Level Water

Last weekend I led a team of six intrepid swimmers on a 24-hour relay swim at Shepperton Lake, each swimmer taking a dip for an hour at a time through the day and night. It was a magical and life-affirming experience, along the way we swam a total of 55.5km and raised over £2000 for the organisers Level Water, a wonderful charity which provides swimming lessons for disabled children.

I’ve participated and worked on a number of cycling events over the years but I was struck by some key differences within the swim community. The language is more inclusive, the focus less on performance, more on participation with a greater gender equality. Everyone is welcome and no fancy kit is required, wear what you like and away you go for as far as you see fit.