Pushing the Limits: My Ice Mile Challenge

3Pillars Post Custody-Lead, Fay has always been up for bold challenges, but when she took on the Ice Mile, she had a different story to tell.

For years, I’ve sought challenges that would push my physical and mental limits—experiences that would take me beyond the boundaries of what I thought was possible. I’ve swum the English Channel solo, crossed the finish line of multiple long-distance races, and even completed a double Ironman (a 4.8-mile swim, 226-mile bike ride, and a 52.4-mile run, all over 34 hours with no sleep). While each of these feats demanded immense physical preparation and mental discipline, I always felt that I could go further, that I hadn’t hit my limit. But the Ice Mile—a mile swim in water colder than 5°C (41°F), with nothing but a swimsuit, swim cap, and goggles, would prove to be the challenge that took me to those limits.

The ice mile, I knew would test me, and as my son had commented, it was the first time I had an element of doubt. The self-doubt wasn’t about whether I would give up; I knew that wouldn’t happen. It was more about whether my body could withstand the intense cold long enough to complete the swim. And that uncertainty made the Ice Mile something I was both excited for and apprehensive about.

The Big Day

On February 22nd, I arrived in Doncaster, about to attempt the Ice Mile with six other swimmers. The lake was eerily calm, with only a slight breeze rippling the surface. I felt surprisingly at ease. Despite a few setbacks in the weeks leading up to the event, I had cleared my mind and was ready. Any nerves I had before had evaporated, leaving behind a focused determination.

I was the final swimmer to take the plunge, and I had a support boat right beside me, staffed with two experienced crew members. They kept a close eye on me throughout the swim, and from their observations, it seemed that I was enjoying myself—at least, at first.

At some point during the swim, however, things took a turn. I don’t remember exactly when it happened, because I lost all conscious recollection of the swim after a certain point. In my mind, my stroke remained strong and steady, but according to the video footage and the accounts of those watching, my stroke became painfully slow as I neared the end. The best way to describe it? I was on auto-pilot, moving forward despite the immense physical toll.

A State of Mind

When I finally emerged from the icy water, I don’t remember much of the next 30 minutes. I was conscious, but a different state of consciousness from the one we operate in day to day. I had to rely on the people around me to fill in the gaps. Apparently, I was giving instructions about how to keep me warm, emphasizing the importance of keeping my hat on to prevent heat loss from my head. But I have no memory of this! 

What stands out, though, is how deeply my training had become embedded in me. Even in that altered state of consciousness, I knew what to do. I stopped my watch immediately when I stood up, even though I had no recollection of doing so. It’s as if the muscle memory and routine from years of preparation kicked in, performing autonomously without needing my conscious brain to guide it.

The Recovery Process

After the swim, recovery was the next critical phase. I was guided to a room where I could slowly warm up under the supervision of a trained team. The recovery process after an Ice Mile is grueling; shivering, pain, and extreme discomfort are all part of the process. But these are the things you train for. It’s the price you pay for pushing your body beyond its usual limits.

It took me an entire week to begin processing what had happened. In a deep conversation with a teammate from 3Pillars, a former member of special services, he explained that the body has an incredible ability to keep going beyond what we think it’s capable of, but it’s the mind that tends to give in first when faced with intense pain or discomfort. That moment of clarity hit home. The real challenge, it seems, is not physical, it’s mental! And in that moment, I pushed beyond expectations of human limits to become the 599th person in the world to complete an ice mile.

I swam a mile in 54 minutes in 4.8°C water, an experience that still blows my mind, even though there are parts of it I can’t remember. But I did it. And it’s a victory that will forever be one of the most profound moments of my life.