COMPLETED, TWICE!

23rd August (14hrs 54mins) and 8th Sept ( 14hrs 6 mins and then tried to come back for another 7 hours!)

CALUM'S STORY

Calum was a brave 12 year old boy, who despite being diagnosed terminally ill, had a vision and determination to create a respite home (Calum's Cabin) for other families with terminally ill children, on the beautiful Scottish island of Bute. In the 13 months he lived, he was an inspiration to all who knew him. This is a small charity that really needs your support to ensure his legacy lives on and provides a ray of sunshine to other families caught up in the storm. 

MY CHALLENGE

I will be setting myself the biggest challenge of my life, swimming to France. It is the Everest of swims (in fact far fewer people have swam the Channel than have climbed Everest). What makes it particulary difficult is the cold water, the unpredicatable sea, the strong tides, jelly fish and one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world. That is why historically, there is only a 10% sucess rate (although this has improved considerably now with qualifying swims and medical checks). In time honoured fashion I will only be allowed a standard pair of swimming trunks and a hat and goggles, the same as when Captain Web first crossed it in 1875. The shortest straightline distance is 21 miles (35km) from Dover to CapNez, although the tides move you up and down the channel considerably more. However, the swimming distance should still remain as about 35k. I will need to put on weight (about 12kg) to "grow my own wetsuit" to try and protect me from hypothermia, so whilst its going to be fun eating, I may need to buy a new wardrobe!

WHY?

Many people ask me why I want to do it? When I was a 6 year old, I remember I always wanted to do everything I saw. If I saw a train driver I wanted to be a train driver, when I saw the dustbin men riding on the back of a lorry I wanted to be a dustbin man. I remember when I first learnt to swim at age six and watched the News and saw a man standing on the beach in Dover heading out into the sea towards France and I thought (I want to do that!). Its also the most iconic of all endurance events and will be my ultimate test. They say it's life changing. I'll let you know!

CREW (support boat)

My patient wife K who will lose me to the sea for a year whilst I train is very worried about the boat, the sea, the dark, the cold, but will still join as long as the conditions are not too bad. She will also see the pain I will go through which is not easy. On the boat will be my two best friends from School days over 40 years ago. Marcus who I can totaly rely on will sort out my feeding, Jim who is swim-fit and ready to go will be my support swimmer (and fish me out if I sink) and Chris Osmond who will pilot the support boat and point me in the right direction to ensure I dont end up in Belgium or Spain. There will also be an official observer on board who records everything (useful in the event of an inquest!)

Feeding will consist of double strengh Maxim (Carbohydrate powder), Malt loaf, mini rolls, jelly babies, tinned peaches and black coffee. Oh...and ibroprofin.

Update:

I have booked my support boat and tried a 6 hour training swim in Dover harbour. By the 4th hour I felt sick. By the 5th hour I was sick several times whilst swimming. In the 6th hour I was exhausted. I got mild hyperthermia and couldn't talk for an hour. I realise how big this challenge is going to be...

Winter:

Pool training including sets such as 100 x 100m's every 100seconds (10km) and short swims (400m) in the Serpentine in Hyde Park. Happy that in Feb I was lucky enough that it froze over, so after we broke a hole in the ice, we jumped in and threw ice around like frisbies!

Feb 25th: 20km pool training session in an outdoor (heated 50m pool). Took just over 6 hour and feeding went well. Happy milestone. 

Always walk around without a jacket on, usually just a T-shirt whatever the weather to try to aclimatise my body, even for a few hours. Get some strange looks.

No Drinking (even over Christmas and new year)

March: Serpentine is getting warm! 9C which means longer swims are possible now

April update

Just came back from a long distance training camp in Gozo near Malta and completed my 6h qualifying swim (at 15C). Much happier this time, no sickness and not too cold, but my performance did drop off considerably towards the end, which will be a concern as I need to keep my stroke rate up to keep warm and stabilise my core temperature

Summer Training

Long training swims in Dover, 7hr on at Saturday followed by a 6 hr on a Sunday. Feeling good and ready to go! Have told my pilot if he gets a cancellation earlier then I will be happy to take it !!! Feeling both nervous and excited!!!

The Mental bit

80% of the challenge is mental and 20% physical. People often mistake this to think you have to be mental...but there again, maybe they are right?!?

I think about the challenge every day... sometimes realise what an insane challenge it is. Mental preparation and visualising the swim in all conditions, in darkness and rough seas is important. Knowing from all the blogs that the demons are going to come out and haunt me, when I am frozen to the core, in severe pain and the situation looks hopeless. Then I will need to know my limits as i will need to go way past them. I have to relish the challenge. I will finally get to know who am I and what I am made of.

Suspect I may be made of jelly babies and mini rolls!

Please Donate, it will make a big difference

Note: JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the Calums Cabin and make sure Gift Aid is reclaimed on every eligible donation by a UK taxpayer.

Thanks again