The limits of a person are tested continuously in the world of sport. People push themselves mentally and physically to run the fastest, jump the highest and swim the furthest. No one embodies this combination of mind over matter more than Lewis Gordon Pugh, an environmental campaigner regarded as the best cold-water swimmer in the world.
The former member of the SAS has just undertaken one of his most difficult challenges yet, swimming the Pumori glacial lake on Mount Everest. The lake, at 5,300 metres above sea level and two-thirds of the way up Everest was a location particularly important to him. Equipped with nothing more than his Speedo cap, trunks and googles, Lewis swam one-kilometre in the two-degree water to highlight the melting of the Khumbu Glacier.
"The big thing [with Everest] was acclimatizing to the altitude. It's very difficult to breathe up there, all of us were vomiting. As I was going up, every single river I crossed I went and sat in to try and acclimatize my body to the cold and also prepare my mind for what was going to happen."
As an extreme swimmer, Lewis highlights his campaigning by swimming through the most difficult conditions to ensure maximum exposure. As with any aspect of pushing the boundaries of human capabilities, it is all about mental and physical conditioning, something that 'The Human Polar Bear' is an expert in.
"I do a huge amount of physical training. I swim in a lot of cold water, but the most important thing is to get the mind right. That's the most challenging aspect. When you jump into the water, everything is saying to you 'get out' because it's so cold. I just keep on pushing and pushing.
"We used to say that the SAS stood for speed, aggression and surprise. Every operation had to have those three elements to it. When I left the SAS and went into swimming, I always felt that the best way to tackle cold was with speed and aggression."
Lewis' time in the SAS provided him with the perfect platform for becoming a long-distance swimmer. From the mental alertness and strength, to physical endurance, to meticulous planning, the forces allowed him to undertake these challenges in the best possible way.
"You really do learn to survive in very, very difficult conditions and how to push boundaries and choose teams. It's not like when you start the expedition, if something goes wrong you can change it. You need to have the right people. I'm able to identify the type of people who can survive in very difficult conditions."
The extreme natures of Lewis' campaigns have certainly taken their toll on the 40 year-old. He knows that he can't maintain this level forever. Despite this, he is still a benchmark for human endurance and will remain one of the most influential environmental campaigners for a long time.
Lewis Gordon Pugh is a brand ambassador for Speedo. For more information please visit: www.speedo.co.uk.
