STEPHEN POSNETT

Hi, I’m Stephen.  I’m a 53 year old veterinary surgeon, married and have 4 children.

Since being diagnosed with Type 1/insulin dependent diabetes some 30 years ago I’ve not let my condition get in the way of my doing things I want to do.

I have climbed big mountains but enjoy the womb-like privacy of water, water is fantastic and I don’t have to deal with people and my businesses.  The mood benefits of swimming due to the rush of hormones reduces tension, stress and fatigue as well as increased self-esteem that comes from shaping up.

When swimming the heart works harder, which improves the cardiorespiratory system, making it more efficient and offering greater protection against coronary heart disease.

I found the best way to improve my swimming was to train with people who are better than me.  It rubs off.  My swim colleagues at the Epping Forest District Swimming Club in Loughton, Essex add camaraderie and peer-group pressure to my workouts.

I completed a 4-person English Channel relay in 2005 and a 2-person relay in 2006 but failed in my swim of the Straights of Gibraltar in 2007 due to hypothermia.  I am ready for another challenge in 2008 and am looking forward to participating in the Diabetes UK English Channel relay swim (DUKSWIM).

The challenge, the struggle of being extended as you never thought you could be and to resist the modern temptation to live a “soft” life all the time, is fulfilling and deeply satisfying.