NEWSFLASH.....NEWSFLASH.....NEWSFLASH..... see end of message

Hello,                                                                                                         

My name is Nigel Kimpton and I'm swimming "the Channel" on 4th September 2008. After deciding to swim the "ditch", I thought it a good idea to raise some money for our returning-injured forces personnel through the "Help for Heroes" charity.

My very good friend Frank Palmer, manager of Gloucester Park Swimming Pool and member of team “torturers/coaches/helpers” met Johnson Beharry VC recently, and he sent me a good luck card, which was very much appreciated being it from a true hero. So when you get such encouragement from someone like that, then a bit of shoulder pain and the touch of some cold water certainly seems to pale into insignificance!

And as for me, I'm 49 years of age (although I look 25ish), and I am married to Kim, my long suffering wife. We have two children, Terri (repetitive x-factor entrant) and Amie (weight-training rock-chick), and two grand children, Cerys and Evan. I am a chartered physiotherapist, having my own clinic inBenfleet(www.benfleetphysiotherapy.co.uk).

So, if you find this venture of interest to you or indeed you just find my discomfort "funny" in any way, then please do try to donate as much or as little as you can for this good cause. And if you would like to appreciate a little more background to undertaking this swim, then I have tried to capture the essence of this below.

Thank you,

Nigel

I decided about a year ago to swim the channel after many long drunken evenings with my training partnerFreddieSpring. Alcohol induced small talk led to booking the boat ( Andy King and his boat "Louise Jane") for the first neap tide between the 4th and 10th September 2008.

I've always been involved with sport. As a kid, my mother encouraged me to get involved in "track" as I showed some talent at school. I can remember her sweeping the track clear of snow in Winter for her OCD son. I ran in the British league for Woodford Green AC starting at 400m and then moving up to 800/1500m. Having won some races and other bits and bobs, I decided to try my luck in the "States" where I tried the Santa Monica Training Club for a couple of years just to hone my ability to withstand a "beasting". I stayed in LA for the 1984 olympics but didn't achieve the qualifying time, although quite a few of my training partners  competed with great distinction.

Having returned home, married Kim (my long suffering wife who has always supported me), and endured several surgeries, I could no longer continue running due to injury. I then turned my attention to triathlon with the same drive and enthusiasm, although some might call it obsessive and compulsive behaviour! After a while I found myself competing at Olympic distance (1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run), and then at 3 World championships and 1 European championship. I have also competed once ay the World Duathlon championships.

However, after 8 years of training twice a day, I decided to concentrate on my business interests....and then the opportunity arose to undertake the Channel swim. Most of my training is being done at the Gloucester Park Swimming Pool in Basildon with a great bunch of "fat blokes" and slimmer ladies (and many thanks must go to Frank for the sponsorship of "pool time" which is much appreciated) while most "open water" training is undertaken with Fred along the seafront at Southend ( at a bracing 6-8 degrees during Winter time!)

Update.......Monday 25 August............

We have now spent hours and hours in the cold water of Dover Harbour - oh boy, makes Southend seafront seem like a paddling pool!  Interesting waves, jelly fish and a playful seal!

Starting inMay havedone loads of 3 and 4 hours swims, a 5 hour and 3 x 6 hours (compulsoryqualifying time), a 7 hour and, 2 weeks ago I decided to do a 10 hour non-stop - this was to get my head round and my body used to being in cold water for that long.  From chatting to successful swimmers from all over the world it seems that the cold is the real problem, it gets to you after about 7 hours.

With the help of my two open water mates Frank and Dave (who hope to support me on the day) and who have joined me on several 4, 6 and 7 hour swims, it is amazing how good it is to know someone with you is feeling the same cold, the same aches and pains and has the same shrivelled bits and pieces.

Now we know it is "on" - despite the jelly fish.

We have now met Andy King, our pilot, looked over his boat the "Louise Jane" and listened to his advice..

So many challengers have not succeeded or "missed their slot" due to the awful weather we have had up to now , but, having checked with Windguru and Metcheck it looks like things are going to settle for the 4th - 10th September.

So, here we go...........

Keep watching and, PLEASE remember our heroes, they are SO worth your thoughts and appreciation. www.justgiving.com/nigelkimpton.

Hi everyone,

Well, what a pig of a day we had on Monday!!

Pretty high sea and big swells so......in the 45 minutes it took us to head out of the harbour in the boat and cover the two or three miles along to Samphire Hoe, the beach where the swim starts, most of us felt really seasick, including me.

Sorry guys, it didn't go well, I started vomiting within the first 5 minutes, and, thereafter, on a pretty regular basis.  After a few hours we decided that I was getting so dehydrated and, as I couldn't keep any fluids down, there was no chance of completing the swim.

My back up team were throwing up all over the place and it was getting pretty difficult dodging all the flotsam and jetsam around !!!  The annoying thing is that if you were able to start on the beach without rocking and rolling around on the boat before the swim, well, things could have been OK and I would be telling you a different story now!

Really gutted, but I want to thank all you guys who have donated to The Heroes and, even though I was not successful it doesn't stop anyone continuing to send donations to the website to help them - they deserve it.

Thanks a lot.  Nigel

. NEWSFLASH..... We are going again!!!!!

We have booked our boat and pilot to "do the business" next year......... we will go on the neap tide between 13 - 19th July, 2009.

Our pilot will be Ray Cooper and his boat is the Sea Venture 2 - really appropriately named  - so watch this space come 2009........