This is the culmination of 3 years for me after a somewhat rash wager to swim the hellespont before I was fifty!!  So here we go, not sure I'm ready but this is it!! 

The Hellespont is a strait of water between Europe and Asia and is one of the world's  most iconic swims, made so by the greek tragedy that is the story of Hero and Leander (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hero_and_Leander.   It was made more so by the fact that it was swum by Lord Byron after a number of failed attempts in 1810, to prove that it could be done and the greek story was true.  

The swim is 4.5 km and across one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world which is shut for just 1.5 hours for this race!! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hellespont) 

This year I am raising funds for Fibromyalgia Association U.K.  Fibromyalgia is a debilitating and painful condition that affects between 3-4 7% of the population.  It is prevalent in females.  My Mother has been living with this condition for nearly ten years.  The symptons of Fibromyalgia are chronic muscle and joint pain, which waxes and wanes but always makes mobility a problem; persistent fatigue and non-refreshing sleep compound the problems of coping with everyday living. The onset of fibromyalgia can be sudden or gradual, triggered by a number of factors such as stress, trauma or injury.  It has been diagnosed since the 1990’s.  There is no known cure and the only option for sufferers is to learn to manage their condition. Research is ongoing. 

 

The Fibromyalgia Association UK is a volunteer run charity pledged to raise awareness and provide literature,advice and information to Support Groups across the U.K.  All the funds raised from my sponsorship will go to support the volunteers who run this charity.  

Click here for more info http://www.fmauk.org/information-packs-mainmenu-58