Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes
This archived news story is available only for your personal, non-commercial use. Information in the story may be outdated or superseded by additional information. Reading or replaying the story in its archived form does not constitute a republication of the story.
SPANISH FORK — Completing the swim in 15 hours, 39 minutes and 42 seconds, Spanish Fork resident Greg Mockett became the first Utah resident in the 50-plus category to swim the entirety of the English Channel on Aug. 14.
“There’s a reason why there aren’t a whole lot of them,” Mockett said with a laugh.
Mockett began training seriously for the swim three years ago to demonstrate to members of his church congregation that achieving hard things is possible with God’s help.
“I felt very blessed to be able to finish. I didn’t feel that it was in my own power,” Mockett said. “Even with all the training, I felt helped.”
Mockett was accompanied on the swim by a support swimmer — an observer to make sure the swim was official — a channel pilot and his wife and swim coach in a boat going alongside him.
Mockett said he was stung by jellyfish a total of six times during the swim.
“There’s nothing you can do, so you just put your hand down and keep swimming and dealing with the pain,” Mockett said. “It goes away after awhile.”
Upon completing the race, Mockett said he felt “relief” that he had done what he had committed to members of his church he would do.
“I felt impressed that I needed to tell them they can do hard things,” Mockett said. "I felt very strongly impressed that I needed to make this commitment to them.”
Camilla Stimpson enjoys reporting on politics, crimes, and her own awkward moments on 50shadesofawkward.com. When not writing, she can be found watching '30 Rock' or 'The Office,' napping and planning trips she can't afford.
