1. What are your achievements?

I was born in Blackpool and grew up there. At 19 I left to go to do my Sports Degree at Loughborough University. I work here today part-time as a lecturer in the Exercise and Sports Science Department as well as running my own successful Speaking/Sport, Education and Therapy business Get Set 4 Success – www.getset4success.co.uk

To date, I hold 17 World Records for Long Distance and Channel Swimming and have raised thousands of pounds through my swims for charity. Then most infamous swim is my Butterfly Solo swim of the English Channel in 2002, in 14 hours and 18 minutes. Age is no boundary and I continue to break records today at 44. My longest swim has been 4 Way Lake Windermere (42 miles) – see records section on my website) and have represented England. I love Relay Swims (Triple English Channel, Triple Loch Ness, 6 Way Windermere), because of the teamwork and many other aspects. No sightings of Nessie though!!

2. What prompted you to start swimming long distances?

My career in swimming began at the age of 6 when I learnt to swim. Throughout my schooling, I won the swimming galas as well as many other sports: athletics, hockey, netball, running (2 London Marathons to date). At swimming club, I always preferred and excelled in the longer distances in the pool; the colder the water, the better!! I became interested in Open Water Swimming after seeing a notice for the Cross Lake Windermere, as my family were always caravanning in the Lake District. I entered the event and did my first swim aged 13. This led to me making a Junior Record on Morecambe Bay and the length of Lake Windermere (both 10.5 miles) the following year. The next step, the ultimate came aged 15 in 1979 when I swam the English Channel solo in a British Junior Record of 10hours and 9 minutes which still stands today.

3. Do you have a long term vision?

When asked about my long term vision my answer is to say I see myself as continuing to break records and thoroughly enjoy my sport. I want to carry on sharing my experiences and this is through my own business, empowering people out there (using my own life and lessons learnt through sport) to achieve what they want. My Mission to: “Inspire, Motivate, Enable and Expand Potential.”

4. What has been your biggest obstacle and how did you overcome it?

To be where I am today has been a journey and a continuing one, the real value for me being who I have become in the process. Many obstacle have been placed in front of me along the way; these are my ‘Stepping Stones’ though not all easy ones! My biggest ‘hurdle’ I feel was in 2000. Up till then everything I’d set out to do, I’d accomplished first time. That year I made my first Butterfly attempt to swim the Channel; I was only 3 miles off when an arm injury forced me to abort the swim. Although ‘gutted’ initially, I chose not to see this as a ‘failure’, rather ‘one way of how not to do things’ eg. training regime, recovery. From this event, my relay swims were borne. Relay swims today are an integral part of my record breaking process and about leadership and teamwork.

5. What personal qualities have helped you to succeed?

Indeed, “Success is failure turned inside out.” It is not just about breaking records, though. It is who I have become in the process of achieving my goals, the growth I have experienced and the qualities of character that I have developed. The confidence gained and self-esteem built are the real treasures that live with me everyday and can never be lost.

6. How do you keep going when things get tough?

How do I keep going? It is about self-belief, my mental tenacity and my ability to see my goal as achieved now, in the moment. I am a very determined person. My swimming skill combined with Focus on what I want, is the secret to my success. My message, therefore to you is that if you want to achieve any goal, you have first to Believe in Yourself, that You Can Do It. Like me, you have all the resources within to get it. You need to see it, hear it and feel it. That’s right. Set that goal and just tap into that unlimited potential of yours right NOW.