Living by the coast, my siblings and I were taught to swim at a young age and a lot of our childhood was spent on the beach or in the sea. Unfortunately, as I entered my teenage years I became ill, only officially being diagnosed with Anorexia Nervosa in my mid-twenties when my physical wellbeing rapidly declined. This illness not only left me too weak to carry out mundane daily tasks but complicated my relationship with exercise and sent me spiralling into depression. I can’t express how difficult those years were for myself, my family and friends. But alongside treatment, swimming saved me.

I entered the pool after the COVID lockdowns and immediately sensed a release and freedom not felt for several years. Being in the water extinguished my raging thoughts and gave me the mental strength I needed to push towards my recovery. I wanted to become a stronger swimmer – I wanted to keep doing this sport I loved, not punish myself into nonexistence. I began to honour my body for what it could do, rather than for how it looked; I began to aim for strong, rather than small.

A few years down the line and I am confident I can maintain my lifestyle without relapsing – now I can start ticking those challenges off my bucket list! Although my family has always been into open water swimming (with my dad and sisters having completed the Channel Relay themselves in 2017!), it wasn’t until I fell in with a group of other similar-minded swimmers last year, that I really became enthused.

The sea is constantly changing, so each swim teaches you something new. Some days it’s serene and tranquil, other days it almost feels like a fight for survival! Either way, you leave feeling alive and that is what keeps me going in for more.

I’d heard of Aspire through their pool-based Aspire Channel Swim, but it wasn’t until I became friends with someone who worked for the charity that I really began to understand what they did. I think the work Aspire does is amazing and when the idea was floated of swimming the Channel for them, it just seemed right – swimming helped me regain my independence and if it can help others regain theirs, then I will seize that opportunity. Nobody should have limits imposed on them – Aspire has shown people are capable of great things.

Although I’ve run marathons before (the most recent being Paris in April), I’ve never taken on a swimming challenge of this scale. I’ve been inspired by the stories of Diana Nyad and Getrude Ederle, so hopefully I can draw on their bravery when things get tough! I know the greatest challenge I’ll face will be keeping warm, so I’m trying to prepare myself for this mentally and physically throughout my training.

Training

I’ve been really enjoying my training so far! Throughout the winter months, most of this was pool-based with the occasional sea dip; but as the temperatures have started to increase, the focus has definitely shifted to the sea. I’m lucky enough to be part of the Tri Club at my local pool and participating in the coached sessions has drastically improved my technique and stamina, as well as introducing me to more swimming friends!

Lately, my concentration has shifted more towards acclimatisation and overcoming both the physical and mental barriers that swimming in colder waters bring. Our first Dover training weekend was in early May, with the water temperature still hovering at 11C –  although the sun was on our side, completing a 45 minute swim in those conditions was difficult and I’m so proud I achieved it. I’ve always been more susceptible to the cold and I know this will be my biggest personal challenge when completing the qualifier and during the Channel Relay.

I’m so lucky to have a fantastic team, all of whom I’ve met through swimming. Even though we’ve only known each other a year, I feel very close to them all and am grateful for their constant support and encouragement.

We have two Boat Leaders who both have a lot of personal experience when it comes to Channel swimming – their advice has been invaluable, as well as motivating when things get a little harder. The Relay is going to be a great test, but I’m looking forward to it with nervous anticipation!

Fundraising

I’ve been blown away by the generosity and support people have shown me so far! Social media has enabled me to generate half my fundraising target, as well as being sponsored for running the Paris Marathon. I’m planning on doing a boot fair and a raffle to help raise the remaining funds.

After the relay, I have the Dart 10k swim and Frankfurt Marathon on the horizon, but I haven’t ruled out the possibility of swimming the Channel solo in the future!

Meeting people who work for Aspire, as well as those who are swimming and have swum for them previously, has been a great part of the whole experience so far. Aspire has created a lovely community of amazing people and I’m proud to be part of it.

Sponsor Amberlie

Swimming events

How we help