So meet Nikki!

So we are just 7 weeks away from the main event! Prior to that I have some key milestone to reach.

Firstly, at the start of June the entire Mencap Marvel squad (about 21 of us) will be meeting in Dover for a sea swim training weekend. The plan is for an hour swim on the Saturday, a night swim on the Saturday evening and then the entire squad will be doing a 2-hour qualifier. Part of the Channel Swimming Association (CSA) rules is that everyone swimming in a relay must swim for 2 hours in a temp at < 15.5 deg C. That’s cold! Some do really struggle and it is important to build up to it – hence the early starts and long swims in my local reservoir over the past year. I have not been able to do much sea swimming – being landlocked in Derbyshire – so this weekend will also be great for me to get into the salty water. This weekend will also be great as I will be with my full team – it is important that we gel together and are able to support each other – when it gets tough on that boat! In mid-June we are all meeting up again to swim at the channel swim up north – this is an overnight swim challenge/race – as a team we will be swimming 36 km (equivalent to the English Channel). The swim starts at 8pm and we will be swimming all night. Again, this is another CSA requirement – everyone needs to be comfortable to be swimming in the dark. The actual swim itself is an average of 15 hours – so at some point, we will be in the English Channel in the dark. The event in mid-June will be fun, but challenging – I have never swum in the dark like this – and it will take some mental strength to not be carried away with what is lurking in the dark water beneath me! As a team, we select a team captain – this privilege has been given to me. Apart from purchasing the champagne to pop when we land this swim, my job is to ensure the team are where they need to be to start, have everything they need, have calm nerves and a positive mind set. A challenge but something I am proud to take on. https://www.justgiving.com/page/nikk-cooper-1700925120963?utm_term=ENRkMZNRM