuit. Flipping cold but managed the distance!

 

5days to go