Dan Wallace Versus The English Channel

Former Olympian Dan Wallace recently swam the English Channel solo for the first time, stepping up to this marathon challenge with the help of our next level EVO Pro Changing Robe. We asked him what it took to conquer one of the world’s toughest swims…

There have now been 2428 solo swims completed across the English Channel. What was the drive for you to join this list?

Joining the ranks of those who have crossed the English Channel represents the pinnacle of channel swimming for me. As an Olympic pool swimmer, I am deeply motivated to expand my swimming journey in every possible way. This challenge fuels my passion for continuing to explore new swimming possibilities. 

What training went into this swim – and what would you have done differently?

I definitely relied on my years of high-performance training to build the mental resilience needed for this swim. I knew that my swimming technique and abilities were my strengths – and if I executed them well, I would set myself up for a successful attempt. 

Over the past few years, I’ve gained valuable experience in open water and cold water swimming, which I felt combined to prepare me well for the start line. However, I was aware that I had never subjected my body to anything close to the duration I would face in the water. The endurance aspect was entirely new to me, but the exciting part is that I thrive on new challenges. 

You also completed a relay swim last year, how did the solo swim compare?

The Metre by Metre charity relay last year set me up perfectly for this year’s solo attempt. I had an incredible time swimming alongside my teammates, which gave me a taste of what an English Channel swim entails. Experiencing the challenges of swimming next to a boat while not always knowing the direction and just being present in my swimming proved invaluable for my solo preparation. 

Of course, the solo swim was a significant step up. While I was fortunate to have a world-class support team, which kept me from feeling isolated, the demands of the solo swim were greater. It required much more from me to complete the swim successfully.

What kind of kit do you recommend for open water swimming in general? What are the must-have items for swimming the Channel?

For me, the key is ensuring I’m well prepared both before and after my swims. It’s crucial to have everything I need going into the swim, and even more important, to be ready for after. I tend to feel the cold more than I’d like, so staying warm before and getting warm post-swim is non-negotiable. While everyone has their favourite goggles and swimsuits, for open water and my English Channel swim, having everything organised in my Red Waterproof Backpack and using the correct EVO Pro Changing Robes made a significant difference. This attention to detail helped me focus on the swim itself without worrying about what came next.

What were the best and worst moments you experienced from this swim?

While the journey is what truly matters, nothing could prepare me for the overwhelming sense of accomplishment and raw emotion I felt when I finally touched France. That moment of triumph, knowing I had officially become an English Channel swimmer, was made even sweeter by the struggles I endured during nearly ten gruelling hours in the water. The swim tested me like never before, and there were moments starting before halfway when my body started to fatigue, forcing me to battle my mind between thoughts of “I don’t think I can keep going” and “You’ve got this.” Repeating that mental struggle for hours was exhausting, but I’m incredibly proud that the challenges I faced were only temporary. The feeling of success at the end will stay with me forever, reminding me that perseverance pays off.

How did you handle the cold during the swim and how do you keep fuelled for such a long distance in the water?

The cold was my biggest concern going into the swim, as I knew it would be the most unpredictable factor I’d face. I mentally prepared myself for the possibility of feeling cold at different stages: if it happened toward the end, I could manage it; if it hit me in the middle, it would be tough; but if I felt it early on, completing the swim would be quite ambitious. Shockingly, I started feeling cold about 90 minutes in. I looked up at my boat crew, Tim Denyer and Connor Mollison, and communicated this with them. The great thing was that we had a plan in place. 

My nutrition and maintaining a positive mindset became crucial, and both Tim and Connor provided incredible support. I initially aimed to ‘feed’ and hydrate every 30 minutes, but we adjusted that to every 20 minutes as needed. Each time I took on fuel, I focused on being as efficient as possible, all while being greeted with enthusiastic encouragement from the boat: “You’re doing great, Dan. Keep pushing!” That support became my motivating soundtrack throughout the swim.

As an ex-Olympian, what have you had to adjust and change from your skill set in the pool for shorter distance sprinting to longer open water distances?

I’ve learned that my Olympic swimming and open water swimming share similarities,
but also have key differences. My pool races were high-intensity and lasted less than two minutes, while open water swimming focuses on efficiency and can take several hours. However, my obsession with technique and my relationship with the water has remained constant. I’ve always wanted to understand how to move better through the water and learn to work with it rather than against it. This relationship continues in open water. 

The majority of my training has required hours in the pool, which I found to be a place of happiness and therapy, and I see that even more in open water. The feeling of gliding through the water is addictive and being able to experience this in exciting environments like the English Channel is a privilege I’ll never take for granted.

Who do you look up to in the open water swimming space?

Two people stand out to me. First, Keri-anne Payne, a World Champion and Olympic medallist in open water, was my original mentor on this side of swimming. Keri-anne was a teammate of mine at the 2016 Olympic Games and also the person who first qualified me as an open water coach. Back in 2018, when I was still primarily a pool swimmer, she provided invaluable insight into what open water swimming looks like from both a swimmer’s and a coach’s perspective.

Another familiar name that comes to mind is Andy Donaldson, a friend, teammate, and competitor from our pool swimming days. More recently, Andy has made waves with his record-breaking adventure swims, and it’s been inspiring to follow his journey. During our English Channel charity relay prep, we were fortunate to speak with Andy and receive vital advice, as many of us were Scottish age group
swimmers together.

What advice would you give someone who wants to improve their open water swimming
technique or wants to start endurance or marathon swimming?

Technique has always been the cornerstone of my swimming journey. My advice is that building a strong technical foundation is essential for gaining confidence and working toward your goals. When you improve your technique, swimming becomes easier and far more enjoyable.

I’ve approached swimming and coaching from this mindset for a long time, and I’m excited that everything I’ve learned is now available through my platform, Swimmr. Our courses include a collection of techniques, skills and drills that I’ve been using and teaching throughout my entire swimming career. We’ve made the content easy to follow and digestible, ensuring that swimmers can focus on practising the right things.

At Swimmr, our goal is to educate and empower every swimmer with a toolkit of knowledge they can apply to whatever swimming goal they have – whether it’s to get faster, fitter, or take on more ambitious challenges. So if you’re new to open
water swimming or want to improve to the point you can explore marathon swimming then this would be a great place to start.