2swim4life

I’ve just returned from Guildford Lido where 100 or so people are in the middle of the gruelling 2swim4lifechallenge. The event, run in support of ‘Help for Heroes’ requires participants to swim a mile every hour for 24 hours. Typically swimmers are completing each mile in between 25 and 45 minutes, leaving them 15 to 35 minutes to dry off, warm up, eat, rest and mental prepare for the next mile. Wetsuits are optional but were in the minority, despite a water temperature of around 21 degrees. Good weather held throughout the day, but the air temperature has fallen considerably since dark, making it hard to warm up. The event has attracted a fair few members of the open water swimming community, particularly prospective Channel swimmers who see it not only as an amazing challenge in itself but a good training, both physically and mentally for a long distance sea swim.