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7 years ago when my daughters began to swim, I decided to get the trunks out of retirement and began training with Perry Beeches Masters swimming club – a group of ‘mature swimmers’ who have all had a competitive background in swimming similar to me.

I have been training regularly with the Masters two to three times a week, again taking part in Masters only competitions.

Whilst out on one of our ‘social evenings’, it was suggested that it would be a good idea if we attempted to swim the channel!  As one of the Master swimmers had already swam the channel, we thought we would be up for the challenge and Paul Bates was nominated Captain.

Meet the team:- Paul Bates (Captain), Charlie Wheadon (The young one), Claire Thorn (The female touch), Ross Emery (The Little one), Paul Bates (Captain), and Rob Small (The Fast one) and Me (The Big one)

We started on our 18 month journey and decided not only to swim the Channel one way but attempt the Double Channel Relay.    My training has started already with a series of swimming challenges, including:

2Swim4Life – 24 miles in 24 hours challenge – Guildford Lido – May 2015.  The UK’s toughest endurance swim – swim a mile on the hour every hour for 24 hours. Successfully completed.

Bournemouth Pier-to-Pier, 1.25 miles – July 2015                                  We spent the weekend completing sea-swimming practice, with approximately 9 miles swam in total over the weekend.

Coniston Lake Chill swim, end to end 5.25 miles – Sept 2015                
I came 3rd in my age group and completed it in 2 hours and 55 minutes.

The culmination will be the 2-way Relay Channel Swim (i.e. to France AND back again!) in July 2016.

As to when there is a good time to swim in the English Channel? - there isn’t one!

The English Channel swim is one of the top open water swims of the World, (if not the top), due to the many different elements surrounding it.  It is far from an easy swim or one for swimmers without a good amount of experience.

More people have successfully attempted Mount Everest than successfully swam the Channel!

The water temperature is cold (16°C to 18°C) with waves and sudden changes in the weather.  We are crossing one of the busiest shipping
lanes in the world.

The “average” swim times one way are around 12 to 16 hours in duration. We are attempting to swim the Double  between 18 – 20 hours.

I am raising money for the Charities: Treble One Trust and Macmillan Cancer Support and I would very much welcome your support. 

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