Thanks for taking the time to read my story.

It all started when my manager suggested we do something fun, challenging, and meaningful together this year, and somehow this was settled on the 21-miles English Channel swim for charity. Me being (not so) young and naïve, I just thought "sure, why not!". But that simple "yes" actually meant:

1) I had to swim 2 hours continuously in open water 16°C or below, and in just my tiny Speedo - that's only to qualify for the actual swim. 

After putting on 8kg over the past few months, I barely SURVIVED (!!!) the 2hrs on 8th June in 14°C, the sea was very lumpy... :S massive thanks to my team for going through this together!
[For reference, swimming pools are typically around 27°C...]

2)  The real Channel crossing in August will be slightly warmer but still fairly cold (~17°C), and we'll be swimming 2-3 hours in total per person, next to jelly fish, big ferries, and many other things I'd rather not imagine them!! You can Google if you want...😖

3) oh did I say Speedo? Well, wet suits are not allowed, and the rules say no fabric beyond your crotch... It would have been much easier/ less challenging otherwise haha!

All in all it will be a significant personal challenge and a true test of my discipline and determination - for a good cause.

Right, let me tell you a bit about the charity I am supporting:

Aspire helps people who suffered from spinal cord injuries to get on with their lives. Most of these people would probably never recover from those life-changing injuries, but life goes on. The charity, therefore, is here to help them regain independence across different aspects of their lives - from arranging temporary and longer term accommodations suitable for wheelchairs, to liaising with employers on appropriate working arrangements, to improving mobility through exercise/ sports, as well as counselling/ emotional support.

I am very fortunate that none of my immediate network has benefited from Aspire's help (and I very much hope this would stay this way!!), so I spoke to Paula Craig (once a sub-3 marathon runner before being hit by a car in 2001 when she was training) about her experience, and was truly moved by her toughness throughout her unimaginably difficult times to make the most of her now very different life, with the help from Aspire. 


Admittedly I am not a very good writer, so here's an article about Paula's achievement following her accident if you are interested to find out more - https://www.triathlove.com/blog/inspiration/triathlete-paula-on-life-after-acciden

Thank you very much again for reading. I would be utterly grateful if you can support my challenging swim from Dover Harbour to France, and much more importantly to help Aspire keep doing great things! Please dig deep, anything you give will make a difference!! 🥰