“It Was Dark Dark Moment”: Ultramarathon Swimmer Confesses How He Survived Insane Physical Torture During His 157-Day World Record Swim

Among the names that come to mind when we think of extreme sports, Ross Edgley is one of the top examples. Breaking records is not a big deal for the ultramarathon swimmer; he did a record-breaking swimming challenge back in 2018. He swam for 1,780 miles and circumnavigated the whole of Great Britain in just 157 days. 

He had his fair share of trouble throughout his journey. Edgley was stung by jellyfish, even noticed his tongue pieces falling off, and had an extreme chafing on his neck from his wetsuit. But he didn’t back down, completed the life-threatening challenge, and set a world record. 

The Great Britain swim’s challenges shared by Ross Edgley

A recent throwback video on Instagram was posted by the athlete on his account, showcasing all the challenges he faced during his Great British Swim and mentioning, “It was dark dark moment“. The montage displayed extreme chaffing around Edgley’s neck from his wet suit. He said,” Imagine you got a wound and then you’re being told that you have to rub sandpaper over that wound for six hours a day twice a day.” This was just one of the challenges he faced.

The ultra-marathon swimmer had his tongue pieces falling off. This happened because of the excessive salt water in his mouth while swimming. He also mentioned that he had to endure jellyfish stings sticking themselves to Edgley while he was swimming. He used to swim for twelve hours a day and sleep on his support boat after hours spent in the water, even in the winters with freezing temperatures.

Edgley also faced sharks in Scotland; he passed through busy ship lanes and strong tides. He had to consume between ten and fifteen thousand calories a day, which is six times more than an average male. Despite a tough journey, Ross Edgley had some magical moments throughout his journey in the water.

Edgley’s golden moments from his journey

Edgley started his journey on June 1, 2018, from Margate in south-east England. He swam an average of twelve hours a day, overcoming all the challenges. After swimming for 1,780 miles, he stepped on land for the first time after 157 days, on November 4, from where he started. He got out of the water, saying,” This is gonna be amazing, I’ll run in like Baywatch.“

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Edgley shared his best moments from his venture; he said that when he came to the Bristol Channel, he was accompanied by five female Minke whales, misjudging him as an injured seal. He wrote,” For all the jellyfish stings and the hardship, you get a moment like that which you’ll only ever get if you spend 12 hours swimming in the sea every day for 157 days.”

Ross Edgley’s journey stands as an inspiring story for many due to his sheer dedication and unwavering determination towards his goal. Despite all the challenges he faced, he completed his journey and made history. 

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