Cliff Golding’s Marathon Swim Stories

It’s “the loneliest place in extreme sport, ” says Cliff Golding, “that moment when you’re standing in nothing but a swimsuit, cap, and goggles on the beach with your arm up waiting and waiting and waiting for the klaxon to go off.  You’re full of nerves and everything you’ve done up to that point as led to that moment.”

It took 7 of these lonely moments on the beach before Cliff put his demons to bed and finally completed his swim across the English Channel, demonstrating his competence to his nay sayers who had told him that he was clearly a runner, not a swimmer.

28 years of marathon swimming later, I’m thrilled to hear that Cliff is committing to improving his technique! Of course this is from a coach who emphasizes proper technique and emotional preparedness over just about anything else.

His is a story of dogged persistence with many gems along the way. You don’t want to miss it. Enjoy!

In his own words: Cliff Golding took seven attempts over a five year period before finally achieving his dream of swimming the English Channel..  Since then he has swum the Channel again.  He has also swum Lake Windermere, Lake Zurich and Round Jersey in the Channel Islands three times each and two Jersey to France swims.  He is a marathon and ultra runner, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro and cycled from Land’s End to John O’Groats (the length of the UK). He juggles, writes and can’t play an instrument (despite or because he was in the school brass band!). Until this year he has always claimed to be a runner masquerading as a swimmer. Now, after nearly thirty years in the sport he is learning how to swim!