For the last week, 20-year-old George Glover has barely slept as part of a mammoth endurance effort to raise money for charity.
He's been up at 4.30am each day to jump in the chilly Lake Rotoiti in Tasman for a six-hour swim - his first of two for the day.
Over eight days, Glover is aiming to swim 300km, or 15 times around the lake.
The university student admits it's been gruelling.
"I think day three was probably the toughest one in the morning," Glover said. "You're in the suck and it just hurts."
His goal is to fundraise $100,000 for Mike King's I Am Hope charity and as of yesterday afternoon, he's sitting at just about $60,000.
Glover said it's a cause that's close to his heart.
"We're not very good at opening up. Especially blokes and the degree of separation here is one."
The swim is the equivalent of going from Marlborough to Christchurch - which was his initial plan, but the weather didn't play ball.
Glover isn't a stranger to putting his body on the line for a good cause, having previously swam Queen Charlotte Sound and organised a 24-hour game of backyard cricket.
Today will be his final day of swimming, though he hasn't got any big plans.
"I'm not too sure. I know I'll be having a very long shower, there will be a bath with some Epsom salts, a decent massage but apart from that I don't know."
SHARE ME