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I wanted to do something to get fitter. To make it more worthwhile and motivating I thought I'd link it to a charity activity. I searched and found a challenge called Swim22 set up by Diabetes UK. My mum had type 2 diabetes later in life so It seemed to make sense to get fitter and raise some money for this good cause.
The challenge is to swim 11, 22 or 44 miles over 12 weeks at your own pace and in your own way. The 22 mile version is the same distance as swimming the English Channel so that's the one I signed up for.
Although this Diabetes UK challenge runs between March and June you could do it any time of year and start when you want. Just set up a JustGiving page and start swimming!
Then award yourself the charity Swim badge when you complete the challenge!
The challenge started with me trying to average a mile each time I went to the pool and to go two times a week. With work and family commitments it wasn't always possible and at first, a mile was too tiring, but after a few weeks it got a little easier, so I hit the mile mark more often.
As is often the case with these types of challenges, it didn't go exactly to plan. Part way through I got something called 'swimmer's ear', It's an infection of the outer ear canal. This meant I couldn't swim for a few weeks. I started using ear plugs after that which helped to prevent it reoccuring.
I completed the challenge a few days after the 12 weeks and received my medal from Diabetes UK. I was chuffed!
I was now a little bit fitter and healthier and wanted to keep swimming. As the 22 miles was equivalent to swimming the English Channel from Dover to Calais, I thought I would keep going to the pool and gradually cover another 22 miles, equivalent to swimming back again!
I also awarded myself the 'Whirly Projects Charity Swim badge' from the Sporty section of the Badge Wall. I've also added it to my Pinterest page to display my badges and share them with family and friends.
Submitted by Brendan Cahill
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