If not him, who?

If not now, when?

If not the English Channel, where?

George Thornton has answered these questions for himself.

Next month the 72-year-old American industrial psychology professor at Colorado State University, trains and dreams of becoming the oldest man to swim the English Channel.

70-year-old Roger Allsopp‘s celebrated record set the bar last year, very effectively given many people around the world profound inspiration and practical motivation.

“The English Channel is the iconic long-distance swim. It’s the ultimate test – what can the body do? It’s just the challenge – that’s the intrinsic part of it,” explains masters swimmer Thorton about his goal that was initially inspired by his friend and English Channel swimmer Joe Bakel.

Thornton is not simply someone who woke up and came up with an unrealistic goal that is frankly unrealistic. Rather, the lifelong swimmer has done 12 Horsetooth 10K Swims and over 100 triathlons over the past 20 years (12 of which have been full Ironman Triathlons). He has trained in the renowned La Jolla Cove in California and done 12-15 hour training swims in Lindenmeier Lake, located 1,510 meters at altitude near his home in Colorado as part of his preparation.

He also had a pre-taste of what to expect in the Channel. “I went over with him – I was on the support boat, and that was kind of what got me fired up. I didn’t know whether I could do it, so I kept it a secret and began increasing my time in the water. My wife says it’s eat, swim, nap, eat, swim, nap. It’s been nearly a full-time occupation.”

And Professor Thornton most definitely putting his mind and body into this job and has certainly done his homework.

Copyright © 2012 by Open Water Source