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I always loved swimming, it's my happy place. During the pandemic, I discovered open water swimming and started joining smaller swimming events. This year I signed up for my first long-distance swim in the Thames. 

The challenge

The  Thames half-marathon swim is a 5.5km (3.4 miles) swim in the Thames from Hurley to Marlow on the 14th of August 2022. You have to exit the water at 2 locks (and then find the courage to jump back in). This is going to be a big challenge for me as I usually swim around 2 km at a time. Luckily I have a few months to train and prepare, including joining a course to improve my front crawl technique with the amazing Sue Lord and some smaller swim events, like the Henley swim festival in July.

My training consists of swim training three times a week (in lakes and the Thames, but adding pool swims in the colder months). During the winter months, the open water temperature drops down to about 4 degrees Celsius, creating a challenge in itself each time I jump in the water.

The charity

To ensure I don't chicken out I decided to use this opportunity to raise money for a charity close to my heart. The latest statistics reveal that up to 31% (or 9 kids in a classroom of 30) live in poverty without the basics like toiletries or school uniforms. A few schools have started running their own food bank to support these kids and their families. Having previously volunteered with First Days Children's charity I got to know the team and the fantastic work they do to reduce the long-term effect of poverty on children by equipping them with the essential items they need for their early years and school. 

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast, and totally secure. Your details are safe with JustGiving - they'll never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, they'll send your money directly to the charity. So it's the most efficient way to donate - saving time and cutting costs for the charity.