Balmoral Beach Club members’ 28km marathon swim for pain research

Two men in their 60s who have suffered chronic pain will embark upon a 28km marathon relay swim from Palm Beach to Manly to raise money for pain research.

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BALMORAL Beach Club members Kieran Kelly and Barry Feyder will aim to break through the pain barrier by completing a 28km ocean swim.

The veteran open water swimmers planned to swim from Palm Beach to Manly on Sunday to raise money for the Pain Management Research Institute.

The institute is an initiative of the Royal North Shore Hospital and The University of Sydney.

The swimmers had hoped to leave Palm Beach at 6am and arrive at Manly at 4pm.

The Balmoral Beach Club members have been training at Manly Beach. Picture: Annika Enderborg

The relay swim, however, has been postponed until later this month because of health concerns with one of the men who need to be fighting fit to start the marathon.

Both men have experienced chronic pain and decided the institute’s research into pain management treatment was worth supporting.

Mr Kelly broke his right leg in a skiing accident last year and said he had “a very painful operation”.

“I was in a wheelchair for three months in a fair bit of pain,” he said.

“It gave me a greater appreciation for people who have to suffer a lot of pain.

“I could not swim, I could not walk, I could not ski, I could not do anything.”

The Balmoral Beach Clubhouse. Picture: David Swift

Mr Kelly said the pair originally planned to do the 28km swim at the end of last year but postponed it because Mr Feyder was in “intense pain” when he started training and developed chronic nerve problems in one arm.

Mr Kelly said the pair also wanted to inspire people who were “on the wrong side of 60” — as both men are — to continue exercising.

“Long distance swimming is a good thing for older people to do because you’re not so susceptible to injury,” he said.

“Unlike skiing, cycling or running, which people in their 60s still do — they always attract injury.

“What we are trying to do, is to show people you can still do this stuff, and stay healthy and stay fit, without injuring yourself.”

The veteran ocean swimmers, photographed at Manly Beach, aim to raise money and awareness for Sydney’s Pain Management Research Institute. Picture: Annika Enderborg

Mr Kelly said the men had done a lot of training but this would be the longest distance swim for both of them.

“Our biggest impediment will be the weather,” he said.

A support boat and kayakers will accompany the two men.

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