Counting Down Now - 5.1 miles to go....

Happy Halloween !!!! I had a really good swim tonight - the pool was quiet because I think everyone was out Trick or Treating.... I got my treat after my swim, a Twix from the machine - yummy. 
We all swam together today 60 lengths for me, 50 for Finlay, 52 for Daddy and 56 for Mummy. Mummy swam the last 10 with me so Daddy could have a rest!! I want to keep it up this week to make sure I finish in good time.
I was really pleased that the swimmer Sharron Davies retweeted for me yesterday which told another 4,700 people about my Swim - thank you Sharon. I've got quite a following on Twitter now - take a look my twitter page

WOW! Message from Amy Williams

Guess what I woke up to this morning??? A tweet from Olympic Gold Medalist AMY WILLIAMS!!!!! Wow! I'm so chuffed.

Reached the 1,000 lengths milestone today - 6 miles to go...

Gosh 1,000 lengths is a long way  - but I've smashed through the milestone today. I did 50 lengths with Daddy this afternoon after a couple of goes on the inflatable - Total Wipeout style!! They weren't going to let me on the inflatable because they thought I wouldn't be a good enough swimmer - but one of the life guards came over and told the one running the inflatable that  he's seen me swimming and that there was nothing to worry about - so I got to have a go!!
I've got 384 lengths left to swim, I need to keep going for a few more weeks and I'll be there - I'm getting closer to my record every day.

Phew...nearly at 1000 lengths

Just 18 lengths away from 1,000 lengths now - if I hadn't been so sleepy this morning I could have got there after my lesson - but 28 lengths down - it was dark - and I was tired. Mummy has just shown me how close I am getting to France click here and put in 15.2 miles/25 metre pool and you'll see for yourself - I wish I'd stayed in and done a few more lengths now.... never mind there is always tomorrow...or maybe later....

What a day...two thirds of the way there and more good luck....

What a day......I'm back on form. Good things happened - first, two tweets from Olympic Butterfly Swimmer Jemma Lowe and British Swimmer Jazz Carlin wishing me luck, then I managed to beat my PB 84 lengths in one swim!
Daddy took me swimming in Bath today while Mummy took Finlay roller blading. Daddy had to call the manager down to the pool because the life guard wouldn't let me swim lengths in the lanes. The manager didn't believe that someone my age could swim so well, Daddy says I made him eat his words!! I did 84 lengths of my best swimming..... they didn't try and stop me again!  
Then after swimming we went for tea at Jamie Olivers... a great day.

886 down - 550 lengths to go.....

I've got 550 lengths left to complete my Aspire Channel Swim. I did another 34 lengths tonight but was tired after playing with one of my best friends today and practicing tumble turns in swimming squad. So I came home, had a lovely spaghetti bolognaise for tea and went to bed with my lovely, cuddly panda. 
It's the start of week 7 of my 12 week challenge today, I am on schedule, I just need to keep going. Mummy says now would be a good time for some 'keep going' messages from you all. If you have time, drop me a line. Thank you for supporting me. Love Oliver

I'm in the Mirror on Saturday tomorrow -

Hello - very early swimming today for  my lesson - in the pool at 7am - it was still dark. I asked 'Why we were having a lesson at nighttime' Mummy said it's when all the professional swimmers train...still I did my lesson and another 20 lengths and then we went out for breakfast.
I am going to be in the Mirror on Saturday tomorrow - I'm number 6 in a countdown from 48 - so do pick up a copy if you can. Love Oliver

66 lengths in 55 minutes and in the paper again!!

First day of half term today, so I wanted to make sure I got ahead with a really good swim - Daddy says 66 lengths in 55 minutes is good enough especially as it was followed by 2 hours of gymnastics! 
And more good news, I am in the Somerset Standard again today with a story about me reaching the half way point in my swim, have a quick look at the link here my story I have my swimming lesson in the morning so I'll be adding some more lengths then too. Love Oliver

It was COLD! today, but Mark Foster kept me going!

Phew..winter has come.. it was cold in the pool at school swimming today - mummy got me out when my lips went blue after 500m! Never mind we break up for half term tomorrow so I'll get a big daytime swim in later this week, watch this space. I got another tweet from Mark Foster today to say well done for getting half way - (you can see it on twitter @oliversswim) - it's really cool to hear from people I see on the TV especially people who are really, really good swimmers.

Yippeeee I'm Over Half Way

I am really proud that I have passed the half way point in my swim, having swum 11.3 miles in 5 weeks - that's 730 lengths. Daddy says it's all down hill from here, but I told him that pools are only flat and they don't go up and down! I had squad tonight and couldn't wait to get in the pool having missed my lesson on Saturday because Simone was ill - I'm looking forward to do some more swimming at school tomorrow, off to bed now for some rest. Love Oliver

Backstroke Gold Medalist wishes me luck

Wow - two Olympians in two days. Thanks to Mummy's help with Twitter I've had another inspiring message from Liam Tancock, backstroke Gold Medalist and one of our best hopefuls for 2012 - I can't believe that him and Mark Foster have both contacted me (see @oliversswim), it's their messages and all of yours that keep me going. Thank You Oliver

Half a mile today and some special good luck...

I was really pleased to receive a Tweet from British Olympian Mark Foster yesterday wishing me luck for my swim, it really made my day and made me feel very special especially when it arrived on the day I'd beaten my PB. See it for yourself on Twitter @oliversswim
At school swimming today I did another half a mile and I'm now 500m away from the half way stage. Yipee

Day 1 of Week 5: Beaten my PB & swum 10 miles!

TD Day no school today - so made the most of a quiet pool at lunchtime - I'm really chuffed I've beaten by PB (that's personal best) and swum 80 lengths in one go! And that now takes my total to 10 miles..... hopefully I should reach the halfway stage next week...watch this space.

Turning practice today....

I had my lesson with Simone this morning and we were working on my turns - tumble turns and underwater swimming at the start of a length - like a dolphin with rocket arms! I love doing this as it's like my swimming hero Ryan Lochte - I've watched him do it on the TV loads with Michael Phelps. Mummy says it was quality rather than quantity today and that every little helps.  PS. Tom Daley is my No.1 British hero, but I haven't had the chance to try cool diving like him......yet!

Over 500 lengths in 3 weeks....

I had a good swim at school today - another 30 lengths. I'm really pleased to have swum over 500 lengths in 3 weeks. Thanks for all your messages, please keep sending them - I really look forward to seeing them.
I'll let you know how I get on tomorrow. Love Oliver

Today I broke my record...

I swam 72 lengths today which was 2 lengths more than I have ever swum before.  I did have to get out of the pool twice to go to the toilet but daddy said it was Ok because I would be allowed to get out of the channel onto a boat if I needed a wee. I wanted to break my best record, and I did so I'm very happy and daddy gave me a pound for my piggy bank, but he forgot to buy my chocolate because we were late and it was nearly past my bedtime when I got out of the pool. It was already night time dark.

I had egg, beans and toast for my tea. Daddy says that's the food of champions and I'm a record breaking champion.

Slow swimming practice....

I was practicing slow swimming in my lesson today - fast legs and slow front crawl arms - to get get my technique better. I had to count 3 seconds for every stroke and did 400 metres of this in my lesson. Simone says this will make me a more efficient swimmer and told me that if I can practice this during the Aspire challenge my front crawl will be amazing by the end.