The loneliness of the long distance swimmer..

This atmospheric picture was taken from the tiny beach at Ardlui on the banks of Loch Lomond. It's my dearest chum and his swimming partner, emerging from the water having just swam the entire length of the loch. If you know Loch Lomond, I bet your jaw has just dropped!

It's 24 miles long and the swim is longer than swimming the English Channel. They started at 05.00hrs and this was taken 16 hours later.

As I drove round the loch to greet him at the finish, I was overwhelmed by the enormity of his undertaking. I never doubted his preparedness - he's an extreme endurance athlete of some experience - but I knew his biggest challenge would be facing his mental demons, not his physical ones.

I could certainly be better at facing my mental demons. I'm sure I'm not alone in that.

As I watched him unsteadily rise to greet his proud daughter, I was reminded how special our friendship is and how full of admiration I am for him. And how much I've learned from knowing him. Athletes can teach us so much about life.

Whatever will he do next....

Today outof10? An awesome 10 ❤️