A 12-MILE swim in chilly waters at 6am would be beyond most of us.

But for Swindon man Graham Smedley, it is merely the beginning of an epic effort which will see him take part in the Enduroman Continuous Quin Triathlon, raising money for the James Hopkin’s Trust, which helps young people with disabilities.

After completing the swim, he will set out on a 568-mile cycle ride, before then attempting a 132-mile run.

Starting out at 6am on Tuesday (May26), 51-year-old wellness advisor Graham has until 4pm the following Sunday (May 31) to complete the mammoth distances – a total of 130 hours.

An experienced triathlete, Graham has completed several endurance events in the past and will be supported by his wife, Claire, who is also an experienced endurance runner and will ensure he has everything he needs, which she says is Herbalife H24 Sports nutrition goods, clothing, kit and moral support.

But Claire, 47, will be running too, taking on the Enduroman 100 mile ultra-marathon which starts on May 30 at 2pm and must be completed within 36 hours.

The course maps 91 laps of the same run that Graham will be finishing his race on so the couple can hopefully finish their challenges triumphantly together.

Graham said: “I’m excited to get going – it’s the next step for me in my endurance journey and I know it will be a great challenge – mentally and physically.

“I’m competing in aid of the James Hopkin’s Trust – an incredible charity that provides practical help for severely disabled, life threatened and life limited young children with nursing needs. It costs £1,000 a day to run the centre and I’d love to raise that amount – ensuring these kids get the help they need in a positive, caring environment.

“The big question in my mind is always have I done enough or too much training.

“One thing I have the utmost confidence in though is my nutrition strategy and how it is going to help me keep going until someone tells me to stop and puts a medal round my neck.”

Graham has been on a huge body transformation journey over the past few years. He was a semi-professional football player in his younger days, but an injury saw him bow out of the sport and pile on the weight.

Eager to get back to fitness and bring out the best in himself, he used Herbalife nutrition to get back into shape and has been hugely empowered by his new physique ever since – using endurance events to continuously push himself to the limit. There’ll be very little sleep in store for the couple next week, but they are excited about the challenges that lie ahead and plan to raise as much money as possible for their chosen charity.

Claire said: “This will challenge our physical abilities beyond anything we have done before, but we’ve trained hard and have great nutrition that we know we can rely on to support our energy levels and help us power on through. We’re both determined to complete on time, with big smiles on our faces – knowing we’ve done the best we can do, and in aid of a great cause too.”

The Enduroman Continuous Quin is part of the Enduroman Ultra Events and kicks off at Avon Tyrell in Bransgore, Hampshire.

Visit the James Hopkins Trust at www.jameshopkinstrust.org.uk