Tors Short
Home: Hurley
Age: 42

I am Henley born and bred, live in Hurley, 42 and part of part of the sandwich generation and I am not just referring to eating them; I have two daughters, a mother with Motor Neuron Disease and a fabulous 93-year-old grandmother, all of whom require my support and assistance in various ways and to differing degrees. I suspect that many people are in a similar situation to me and part of my reason for entering this event was to prove to myself and others that it is possible to juggle everything, even if it does require military precision.

I work full time, I am unfit and overweight, I guess the last two points go hand in hand. I love to swim, in a warm, indoor swimming pool but over the past few years, I have become lazy, visiting a pool once a week with my daughters, happily watching them do lengths and merrily participating in hand stand competitions.

I must confess that when I found out I had not been successful, I was a little relived, however, when I received the call on Thursday telling me that one of the participants had dropped out and offering me the place, I was delighted and nervous in equal measures. I only have 5 weeks to train which seems like a tall order, especially as I have never swum in open water before.