Bishop’s Stortford woman Rachael Hunt completes epic challenge to swim one million metres in a year in aid of charity Panathlon

A Bishop’s Stortford woman finished 2024 in spectacular style, completing her quest to swim one million metres in a year – a distance of 1,000km (621 miles).

Rachael Hunt, 49, averaged 2.75km (1.7 miles) a day to raise funds for Panathlon, a charity which gives children and young people with additional needs the chance to participate in competitive sports.

She finished the last leg at Grange Paddocks pool on New Year’s Eve with a 10km marathon as pals from Bishop’s Stortford Swimming Club sprinted a 33.3km relay in the lane next to her.

Rachael said: “I would love to thank everyone who came to swim and support me on New Year’s Eve. It was the most enjoyable 10km swim I’ve ever completed… having so many wonderful swimmers at my side was a phenomenal experience.”

The idea for her epic swim came when she underwent physiotherapy after injuring a leg while running during the Covid-19 lockdown.

She was treated by Carter and George, founded by Rhys Carter and former England rugby union captain Jamie George.

The business is a Panathlon sponsor and told Rachael about the team taking part in the Swim Serpentine event in London’s Hyde Park. Although her injury stopped her from taking part, she was determined to support the charity.

Rachael, a business manager for an NHS surgery in Hertford, said: “I put it alongside my personal goal to swim one million metres in a year.

“I went on a swimming camp in February and a chap talked about how he linked his personal goal with a fundraising goal.”

Since then, with support from husband James and their 17-year-old son Max, she has been powering through water and waves to reach her goal.

She spends 20 to 25 hours a week training, including sessions with Grange Paddocks coach Teddy Treble.

Rachael said: “My husband and son are extremely proud of the achievement as they’ve been with me on my journey to find fitness and have witnessed me lose 10 stone initially and then become an ultra swimmer and endurance athlete.”

She combined open water events and club training swims, tracking her distances with her Garmin watch and Strava to keep on track.

Rachael said: “Swimming has taken me to two UltraSwim 33.3s in Greece and Montenegro, and I also frequent Redricks Lake in Sawbridgeworth and the occasional sea dip in Clacton.”

Her efforts are the equivalent of more than 30 Channel crossings or 40,000 lengths of Grange Paddocks’ 25m pool – 110 lengths a day for 365 days of the year.

The 2024 highlights included winning her first-ever podium place in the Greece UltraSwim 33.3, where she came third in the women’s wetsuit category.

In Montenegro, she swam alongside three-time world record marathon swimmer Andy Donaldson. Son Max, a student at Birchwood High School, provided kayak support in the final few miles of her solo 22.2km swim.

“The lows were injuring my knee in the run-up to Greece and having to cut large chunks of my training schedule to rest and recover and starting the event with a limp,” said Rachael.

“The second low was the period after the two UltraSwims when I knew my body needed to rest but resting felt like it may prevent me from making my target.

“It was a huge leap of faith to rest while watching the target become more unattainable and staying positive.”

Having reached her goal, she is now contemplating her next challenge.

“I keep being asked what I’ll do next,” she said. “As I turn 50 in 2025, I think I’ll seek out a new challenge in the water but will give my body a little recovery time before making a commitment.

“I will definitely continue to train at Everyone Active and swim with the club as the feeling of strength and fitness supports me to be focused and excited by the ongoing challenges of a busy NHS role and family.

“Being able to support Panathlon while on my personal journey is a real honour and I would be very excited to complete my fundraising goal now I’ve completed the million metres. My goal is £3,333 to reflect the iconic swim distance of the English Channel.”

To sponsor Rachael, see https://panathlonfoundationltd.enthuse.com/pf/rachaelhuntmillionmeterswim.