PUSH YOUR LIMITS

Everyone has a favourite tri sport. That part of the race you really look forward to; where you look that little bit more closely at your splits; the one you devote a tad more time to than your training plan strictly allows. From our 220 reader research we also know that sportives, time trials, open-water swims and 10k runs feature heavily in your season as well. So with that in mind, what happens when you take your favourite discipline and push it further than you ever thought possible? When you train for the kind of distance that would make mere mortals run in terror? We sent three members of the 220 team to find out… f

PUSH YOUR SWIM

CHALLENGE: Chillswim Coniston End-to-End DISTANCE: 5.25 miles (8.4km)

220’s editor has previously completed tris, swimruns and two marathons. She’s a qualified Level 2 open-water swim coach, but prior to this challenge her longest swims were an open water4.5km at BestFest and a 5km pool Swimathon.

Memories can be deceptive. When I entered the Chillswim Coniston End-to-End, I was probably swayed by childhood memories of trips to the Lake District, standing aboard a steam boat eating an ice cream. Now I’m submerged in 17°C water with two miles of swimming behind me and another three-and-a-bit to go, looking at those very same steam boats as they chug by. Coniston is a lot bigger than I remember. Tourists stand and point. They’re probably wondering why a lake full of swimmers are attempting such a daft thing when they could be warm, dry and headed to a tea room for