Jack Horler on the left; Jacquie just off Dover

I’ve always been a bit of a mad-thing when it comes to exercise. I was in a 24-hour runathon when I was 19, a 24-hour swimathon when I was 56, and did 50km walks, ocean swimming races and kayak trips in between. So when my sister asked me to swim the English Channel with her, I was all-in. Virtually of course! Over a few months, my eldest sister, Aileen, is covering the 21 miles (33.8 kms) in her local pool in Whitehorse, Canada and I am clocking up the kms in Manly Boyd Charlton pool here in Sydney.

I’ve often wondered where I get my fitness drive from. Mum taught yoga and Dad was a big walker, but Aileen has just told me that our grandfather, Jack Horler, was quite an athlete in his youth. Maybe I got it from him.

Aileen remembers stories that tie together Grandpa Jack and the English Channel. “I can’t remember much else,” she wrote to me in an email, “Jack either wanted to try or did try and ‘never made it’.  I distinctly remember the ‘never made it’ but I don’t remember if it was in reference to his never making an attempt or never completing the swim.” It’s sad that we don’t know the details, but his desire alone is enough to power Aileen and me all the way to Cap Gris Nez!

Aileen and I, unidentical bookends in our family of six kids, are virtually swimming the English Channel together to honour our grandfather and I must say, I have more kick to my flutter kick thanks to him.

The pursuits of our forebears are motivating; knowing the stuff we’re made of helps drive us to succeed.