Where’s Walliams? Halfway to home!

Remember, David is expected in Marlow around 7pm. David’s Marlow Bottom based trainer Greg Whyte tweeted us to say “I hope the crowds are big, Marlow has a lot to live up to after the reception in Henley!”  So.. see you there – let’s make it a massive welcome!!

We have received a Press Release from the Sport Relief team, with “hot off the press” updates including progress today:

Five days into The BT Sport Relief Challenge: Walliams vs The Thames and things are looking up for swimming hero David Walliams. Finishing at Caversham Lock at 7.14pm on Thursday night, David finally reached the halfway point of his epic swim after a total of 38 hours in the water.
The comedian, who has raised over £400,000, is now closer to London than Lechlade, the starting point of the challenge, and is being cheered on by thousands of people along the river. David’s good friend Jimmy Carr came out to meet him at Shiplake Lock on Friday morning and gave him some on river vocal support.

David said: “It’s fantastic to be half way – although if I think for too long about the fact that I’ve got to do as many miles again, I feel even sicker than normal. I’m learning to live with the stomach bug and had a more settled night. I even tucked into fish and chips, so I’m taking food on board again. The support from the public has really taken me by surprise – not just the money raised so far but the thousands and thousands of people who are turning out to cheer me on. I can’t tell them how much I appreciate it or how much it lifts me. My friend Jimmy Carr came along today which was a lovely surprise. I couldn’t hear everything he was shouting at me from the boat but I’m sure it was nothing but kind words of support!”

Although all seems to be going swimmingly, David is still being monitored by doctors regularly due to his stomach upset, and to add to his troubles he now has a rash on his neck caused from the rubbing of his wetsuit which is posing a risk of infection. The rash, combined with the stiffness and pain he is suffering in his arms and shoulders is making this extraordinary challenge harder with every stroke.

Stopping at Sonning this morning for some tea and toast, David’s trainer Greg Whyte said: “David’s in good spirits, but his arms and shoulders are seizing up and he is receiving increasingly painful Physio at every stop. He’ll be in pain for the duration now, it’s just a case of us trying to minimise it for him now.”

David said: “My shoulders and neck are in a lot of pain and the physio I’m receiving is starting to really hurt. I don’t think it’s going to go away from now on, so I’ll just have to live with it.”

David is urging everyone to keep him afloat by sponsoring him now at www.sportrelief.com/swim. As well as making a donation, people can check out the GPS tracker online at www.sportrelief.com/walliams and follow the Twitter feed using #hash tag #Thamesswim to see where he’ll be

Warning. The public should not try this themselves. The Thames is incredibly dangerous and many people have drowned in its waters which have powerful tides and unpredictable currents.