If there is one way to prepare for a multi-day, extremely cold water relay near the Arctic Circle, it is to swim a really long distance in cold water at high altitude.

Which is exactly what Craig Lenning did.

The Colorado marathon swimming stalwart swam 42 miles (67.5 km) in a two-way crossing of Lake Tahoe just a few days before departing for Russia to participate in the Bering Strait Swim, a relay of 86 km in near-freezing conditions.

Done in concert with Sarah Thomas, Craig completed the unprecedented two-way of Lake Tahoe in 24 hours 35 minutes.

Besides his numerous channel swims and membership in the Triple Crown of Open Water Swimming club and the International Ice Swimming Association, Lenning has also joined the 24-hour Club and will participate in the world’s most dangerous open water swimming event in history.

A true adventurer, Lenning has embarked on one of the most remarkable careers in the annals of open water swimming.

Note: Sarah Thomas became the first person to complete a two-way crossing of Lake Tahoe in 22 hours 15 minutes.

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