An ultra swimmer is aiming to break the world record for the longest distance swam in a pool over a week in the name of science, calling it a “noble cause”.
Ross Edgeley, from Alderley Edge, Cheshire, aims to swim 223 miles (360km) in the pool in seven days, the equivalent of swimming 36 marathons (10km).
The challenge, which will take place from May 19th to May 26th at Best Center on the Spanish island of Mallorca, will see the 38-year-old swimmer swim an average of 15 to 18 hours a day in collaboration with sports scientists. Become. Calorie intake affects his swimming.
Ross Edgeley swims 223 miles (360 km) in 7 days (PhD in Nutrition/Pennsylvania)
Mr Edgeley said he lost weight during training, dropping from 102kg to 80kg, which he said was a difficult but necessary part of the challenge.
He told the PA news agency:
“This is going to be really tough because I feel like a goldfish and I'm trying to make peace with it.”
He said losing weight and dieting was “miserable.”
“I don't get angry, I just get angry when I feel sad,” he said.
The ultra swimmer said he thinks about Greek mythology while swimming, citing the myth of Sisyphus, who was repeatedly commanded by the gods to push a rock up a hill.
Whatever happens after that, the world record is great, but it's secondary.This could be a very unique study, so we hope it gets published as well.
ross edgeley
He said: “In a way, I think dieting and swimming up and down for seven days is my boulder, so to speak.
“It's weird how your mind goes to weird places. People say, 'What are you thinking?' And I'm like, 'Greek mythology.' ”
A major part of the study, supported by PhD Nutrition, a brand that sells protein products, was to determine how much food endurance athletes can eat while maintaining performance, an area that Edgeley believes it is rarely considered during training.
“We're looking at the upper limits of what the human digestive system can actually process during endurance sports,” he explained.
“Because that's often what holds the best athletes in the world back. They haven't trained their digestive system, so physiologically it just breaks down.
“It's so interesting that I think that's what this swim ends up being. It's not the stroke rate or the heart rate that matters. It's 'Can I keep eating and keep moving forward?' .”
Ross Edgley will swim an average of 15 to 18 hours a day during the 7-day challenge (PhD in Nutrition/Penn State)
Mr Edgeley is no stranger to long-distance swimming after completing the Great British Swim, which saw him swim around Britain in 158 days, breaking the record for the longest open water swim in Loch Ness.
The endurance athlete will be monitored by scientists every day during the challenge and will describe himself as a “guinea pig.”
“It’s always very interesting to look at the data,” he said.
“What makes this whole swim so different is that we can control the variables, it’s very data-driven, it’s first and foremost a science experiment, and I’m the guinea pig.
“Whatever happens after that, the world record is great, but it’s secondary.
“This could be a very unique study, so we hope it gets published as well.”
Mr Edgeley thanked the public for their support on social media and hopes the findings will help people on their health journey.
He said: “What we're trying to do is so extreme. It's outside the realm of traditional sports science.”
